Don’t cut 457 skill test
I AM sure many of us would love a significant project to be built here.
Anyone would assume a large project like a new stadium, possibly a baseload power station, would generate jobs and boost our local economy.
Well, depending on who has a stake in any large project across Australia, it may depend on who is employed to construct, and possibly maintain such facilities.
I have recently read a side letter from the Federal Minister of Trade and Investment Andrew Robb as part of the Chinese- Australian Fair Trade Agreement, which outlines the removal of skills assessment for various trades for Chinese applicants wishing to apply for an Australian Temporary Work ( Skilled) visa ( subclass 457).
For various skilled trades wanting to come to Australia to work under the 457 visa process they are currently required to undertake a skills assessment to prove their skills and abilities and to match their home qualification to the qualification they are applying for to work in Australia.
This is to ensure that where there is this apparent skills shortage that the workers coming here are suitably qualified. Under the agreement the skills assessment process looks to be being removed from the 457 visa process for Chinese companies who have a stake in a project or work program.
This would then allow Chinese companies to import workers for these projects. The Chinese workers would also be excluded from undertaking the skills assessment.
This would open the floodgates to unsafe practices in many industries.
The skills assessment process is not designed to discriminate but is in place to ensure workers coming here have a minimum understanding of their trade/ qualification, and those who don’t, simply would not qualify to migrate to Australia.
Having been given the opportunity to be an assessor for skills migration in 2012 and 2013 in the United Kingdom, I understand the importance of this process.
It is one process that I strongly disagree with being removed from the 457 visa process under the agreement.
Australian jobs should not be given to Chinese applicants on a silver platter.
We should be supporting Australians to fill these position first.
The Federal Government is simply doing all it can to implement the agreement, and, as it looks, giving away Australian jobs at a time when Australia needs to supports it own first.
Would the Federal Member for Herbert care to explain his position on his Government’s decision to remove the skills assessment process and provide details on how this would improve the electorate of Herbert? MARK HARRISON, Mount Louisa.