Australia’s New Migration Strategy Unveiled
Australia’s recently introduced new migration strategy, signalling a notable change in the nation’s approach to skilled migration. This comprehensive strategy aims to streamline the migration system, tackle crucial skills shortages, and promote long-term prosperity for the country. In this blog, we will dissect the crucial elements of this strategy.
8 Key Actions of the Strategy
1. Targeting Temporary Skilled Migration to address skills needs and promote worker mobility
The strategy aims to align temporary skilled migration with Australia’s evolving skills needs, promoting worker mobility and addressing labor shortages more effectively. It would Consider how best to regulate migration for lower paid workers with essential skills.
EXISTING COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Raise the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) from $53,900 to $70,000
- Provide a pathway to permanent residence for temporary skilled visa holders.
NEW COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Develop a new Skills in Demand visa, with full mobility and clear pathways to permanent residence
- Develop a Specialist Skills Pathway to drive innovation and job creation
- Develop a Core Skills Pathway to meet targeted workforce needs
- Legislate indexation of income thresholds to maintain system integrity
- Take a coordinated, evidence-based, tripartite approach to identifying skills needs
- Streamline Labour Market Testing to reduce complexity
- stablish a best practice service level agreement for processing times and a modernised accreditation pathway to better compete for talent
2. Reshaping Permanent Skilled Migration
By redefining permanent skilled migration pathways, the strategy seeks to build an innovative and effective workforce for Australia’s future, driving long-term economic growth.
AREAS FOR FUTURE REFORM
- Explore a reformed points test to better identify migrants who will drive Australia’s long-term prosperity
- Consider developing a new Talent and Innovation visa to drive growth in sectors of national importance
3. Strengthening the Integrity and Quality of International Education
Efforts will be made to enhance the integrity and quality of international education, ensuring that students receive a world-class education and contribute positively to the Australian economy. The intent is to support international students and graduates to realise their potential.
EXISTING COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Introduced a first set of measures to improve integrity in international education and support genuine students.
NEW COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Increase English language requirements to improve the quality of students’ educational experience in Australia and reduce potential workplace exploitation
- Apply greater and more targeted scrutiny to student visa applications from high risk providers
- Bolster the student visa integrity unit in the Department of Home Affairs to reduce misuse of Australia’s student visa system
- Strengthen requirements for international education providers
- Restrict onshore visa hopping that undermines system integrity and drives ‘permanent temporariness
- Strengthen and simplify Temporary Graduate visas
4. Tackling worker exploitation and the misuse of the visa system
The aim is to Strengthen integrity in the approved sponsor application process and improve post-arrival monitoring and compliance including through coordination with the tax system.
Measures will be implemented to tackle worker exploitation and prevent the misuse of the visa system, safeguarding the rights of migrant workers and promoting fair labour practices.
EXISTING COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Introduced legislation, new powers and large penalties to punish unscrupulous employers
- Supported migrant workers by introducing protections against visa cancellation and giving migrants opportunities where they have experienced exploitation
- Better regulated migration agents to crack down on unscrupulous activity
- Helping migrants understand their workplace rights to reduce worker exploitation
- Established real-time priority processing of Protection visa applications
- Created a united intelligence, investigations and compliance capability in the Department of Home Affairs
NEW COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Develop a public register of approved sponsors to enable monitoring and oversight
5. Planning migration to get the right skills in the right place
The migration strategy aims to foster better collaboration between states and territories in planning migration over a longer horizon, aligning population needs with skilled migration. It emphasizes evidence-based approaches, utilizing tripartite mechanisms to define Australia’s skills requirements and improve skills recognition for migrants. Additionally, an enhanced outreach program is set to improve access to the migration system, while a robust evaluation framework ensures continuous monitoring and adjustment for effective migration management.
NEW COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Plan migration over a longer-term horizon to better manage the migration intake, with greater state and territory collaboration
- Work with states and territories to ensure population planning is based on the best available population data and forecasts
- Establish a formal role for Jobs and Skills Australia in defining Australia’s skills needs using evidence, including advice from tripartite mechanisms
- Improve the approach to skills recognition and assessment to better unlock the potential of migrants
- Launch an enhanced outreach program to improve access to the migration system
- Bring an evidence-based, tripartite approach to evaluation and monitoring.
6. Tailoring Regional Visas and Working Holiday Maker Program to support regional Australia and its workers
The strategy includes provisions to tailor regional visas and the Working Holiday Maker program to support development objectives in regional Australia, addressing unique workforce challenges in these areas.
EXISTING COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Increased skilled migration to help meet labour shortages in regional Australia.
NEW COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Designate visa processing to regional Australia as the highest processing priority
7. Deepening Indo-Pacific Ties
Australia aims to strengthen people-to-people ties in the Indo-Pacific region, fostering collaboration and mutual benefit through strategic migration initiatives.
EXISTING COMMITMENTS
- Established a direct pathway to Australian citizenship for eligible New Zealanders to reflect the strong ties between our two countries
- Reformed the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, and delivering a new Pacific Engagement Visa to encourage more mobility from our region
- Providing a special visa arrangement for Tuvalu citizens under our bilateral treaty, the Australia Tuvalu Falepili Union
- Making it easier for Southeast Asian businesses and eminent people to travel to Australia
8. Simplifying the Migration System to improve migrants and employers experience
Efforts will be made to simplify the migration system, improving the experience for migrants and employers alike and ensuring a more efficient and transparent process.
EXISTING COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Invested to reduce the visa backlog and modernise the visa system experience for migrants and employers.
NEW COMMITMENTS INCLUDE
- Abolish unnecessary and duplicative visas to simplify the visa system
- Embed simplification as a key objective of all actions in the Migration Strategy
Key Announcements
In addition to outlining key actions, the strategy includes several key announcements aimed at reforming the migration system and promoting sustainable economic growth. These announcements include:
1. Migration Program Planning and Numbers
- The government plans to extend migration planning beyond the current 12-month cycle to better address critical skills shortages and enhance collaboration with states and territories.
- Net overseas migration numbers are expected to decrease from 510,000 in the 2022-23 financial year to 375,000 the following year, eventually stabilizing at 250,000.
- The number of international students grew to 270,000 in 2022-23, up from 170,000 in 2018-19, indicating a resurgence post-COVID.
- Temporary visa holders, including Temporary Skilled, Working Holiday Makers, and COVID event visa holders, accounted for 180,000 places in 2022-23, up from 100,000 in 2018-19.
2. Introduction of Skilled in Demand Visa
- A new three-tiered visa system, the Skills in Demand Visa, will replace the TSS SC 482 visa.
- This visa system includes specialist skills visas for high-earning individuals, core skills visas for mid-tier earners, and essential skills visas for lower earners.
- Visa holders will have a streamlined pathway to permanent residency, with access to self-nominated independent pathways and employer-sponsored routes.
3. Changes to Temporary Graduate Visa (485) and Student Visas
- The 485 Graduate Visa will undergo significant changes, targeting international graduates with skills in demand by Australian employers.
- Age eligibility for the 485 visa will be reduced from 50 to 35 years, and English language requirements will be increased from IELTS 6 to IELTS 6.5.
- Student visa programs will also see substantial changes, including higher English language requirements and restrictions on eligible courses.
4. Regional Migration and Working Holiday Makers
- Efforts will be made to revitalize regional migration strategies and fast-track regional visa applications.
- The Working Holiday Maker program will undergo review to ensure alignment with regional development objectives and prevent exploitation of migrant workers.
5. Global Talent and Business Skills
- The Global Talent program will be refined to focus on individuals capable of making significant contributions to Australia.
- Consideration will be given to introducing a new ‘talent and innovation’ visa to attract highly skilled migrants.
6. Foreign Investment Fees
- Foreign investors purchasing established homes will face increased fees and penalties for leaving properties vacant, aimed at curbing property speculation.
Conclusion
Australia’s new Migration Strategy represents a comprehensive approach to address current challenges and capitalize on future opportunities. By aligning migration policies with economic needs and skill demands, Australia aims to build a resilient and prosperous society while maintaining its status as a global destination for talent and innovation.
