BREAKING: Jobs and Skills Summit Outcomes held in Canberra
The Job and Skills Summit held at Parliament House, Canberra on 1 and 2 September 2022 brought Australians together for a fruitful two-day conference focusing on improving the labor market and economy of the country and implementing some major immediate actions.
It must be noted that through this Summit, the Australian Government wants to facilitate a better and stronger Australia for its citizens in terms of steady and stable incomes, improved workforce productivity, improved living conditions and an overall better experience for Australians.
As the committee concluded the session, they decided to implement immediate actions and regulations to tap into the opportunities and eradicate the challenges. One of the most important being an increase in the number of permanent migration visas for Skilled Migration Program from 160,000 to 195,000. This was done to facilitate a better economic system for skilled professionals and in response to shortage of skilled professionals in Australia.
Lead by the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and supported by state territories, the Summit agreed on the following immediate actions:
- An increase in the permanent Migration Program ceiling to 195,000 in 2022-23 to help ease widespread, critical workforce shortages;
- An additional funding of $36.1 million by the Government to accelerate the process of visa processing and resolve the visa backlog;
- Full employment, productivity growth and equal opportunities for women;
- Post study work rights – Allowing two additional years of stay to recent graduates in areas of verified skill shortages to strengthen the pipeline of skilled labor shortages in Australia;
- One-year National Skills Agreement – Technical and Further Education (TAFE) has been given an additional funding of $1 billion in 2023 and accelerated delivery of fee-free TAFE;
- Investing in social and affordable housing by more flexibly utilizing $575 million in the National Housing Infrastructure Facility.
Along with the immediate actions decided upon by the committee, further actions and planning will be established for the future. It is truly commendable to see the Government of Australia working towards full employment and growing productivity for the benefit of all Australians.
Source: https://www.pm.gov.au/media/outcomes-jobs-and-skills-summit
