Some urgent mining occupations are not on the CSL.
Some Australian states are warning of labour shortages if the changes to the skilled migration policies fail to bring in sufficient skilled labour.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland told the Brisbane Times that a shortage of skilled migrants would be disasterous for the state’s economy. Currently Queensland has a number of large scale projects underway and urgently need truck drivers, plumbers, engineers etc. Some of the occupations in demand in Queensland are not currently on the Australian Department of Immigration’s critical skills list.
Western Australia also urgently need migrant workers to help plug the gaps in their workforce. As we reported last week WA is going through a mining boom and needs workers such as Production Managers – another occupation that is not currently on the CSL.
As most of these industries export to China, a slowdown in production could spell disaster. It is Australia’s strong trading relationship with China that managed to keep Australia out of the recession that gripped the rest of the world.
David Goodwin, the President of the Chamber of Commerce warns: “If we don’t attract that new labour to the country, we do hold back projects and if you hold back projects we don’t get the wealth we could otherwise expect.”
He also said that local economies benefit enormously from skilled immigrants to Australia as they fuel demand for housing and teachers and they spend money in local shops thereby helping local businesses.
“Our position is that if you bring the right sort of immigrants to Australia, it really does help the economy. So while people think it takes away jobs invariably they probably create even more jobs because they buy a house, send their kids to school and go to the local shops.”
The Chamber of Commerce urges the government to consult with employers over the changes and to make immigration policies more flexible to suit demand in different states.
So far the changes to immigration policy has been welcomed by the mining industry, but if the current changes discourages potential migrants to Australia it may well be a different story. There is a fine line to tread between calling for more highly-skilled migrants and discouraging more general skilled workers. The government needs to communicate with both employers and states to ensure that any new skills in demand list hits the right balance to benefit Australia’s potential.
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12 Responses to “Australian Immigration Changes Could Lead to Labour Shortages”
Comment by Max Hugen — February 9, 2010 @ 9:30 pm
“…urgently need truck drivers…”
So we’re incapable of teaching some of our tens of thousands of unemployed to drive a truck???
When our population hits 36+ million in just another 4 decades, and we become reliant on 3rd world countries for food, and whinge about the scarcity of water that then costs 5x as much… will websites like this clamour to “close the immigration doors”?
Do we really want to mimic the US? The “richest nation on earth” already has the bulk of its wealth tied up by a relative minority who are obscenely wealthy, whilst a struggling middle class is trying to pay for extraordinary national debt, and some 20% are slaving away at $6 per hour jobs, and another 10% have no jobs at all.
“we don’t get the wealth we could otherwise expect”… like 6 car garages to house a multitude of cars, boats, motorbikes, caravans, all rusting away since we can’t possibly use them while we’re busy slaving away to pay them off.
The vast majority of our population are non-indigenous immigrants and descendants thereof – myself included – and we are just plain lucky to be in Australia. World population over the last 100 years has exploded, and whilst concerned groups campaign against pollution and global warming, only little thought is directed at the world’s over-population.
We need to have a long term perspective about our immigration policies, but that’s highly unlikely given the short term nature of our politicians, and our immediate need for ever more wealth.
Its our kids that will have to pay the Pied Piper.
Comment by christine — February 11, 2010 @ 9:44 am
I am a registered nurse and my husband is a plumber. What is the cut of age for immigration application? We are both 52 and have Australian citizenship but dating back in the 1980′s.
Comment by Lisa Valentine — February 11, 2010 @ 10:10 am
Hi Christine, to be honest I don’t have the answer for you, but I do know of someone who might. I would advise you to join our community and the question there, one of our members is a migration agent, I’ll direct her to your question and she should have the answers for you.
Comment by supun lakmal — February 11, 2010 @ 4:43 pm
some people have sent their Competency Demonstration Reports(CDR) in end of December 2009 and beginning of January 2010. So it will normally take 3 months to get a result for the CDR and they have spent thousands of dollars for the process to Australian government and to the local Migration agent. So with these sudden rules they have faced a huge problem because some may not have lodged their VISA before this date (08-02-2010).
Comment by Jadvinder Penty — February 12, 2010 @ 3:19 pm
I came to Australia in 2008 in Melbourne are driver for 20 years with experience across Europe, as no existing law I enrolled in school cook. This does not affect me because my dream is to live and travel as a truck driver in Australia. I also have the driving license HC Australian … I want to know if you have a work permit to enter Australia or Interstate. Regards
Comment by Luca — April 12, 2010 @ 7:47 pm
Hi, I am from Romania and I’ll like to migrate to Australia to work. I have a truck driver licence. Could you tell me how to apply for a working permit or visa?
Thank you.
Comment by Lisa Valentine — April 14, 2010 @ 2:11 pm
Hi Luca, why don’t you ask this question in our online forum? We also have an excellent visa guide that will guide you towards the right visa to apply for.
Comment by Rashid Rehman Memon — May 17, 2010 @ 5:46 am
Hi I am rashid from pakistan I want to live and work in australia
Comment by mark ward — October 31, 2010 @ 11:23 pm
im a uk truck driver looking to come across to australia as a driver.
could you give me some information about how i get a work permit and any companys that will employ uk nationals.
i have 11 years as a class 1 heavy haul lond distance driver driving all over europe.
Comment by Mike Hawkins — November 2, 2010 @ 4:02 pm
Hi Mark – thanks for your question however can I ask you to sign up to our forum and ask the question there. You’ll get an answer from someone more qualified than myself http://community.embraceaustralia.com/
Comment by Mike Hawkins — November 2, 2010 @ 4:04 pm
Hi Mark – thanks for your question however can I ask you to sign up to our forum and ask the question there. You’ll get an answer from someone more qualified than myself – just click the community tab at the top right hand side of the page.
Comment by ian — November 23, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
hi ive been trying to get in to australia for about 5 years as atruck driver as in a class one truck driver in the uk for many years.can you tell me please how to get a visa