In December 2023, the Australian Government released a series of significant planned reforms in Australia’s migration system in order to meet the future needs of the country. These are coined as the ‘Migration Strategy’. The Migration strategy is based around skilled employment and education for migrants in order to boost Australia’s workforce and overall economic stability post-pandemic.
With an acknowledgement of the inextricable relationship between the Australian economy and skilled labour, the Migration Strategy sets out five core objectives for Australia’s migration system in the years to come:
- Raising living standards for Australians by boosting productivity, meeting skills shortages and supporting exports.
- Ensuring a fair go in the workplace by complementing the jobs, wages and conditions of all workers and preventing migrant worker exploitation.
- Building stronger Australian communities by better planning the migration intake, and giving migrants the opportunity to invest in their lives in Australia through permanent residence and citizenship.
- Strengthening international relationships by building stronger economic and social connections with Australia’s region and international partners.
- Making the system work by being fast, efficient and fair for migrants and employers.
The above objectives are aimed to focus on:
- targeted skilled migration and new streamlined pathways for top global talent
- higher standards for international students and education providers to drive quality in international education
- visa settings to tackle worker exploitation and protect wages and conditions
- support for regional Australia to get fast access to skilled workers
- a new approach to migration planning to help return migration back to pre-pandemic levels and to get the right skills in the right places
Aspects of the Migration Strategy are already taking effect – For example, the Government’s changes to Employer-Sponsored Permanent Migration options for occupations on the Short Term Skilled Occupation List. You can find our blog post on this here. Australia’s labour shortages continue to hamper overall economic productivity and sustainability. The Migration Strategy is a welcomed approach to these issues and it will surely consist of interesting developments in the years to come.
If you are an employer or foreign worker in Australia, and want to know what these changes mean for you, do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced Migration Lawyers to discuss the expected changes to take place in the next several years. The detailed Migration Strategy can also be found here.
Nevett Ford Lawyers – Immigration Lawyer Melbourne & Australian Citizenship Lawyer
Telephone: +61 3 9614 7111
Email: melbourne@nevettford.com.au
Visit our website: www.nevettford.com.au