New Temporary Visa Threatens The Unemployed

With The Department of Immigration and Border Protection releasing a discussion paper in December which contains a proposal for a new short-term mobility visa, a not so welcoming reaction has be received from Australian unions.

There has been quite the backlash from unions in Australia as they have openly criticised the new class of Temporary visa. It is believed that the new Temporary visa threatens the unemployed in the country. The labour market is feared for as the unions expect it to become increasingly “fragile and easy to manipulate”.

The proposed visa will allow highly specialised skilled migrant workers to obtain work in Australia for 12 month and do this without having to apply for a 457 skilled migrant visa. The unions are not pleased with the proposal as they feel the new visa requires testing in the labour market and also, it poses a major threat to the unemployed in the country.

“It is absolute madness in the current environment, with unemployment at a 10-year high, to be removing even more opportunities for people to gain access to the workforce,” Michael O’Connor from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said.

Tony Burke who is the acting leader of those in the unions opposing the new visa suggested that the Australian government are not identifying whether or not the local talent have the credentials to fill the available jobs.

“The response from the federal government to rising unemployment is to not have to check, potentially, whether or not Australians can do a job before you bring in people from overseas.

“At a time of rising unemployment, I find it astonishing if that’s being abandoned.”

The head of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Ged Kearney said, “They drive down wages and conditions,” She continued her point with, “They add to a fragile and easy-to-manipulate workforce.”

Clearly the Department of Immigration and Border Protection need to listen to the concerns voiced by the unions and those worried for the future of the unemployed as well as the labour market. Will this new visa be a positive move that will improve or hinder the Australian people? If the proposed visa is put through then there may be a rise in specialised workers entering the country which, could in turn mean that Australians could find that a search for employment being harder than before.