Migrant move cops flak

THE state’s unions have urged the Government to invest more in local apprenticeships following a spike in international migrants coming to Tasmania on skilled visas.

Immigration data released by the Federal Government on Monday showed the number of international migrants coming to Tasmania on skilled visas has more than doubled.

A policy encouraging migrants to settle in regional Australia has resulted in 609 people coming to Tasmania between July and September under the regional sponsored migration and skilled visas scheme. This compared with 240 people in the same quarter the previous year.

Immigration Minister David Coleman hailed the increase as an economic boost.

However, the Tasmanian branches of several unions have reacted angrily to the spike in skilled migrants.

In a statement issued to the Mercury, union officials raised concerns including a lack of training places for local youth and job seekers, exploitation of foreign workers and the potential loss of public sector jobs in Tasmania.

AMWU official John Short said the figures were bad news for Tasmanians looking for work.

“There is clearly little incentive for employers to train up locals or pay them properly when they have free rein to employ people on short-term visas,” Mr Short said. “We not only need to put strict control over the dodgy visa system, we need to revive and support the TAFE system to give young Tasmanians a chance of a good job and a good future.”

Richie Hassett from the CFMEU said foreign workers were at risk of exploitation.

“International visa workers who worked on the Royal Hobart Hospital K-Block project went three months without pay in a recent high-profile example of where the system has failed to protect these workers,” he said.

CPSU spokesman Zac Batchelor raised concerns that the immigration system was on the verge of being privatised, threatening more than 100 Tasmanian public sector jobs.