‘australian experiences with skilled migration ... · ‘australian experiences with skilled...
TRANSCRIPT
HRpulse Sponsor
RESEARCH REPORT
‘Australian Experiences with Skilled Migration – Perception and Reality’
ForewordThe overall findings of this study are extremely positive and considerably more so than
some recent media reporting on our skilled migrant program.
Approximately 80 percent of the 1044 respondents to this study are working at the front
line of the scheme – as employer sponsors of skilled migrants or as employees working
alongside skilled migrants. Of those two sample groups, a total of around four out of five
report positively on the benefits of the scheme and would take the same path again to
source talent from offshore, given the opportunity.
While a minority of respondents reported problems with 457 visa workers, they are related
largely to issues that are not skill-based.
Some respondents in the study also identified problems with the immigration process although the overall satisfaction
level is adequate.
In a scheme that brings people from distant parts of the world to fill Australia’s skill gaps, the largely positive findings
from this study are testimony to the bi-partisan political spirit in which skilled migration has been treated.
Even though the economy has taken a turn for the worse in recent times, there are still reports of skill shortages that
will need to be filled from offshore in order to ensure our strong and well performing industries remain so. And in
those sectors struggling in the present economic climate, selective offshore skills may better place them to make a
stronger recovery.
A critical finding is the high number of organisations that reported seeking skills from within Australia before looking
overseas. There will no doubt be greater pressure for that practice to continue in the current economic circumstances,
but this report also leaves little doubt that the skills which migrants have brought into the country under the 457 visa
scheme have been beneficial to business and the wider Australian economy, and it is expected they will continue to
do so.
The results of this study support the Government’s recent decision, announced by the Federal Minister for
Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Evans, to continue the scheme but with a lower overall intake in 2010 that will
still include high-demand sectors such as medical, health and information technology. The study reveals that the 457
skilled immigration scheme has brought significant benefits to the Australian economy and the functioning of our
labour markets.
Peter Wilson AM
National President, AHRI
This is the first research report for the 2009 series of quarterly HRpulse studies.
AHRI’s HRpulse reports explore issues that relate to the practice of human resources and people management in business, providing data for the use of practitioners in the HR profession as well as government, media and the community at large.
During 2008 the HRpulse series reported on the following four topics:
• Generational differences in the workforce
• Staff turnover and the issue of retention
• Parental leave
• Performance management.
Like its predecessors in the HRpulse series, this survey on skilled migration attracted a sample group in excess of 1000 respondents. I take this opportunity to thank the members of AHRI for contributing to the data that result from the surveys. The survey questions take time to complete and involve effort, so your continued support is greatly appreciated. AHRI cannot produce reliable, evidence-based data without the support of the people who, through their expertise and know-how, provide the evidence.
Other HRpulse surveys planned for 2009 include executive remuneration, industrial relations and the economic slowdown, and suggestions from members are welcome.
I commend this report to you and trust you will continue to support AHRI research initiatives.
Serge Sardo
Chief Executive Officer, AHRI
AcknowledgementsProject director: Serge Sardo Research coordinator: Anne-Marie Dolan, Eve Guzowska Report authors: Serge Sardo, Paul Begley Sponsor: Bridge Consulting
Volume 3, Number 1
© Australian Human Resources Institute, March 2009
Research Report1
page
SURVEY OVERVIEW
BACKGROUNDDuring December 2008, the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) surveyed its membership base for the purpose of producing a HRpulse report on how skilled migration was operating within the Australian workforce. AHRI’s survey instrument informed participants that the questions should take about 10-15 minutes to answer.
Types of respondentsApart from the standard demographic information sought from HRpulse respondents, those who contributed to this survey were asked to identify themselves as one of the following:
• An employer of skilled migrants
• An employee working alongside skilled migrants
• A person from an organisation that has not employed skilled migrants
• A skilled migrant employee.
The answers to some of the questions were filtered in accordance with how the respondents identified themselves.
KEY FINDINGS
DEMOGRAPHICSThe survey attracted a response rate of 1044 individuals from the AHRI database over a two week period in December 2008. Respondents were contacted by email and completed the survey online.
Representations of the respondent breakdown in terms of age, gender, organisation size and type, position in organisation and the main activity of the organisation, are set out in tables 1-6 below.
Table 1. Age of respondents
Table 2. Gender of respondents
0%
10%
5%
15%
20%
Age
25 oryounger
26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 51-55 56-60 61 orolder
9.10%
18.77%17.34%
15.04%
13.89%
10.63%9.20%
4.21%
1.82%
Research Report2
page
Table 3. Organisation size
0%
40%
60%
20%
80%
Gender
Male Female
28.49%
71.51%
0%
25%
50%
Organisation Size
1-99employees
100-499employees
500-999employees
1000+employees
23.17%
29.33%
12.02%
35.48%
Research Report3
page
Table 4. Organisation type
Table 5. Position within organisation
0%
20%
40%
60%
Organisation Type
Public Private Not for profit Governmentbusiness
enterprise
29.59%
54.27%
9.41%
6.72%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Position
HR
Ad
min
istrato
r
HR
Ad
visor
HR
Man
ag
er
Se
nio
r HR
Man
ag
er
HR
Dire
ctor/C
M
Co
nsu
ltan
t
Su
pe
rvisor/Te
am
Le
ad
er
Man
ag
er
Se
nio
r Man
ag
er
Dire
ctor/C
M/C
EO
/E
xe
cutive
Aca
de
mic
Acco
un
tan
t/Fin
an
ce
Ad
min
istrato
r
Barristo
r/So
licitor
Re
cruite
r
Oth
er
6.14%
20.13%
25.31%
8.25%
6.62%7.77%
0.06%
4.31% 4.22%6.14%
0.67% 0.19% 1.15% 0.29%3.45%
4.60%
Research Report4
page
Table 6. What is the main activity of your organisation?
As indicated in tables 1-6, around three-quarters of respondents are aged between 25-50 years (75.67%) with a little more than half in the age groups between 25-40 years (51.15%).
Nearly three quarters of the respondents are female (71.51%).
More than a third of respondents work in organisations with more than 1000 employees (35.48%) and less than a third in organisations with between 100-499 employees (29.33%). Nearly one in four is from an organisation with fewer than 100 employees (23.17%), and one in ten from an organisation with between 500-999 employees (12.05%).
Two thirds of respondents hold positions in HR as directors, managers, advisers or administrators (66.45%). A little more than one in ten hold positions as managers, team leaders or consultants (12.14%) with a similar number being senior managers or directors (10.56%).
More than half the total respondents are from NSW (28.94%) and Victoria (24.13%), with Queensland and WA representing more than a quarter between them (16.63% and 12.88% respectively). Four out of five respondents is based in a metropolitan area (80.62%).
The single largest group represented among respondents is from the area of professional, scientific and technical services (15%), with 10.3% from the health area, 8.4% from education and training, 7.5% from financial and insurance services, 6.2% from manufacturing and 5.9% from mining. The other half of respondents are distributed in areas that include construction (4.5%), information, media and telecommunications (4%), transport, postal and warehousing (3.8%), and electricity, gas and water (2.8%).
What is the main activity of your organisation?Agriculture,Forestry and Fishing
Mining
Manufacturing
Construction
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Accommodation
Cafe, Restaurant, TakeAway food services
Pub, Tavern, Bar
Club (hospitality)
Transport, Postaland Warehousing
Electricity, Gas, Waterand Waste Services
1.6%
5.9%
6.2%
2.8%
4.5%
1.7%
3.9%
0.9%
0.1%
0.1%
0.2%
3.8%
Information Mediaand Telecommunications
Financial andInsurance Services
Rental, Hiring andReal Estate Services
Administrative andSupport Services
Public Administrationand Safety
Education andTraining
Health Care andSocial Assistance
Arts andRecreation Services
Don’t Know
Other Services
Professional, Scientificand Technical Services
4.0%
7.5%
0.4%
15.0%
2.7%
3.7%
8.4%
10.3%
1.4%
0.1%
14.8%
Research Report5
page
KEY FINDINGS• Nearly seven out of ten respondents (69.42%) reported their organisation experienced skill shortages.
• More than 85% of respondents believe a skilled migration scheme is necessary.
• More than nine out of ten respondents (95.03%) whose organisations employed skilled migrants reported trying to fill the vacancies within Australia first.
• More than nine out of ten respondents (96.31%) whose organisations employed 457 visa workers reported that their organisation benefited from the scheme.
• Nearly a third of respondents (32%) whose organisations employed 457 visa holders, reported experiencing a problem.
• Of the problems relating to skilled migrants themselves, approximately a quarter of employers (24.43%) and half of those working alongside 457 workers (53.16%), saw English proficiency as the main one.
• By contrast, nearly nine out of ten respondents (85.91%) whose organisations have not employed skilled migrants reported their main area of concern was English proficiency.
• On the matter of the system, many respondents reported problems in navigating the immigration process, with approximately half (50.02%) of those employing 457 workers wanting to change the medical obligations of employers and nearly a third the visa sponsorship process as a whole (30.9%).
• Nearly half the respondents (45.1%) whose organisations have not employed skilled migrants reported that it is easier to source Australian citizens than to go through the immigration process.
DETAILED FINDINGSThe first question put to the total sample group was whether or not they had experienced skill shortages. As shown in table 7, nearly seven out of 10 indicated an answer in the positive (69.42%).
Table 7. Do you have skill shortages in your organisation?
0%
40%
60%
20%
80%
Do you have skill shortages in your organisation?
Yes No
69.42%
30.58%
Research Report6
page
Of the group that answered yes, 690 respondents indicated the sort of things the organisation had been doing to deal with the problem. Answers included in-house training and development, wide advertising, local recruitment, improving retention of existing staff, and recruitment of overseas workers on temporary visas with a view to more permanent employment.
Others mentioned developing the employer brand to increase the attractiveness of the organisation, creating attractive remuneration packages, and being cleverer about recruitment strategies.
Some complained that their organisation focused on attraction but was not sufficiently methodical about researching required skills and did not give enough attention to discovering why attrition rates were high.
There were calls for the government to improve the security of migrant workers, including assisting with accommodation because that is a difficult area for the workers in many cases.
In view of the economic downturn that had commenced when the survey was being conducted, there was some evidence that in addition to seeking 457 visa holders, some companies were looking at competitors laying off valuable staff with a view to hiring them.
SAMPLE RESPONDENT COMMENTSWhat has your organisation done to address skill shortages?
‘We have looked to 457 visas to recruit certain specialist staff for our organisation due to the lack of qualified suitable staff in Australia. We have also had major work go into our recruitment campaigns in order to ensure we do attract great local talent’
‘We have searched overseas for IT related skills that we cannot find in the local market’
‘Reviewed salaries, employed contractors to fill gaps, looked overseas’
‘Active recruitment campaigns, including newspaper, magazine, television commercials, internet. Retention initiatives (remuneration, primarily through bonuses) to encourage current employees within the shortfall areas to stay with the organisation’
‘Recruit from overseas - advertising in the UK and US where applicable’
‘Workforce planning guide currently being piloted. When completed it will be rolled out to the business and managers will be trained in workforce planning activities’
‘Very little. The emphasis is on attraction with little or no attention given to researching the skills required. The organisation does not use position descriptions thus there is an abundance of generic skills across the organisation and an attrition rate of 8.5%. More effort needs to go into role definitions, position descriptions, onboarding to manage expectations of new staff and proper exit Interviews’
‘Active recruitment and when all else fails, skilled migration’
‘Recruitment strategies through strategic alliances’
‘With the recent financial environment, competitors have been laying off employees. Prior to the past month or so, I’ve seen 457 hires both at this company and my previous employer, even processed numbers of 457 visas with mixed results … we got creative with means of recruitment without being unethical, initiating a bonus scheme for staff who encourage old workmates from past employers to apply for vacancies, if the person is successful and stays with the company for more than 3 months, they are eligible for a bonus of approximately $1k’
‘Recruiting 457 visa holders and employing 417 visa holders for short term unskilled labour’
‘Developing employer brand; using alternative recruitment options e.g e-recruitment to streamline process; use of migration agents to employ skilled migrants; competitive collective agreement with attractive remuneration and benefits; work-life balance initiatives, focus on safety first and corporatised approach to T&D involving partnerships with RTOs; launched corporate induction program to support divisional and local programs. A major focus on retention to avoid losing valuable talent’
‘Nominate research engineers to enter Australia on the 457 visa’
Research Report7
page
‘Introduction of relocation policy and partnerships with relocation and immigration specialists. Hiring of a project manager for a recruitment campaign and relocation coordinator to assist divisions with transitioning staff and induction. Introduction of a recruitment panel contract. Overseas seminars in India with interviews and follow up 2nd interviews. Attendance at the Opportunities Australia EXpo in South Africa with follow up interviews of 42 people. Submission for skills allowances for critical and difficult to fill positions. Workforce planning for 27 critical and difficult to fill positions’
‘International recruitment’
‘Training new starters from outside the industry and recruiting from other similar industries’
‘Offering better terms and conditions’
Given the responses to the answers given in table 7, it is perhaps not surprising that table 8 shows that more than 85% of respondents believed that a skilled migration scheme is required.
Table 8. Do you believe a skilled migration scheme is required in Australia?
A total of 854 respondents provided written answers as to why or why not they thought a skilled migration scheme was needed.
Answers included questioning our home-grown skills training schemes with respect to matching skill gaps, though there was evidence that some linked it to cost saving strategies, so migrants were seen as a short-term solution especially in areas where the present competition for scarce local skills was great. In those areas some respondents made the point that better direction of training opportunities for Australian school leavers would assist in solving the problem.
Other answers looked at demographics and saw the ageing workforce as a problem that needs better managing. While some mentioned putting more emphasis on unemployed Australians getting work, others saw the merits of cultural diversity in employing migrants.
Inevitably also, mention was made of the difficulty of attracting employees into areas of work that are not glamorous, such as aged care, and that migrants fill those roles well. In the health area, there were numerous mentions of doctor shortages in regional areas and a worldwide shortage of nurses.
0
50%
75%
25%
100%
Do you believe a skilled migration scheme
is required in Australia?
Yes No
85.52%
14.48%
Research Report8
page
SAMPLE RESPONDENT COMMENTSWhy (or why not) do you believe a skilled migration scheme in required?
‘Small population in Australia and significant challenges for Australian training providers given the State and Commonwealth apprenticeship systems, which are now changing under the COAG agenda’
‘In certain areas where there is a skills shortage, it makes sense to have a scheme’
‘We need experienced personnel to help train existing Australians. To do this we need 457 visa workers’
‘If there is a skill shortage in Australia, why wouldn’t we include migrants to assist with the issue?’
‘Capture overseas talent in areas required in Australia’
‘Increase the available talent pool and fill gaps’
‘Australians should fill jobs if the skill sets are correct. If there is a shortage here we should look to bring skills in from overseas to enhance Australia’s skills and our businesses’
‘Each organisation needs to be able to assess the needs of the organisation and determine whether migration will assist them. However, on the whole, skilled migration is a short term fix that organisations often look to when cost saving. A longer term solution would include training strategies for current and new employees. This also has a long-term economic benefit for Australia’
‘There are a number of positions in industry where Australia has not invested in training and planning to ensure skills for the future, particularly in trades’
‘We get some great UK candidates and with them we can learn to better deliver to our clients, to develop our employees, and ultimately to benefit the economy. Aussies go overseas too. It’s good to have an open flow of talent both ways’
‘Yes, for the short term. No, for the long term. We need to invest in educating and nurturing our pipelines of talent and skills - from tertiary education facilities and earlier on’
‘There should be more emphasis on making unemployed people in Australia work’
‘Our skills and labour supply is not sufficient to meet demands. Even with the economic downturn I still think there’s room for skilled migration given that we’re a global economy. We should be sourcing the best talent from around the world’
‘Fill shortage of skilled technical roles. The migrants bring skills into the country that then develop local workers’
‘I think we need to encourage our children to consider the areas in which there are skill shortages’
‘We need to skill our unskilled employees and keep the jobs for existing Australians and our future generations’
‘Skills shortages in this industry will continue well into the next decade’
‘Would bring migrants and skills to regional Australia which are badly needed’
‘In 5-15 years time I believe once the baby boomers begin to retire/die there will be a population shortage and therefore a skills shortage’
‘We should be looking at training and development of the current skill set that we have in Australia’
‘At the moment engaging engineers has been very difficult for our industry. Many are coming from overseas’
‘Businesses and unions offer limited training opportunities’
Research Report9
page
SAMPLE GROUPS IN THE SURVEYTable 9 indicates the status of respondents to the survey. The answers reveal that two-thirds of respondents (65.45%) have employed skilled migrants, while one-third (32.44%) have worked alongside skilled migrants. Some of those respondents have identified themselves with both groups as employer and work colleague.
A large minority of respondents (15.02%) had not employed skilled migrants at all, and a small minority (4.5%) identified themselves as skilled migrants.
Table 9. Status of respondents to survey
Sample group 1: Employers of skilled migrantsAs indicated in table 10, three-quarters (76.13%) of the 683 respondents who had employed skilled migrants did so within their own organisation while the other quarter either employed migrants for other organisations (8.12%) or for both their own and other organisations (15.67%).
Table 10. For whom were you employing skilled migrants?
0
20%
40%
60%
80%
Please select the following statement which bestdescribes your experience in relation to skilled migration.
I have employedskilled migrants
I have workedalongside
skilled migrants
My organisationhas not employedskilled migrants
I am a skilledmigrant
65.45%
32.44%
15.02%
4.50%
0
20%
40%
60%
80%
Have you employed skilled migrants?
To work in yourown organisation
To work in anotherorganisation
Both
76.13%
8.20%
15.67%
Research Report10
page
More than half of employed migrants had a mixture of English language skills as a first and a second language (54.32%). Of the other half, respondents reported around a quarter had English as a first language (23.43%) and a similar proportion (22.25%) had English as a second language.
Table 11 shows that the vast majority of respondents who have employed skilled migrants made attempts first to employ skills from within Australia (95.03%).
Table 11. Attempts made to fill vacancies within Australia first?
In answers to a question on why or why not those attempts had been unsuccessful, most of the 621 respondents indicated that the specific skills they were seeking are in short supply and so the need to look abroad for the skills or the quantum of people with the skills they require.
SAMPLE RESPONDENT COMMENTSWhy (or why not) did your organisation try to fill vacancies within Australia prior to seeking skilled migrants?
‘Shortages in technical areas’
‘The position was advertised. A skilled migrant was put forward by a recruitment agency. She was working in Indonesia and looking to move to Australia. We interviewed her and found her to be the best applicant with skills and experience’
‘Talent shortage in our industry - particularly senior talent - it’s sometimes easier to get them from overseas’
‘Engineers are in hard supply’
‘If we’re talking about doctors and nurses, sometimes it is simply because the Australian skilled professionals do not wish to work in the remote parts of Queensland whilst overseas doctors are happy to take the opportunity to enter the country any way they can. In other cases, there is simply a shortage of qualified practitioners. Also, we now see an increase in the number of doctors/nurses exiting university but insufficient senior medical staff to oversee their on the job training and it thus becomes necessary to seek skilled migrants’
‘Not enough trained/skilled people available in Australia to fill all the vacancies’
‘Small pool of potential candidates to recruit from, not all the skills required available in the local market’
‘Skills not available to the quality we require’
‘As a member of the tertiary sector we have to compete internationally to get the best possible employees to ensure that our teaching and research activities are amongst the best in the world’
‘Shortage of qualified engineers with experience specific to my industry available locally’
‘When we need to recruit we hire the best person for the job. We prefer hiring Australian citizens. However if we employ a skilled migrant, they generally commence part time (20 hours maximum) and if they are fantastic then we consider sponsoring them’
0%
50%
75%
25%
100%
Did you try to fill vacancies within Australiaprior to seeking skilled migrants?
Yes No
95.03%
4.97%
Research Report11
page
‘As a medium size business it is often difficult to compete with large organisations who are in the position to offer a stronger employer brand’
‘Lack of skills required. We are a multinational company and overseas migrants come with all the skills we require to operate within our structure and systems’
‘If unsuccessful the skills are not available here at the right level’
‘We often recruited engineers in my previous organisation mainly from the UK due to a lack of skilled labour and intensive demand for degree qualified as well as non-degree engineers’
‘There is a severe shortage of doctors, especially doctors wanting to work in rural areas’
‘Often managers choose to bring in 457s as they are familiar with them, know them, have worked with them before or in some cases are family members (cousins, etc). I have even heard managers talk about recruiting staff on 457s as “they won’t leave” whereas locals can change employers at the drop of a hat. Our staff on 457s have to find another sponsor and also have strict payback clauses in their contract should they leave within a certain period’
‘Because our preference is to employ locally as much as possible’
‘Yes, only because we advertise locally in the first instance, and support for the local workforce is important’
Drilling down a little further into the answers given to the question in table 11, table 12 indicates the main occupational groups of 457 visa workers as reported by 676 respondents who employed skilled migrants. The largest group by a long way was the professional category (70.3%) followed by migrants in technical areas (46.6%). Around a quarter are managerial employees (27.1%) and less than a fifth are employees with a trade (18.5%).
Table 12. categories of skilled migrants on 457 visas
Drilling down further, table 13 sets out answers to a question on how the skill sets of 457 visa holders were verified by the organisation. Around a quarter of respondents (23.29%) reported using evidence of work experience, one in five (19.44%) conducted their own examinations, and 17.66% asked for evidence of educational qualifications. Smaller proportions of respondents asked for verification of skills attained from recruitment agencies, work references and other authorities.
0%
40%
20%
60%
80%
What categories broadly describe the occupationof your 457 visa workers?
Man
ag
eria
l
27.1%
Pro
fessio
nal
70.3%
Tech
nica
l
46.4%
Trad
e
18.5%
Co
mm
un
ity an
dp
erso
nal se
rvicew
orke
rs
3.7%
Cle
rical a
nd
ad
min
istrative
wo
rkers
2.7%
Sale
s wo
rkers
6.4%
Mach
ine
op
era
tors
an
d d
rivers
2.5%
Lab
ou
rers
1.3%
Se
mi-skille
d
5.9%
Un
skilled
1.3%
Research Report12
page
Table 13. Verifying that the 457 visa holders had the skills needed
On the question of whether the organisation benefited by employing 457 visa holders, the 677 respondents who had employed them reported resoundingly in the positive with 96.31% answering ‘Yes’ (see table 14).
To a related question on whether these respondents would again use 457 visa workers to meet skilled labour needs, 94.5% answered in the positive confirming the strength of the answer.
Table 14. Have 457 workers benefited the organisation?
As indicated in table 15, nearly two thirds were enthusiastic in their responses, with around half of the sample group (48.54%) reporting that the migrants had successfully filled skilled job vacancies and another 14.44 % adding that the 457 visa workers were highly skilled.
Other positive responses related to the capacity of the workers with respect to the relevance of their work experience, their need for little or no training, their readiness to pass on their skills and their strong work ethic. Mention was also made of improving the competitiveness of the organisation through bringing new ideas and contributing to a diverse work culture.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
How did you verify that the 457 visa workershave the skills you needed?
Skills ve
rified
by
recru
itme
nt a
ge
ncy
10.53%
Co
nd
ucte
d o
wn
form
al e
xam
inatio
n
19.44%
Evid
en
ce o
fe
du
catio
nal
atta
inm
en
t– e
g. d
iplo
mas,
aca
de
mic tra
nscrip
ts
17.66%
Evid
ence
of w
ork
exp
erie
nce
– eg
. CV
s
23.29%
Skills a
ssessm
en
tp
rovid
ed
by
rele
van
t asse
ssing
au
tho
rity
9.20%
Wo
rk refe
ren
ces
9.20%
Oth
er – P
lease
spe
cify
10.68%
0%
50%
75%
25%
100%
Has your organisation benefited fromemploying 457 visa workers?
Yes No
96.31%
3.69%
Research Report13
page
Table 15. The benefits of employing 457 visa holders
The employment of skilled migrants has not happened without incident, however, and table 16 indicates that nearly a third of respondents (32%) reported a problem.
Table 16. Incidence of problems with 457 visa holders
Of the group reporting a problem, the character of the problems are set out in table 17 and represent 221 responses. English proficiency was identified by nearly one in four respondents (24.43%) and leaving before the expiry date on the visa by around the same number (22.17%), with the next most common being assimilation with other workers (14.93%).
Problems relating to skills, work ethic, need for training and illness were reported in very small numbers.
If you have indicated yes, what were these benefits?
They have filled skilledjob vacancies48.54%
They are highly skilled workers14.44%
They are hard working2.76%
They have relevantwork experience9.83%
They have passed on their skillsand experience to other workers6.91%
They require little training1.06%
They get on well withother workers0.49%
Increased international competivenessthrough new knowledge & ideas6.30%
Created a more diversework culture3.99%
Other - Please specify5.68%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Has your organisation had any problems
with 457 visa workers?
Yes No
32.00%
68.00%
Research Report14
page
Table 17. Workplace problems with 457 visa workers
Commenting in general on why the respondents would or would not want to use 457 visa workers again, respondents focused heavily on the fact that the organisation plugged skill gaps with skilled migrants that they otherwise could not have done. Many also mentioned the quality and diversity of the skills they brought along with new ideas and, for the most part, superior work ethic.
SAMPLE RESPONDENT COMMENTSWhy (or why not) would you use 457 visa workers again to meet your skill needs?
‘Because they typically are very good workers for our discipline’
‘The international employees provide the organisation with varied and highly skilled diversity within the workplace’
‘It is an effective means to ensure we have the capability we need’
‘To continue filling vacancies where there are a shortage of suitable candidates within Australia’
‘We need to continue to use the 457 scheme due to the lack of qualified staff in Australia to fill the vacancies’
‘Diversity of skills differentiates us from our competitors in a skill-short market’
‘It was not a conscious decision to employ a worker because she had the 457 visa. Our applicant was put forward by a recruitment agency and her skills and experience made her right for the job - not the visa’
‘With the appropriate checks in place, these workers can bring new ideas and experience to the workplace, as well as filling desperate needs in the healthcare industry’
‘Some technical positions are difficult to recruit for’
‘If the best candidate for the role happened to require a 457 visa, we would apply for sponsorship’
‘Generally been a very positive experience getting in skilled machine operators for our special equipment’
‘It is necessary to remain competitive’
‘Maybe - if we could not fill a role’
‘There ara still major shortages of skills in the areas we operate in - freight forwarding and logistics’
‘It was becoming more and more difficult to sponsor 457 workers with many restrictions and often large time delays in processing. The government should have less restrictive practices for skilled labour with salaries over $100,000 annually’
‘Still a doctor shortage’
‘Easier to find the people with the right skills’
If you have indicated yes, what were the problems?
Skills8.6%
Work ethic5.43%
Work experience2.74%
Assimilation with other workers14.93%
Training required3.68%
English proficiency24.43%
Leaving before visa expires22.17%
Illness1.18%
Other16.29%
Research Report15
page
Remuneration of skilled migrantsThe survey of this sample group asked three questions relating to remuneration. The first was whether they would consider paying skilled Australians above the market rate to fill long-term vacancies. This question was answered by 667 respondents, 73.91% of whom reported that they would be so prepared.
In keeping with the consistent emphasis on getting the skills required regardless of where the workers came from, almost the same numbers of respondents would take the same approach to the payment of skilled workers from overseas.
When asked how much they would be prepared to pay, fewer respondents answered (572) but around a third (35.84%) of those who did reported between 5-10% above the market rate and around a third were not sure (37.94%). One in ten (12.94%) said they would pay 11-20% above the rate and around the same proportion said they would pay less than 5% above the rate (see table 18).
Table 18. Comparison of preparedness to pay above the market rate
Improving the processTable 19 sets out responses to a number of optional changes that could be made to the 457 visa scheme. Respondents were invited to nominate as many as they thought appropriate. The most common response by far (333 respondents out of a 663 sample) was to remove the employer obligation to pay medical costs for 457 visa holders and their families, followed by changes to the 457 sponsorship process (205).
Other suggestions were more flexible wage arrangements (167), reduced fees (160), increases to the range of occupations (157), sponsorship obligations (158), extension of the visa beyond four years (127) and reduction of the minimum salary level (66).
A total of 88 respondents (or 13.3%) would change nothing about the scheme.
How much extra would your organisation pay?
Less than 5% above market rate10.66%
5-10% above market rate35.84%
11-20% above market rate12.94%
21-30% above market rate2.27%
More than 30% above market rate0.35%
Not sure37.94%
Research Report16
page
Table 19. Suggested changes to the 457 visa scheme
Sponsorship and permanent residencyThe great majority of respondents whose organisations employed skilled migrants (92.78%) were aware that 457 visa workers could be sponsored for permanent residence. Furthermore, three out of four (74.81%) knew there was an Employer Nomination Scheme and used that scheme. Nearly half (45.78%) knew there was a Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme to effect a sponsorship arrangement, while only one in five (22.67%) was aware that there were also Labour Agreements.
Nearly two-thirds (62.61%) of that sample group of 674 respondents work for organisations that have sponsored a 457 worker for permanent residence. Of that group of 435 respondents, as shown in table 20, the key reasons why the organisation undertook a permanent residence sponsorship option were because the worker:
• had the required skills to fill a vacancy (300)
• was highly skilled (296)
• had relevant work experience (239)
• was hard working (176)
• got on well with other workers (133)
• required little training (71)
• was promised a sponsorship prior to employment (43).
Is there anything you would change about
the 457 visa program?
Nothing13.3%
457 visa sponsorship process30.9%
Reduced sponsorship andnomination fees24.1%
More flexible wage arrangementssuch as salary packaging
25.2%
Increase range of relevant occupations23.7%
457 visa sponsorship obligations23.8%
Allow 457 visa workers to workwith other employers10.7%
Extend the visa beyond 4 years19.2%
Reduce Minimum Salary Level10.0%
Allow multiple entries into Australia13.9%
Remove employer obligation to paymedical costs for 457 visa worker and family50.2%
Others5.1%
Research Report17
page
Table 20. Why employers sponsored 457 workers for permanent residence
Of the respondents whose organisations had not taken up offering a permanent residency sponsorship, 193 offered comments, most along the line that contract time was not up and the issue hadn’t arisen. Others commented on the additional responsibility and cost, and the uncertainty about whether the worker would remain with the company.
It was also noted that if migrants applied for permanent residency themselves, it gave them greater flexibility to move to another employer and many prefer that. That desire for flexibility also influenced many employers. Asked what were deterrents to sponsoring 457 visa workers for permanent residence, 611 respondents listed their reasons as set out in table 21.
Table 21. Deterrents to sponsoring 457 workers for permanent residence
Other deterrents included cost, time, cumbersome process requirements, police check requirements, health insurance, repatriation expenses, and no probationary clause.
If yes, why did you sponsor these workers forpermanent residence?
They have filled skilledjob vacancies
68.97%
They are highly skilled workers68.05%
They are hardworking40.46%
They have relevantwork experience
54.94%
They have passed on their skillsand experience to other workers
36.55%
They get on well withother workers30.57%
They require little training10.32%
Promise given to 457 visa workersprior to their employment9.89%
Other4.60%
Did any of these regulations and obligations deter youfrom sponsoring 457 visa workers for permanent residence?
YES NO
Need to apply for an exemption if workers older than 45 11.46% 77.25%
Need to apply for an exemption if worker doesn’t meet Englishlanguage requirement
10.80% 73.98%
Skills accreditation requirements for workers too demanding 11.13% 73.81%
Worker can leave business after being sponsored by them forpermanent residence
25.04% 62.85%
Obligation to provide full time, ongoing job for 2 years for RegionalSponsored Migration Scheme workers
6.87% 73.81%
Obligation to provide full time, ongoing job for 3 years for EmployerNomination Scheme workers
10.15% 73.00%
Obligation to provide work relevant training for EmployerNomination Scheme workers
4.75% 75.45%
Minimum salary for Employer Nomination Scheme workers is too high 8.35% 72.83%
Obligation to provide Occupational Health and Safety Training 1.47% 79.21%
I was not deterred by any of these 29.13% 46.97%
Research Report18
page
Sample group 2: Working alongside skilled migrantsAround 330 respondents to the survey identified themselves as working alongside skilled migrants.
A total of 237 of those respondents (71.17%) reported that the positions filled by the sponsored workers were first advertised to Australian citizens, while 72 respondents (21.62%) reported not knowing the answer to that question. Only 24 (7.21%) were sure the positions had not been advertised within Australia first (see table 22).
Table 22. Were positions advertised to Australian citizens first?
One in five respondents (20.54%) reported that the skilled migrants with whom they worked spoke English as a first language, 33.63% a second language or 45.83% some of each, indicating that language appeared not to be an issue for them.
As indicated in table 23, by far the largest proportion (232 respondents) thought their organisation employed 457 visa workers because they had skills in short supply in Australia. The next biggest option chosen in answer to that question was to attract international skills and knowledge into Australia (113).
The third strongest option was that it was difficult to attract Australian citizens to work in the region (82).
A smaller number (41) thought skilled migrants were brought in because Australian citizens are too expensive.
Professional (214), technical (148), managerial (90) and trade (47) were the occupational groups reported by this sample group into which most of the skilled migrants fell.
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Have you employed skilled migrants?
Yes they were No they were not Don’t know
71.17%
7.21%
21.62%
Research Report19
page
Table 23. Why has the organisation chosen to employ 457 visa workers?
One in five respondents (20.54%) reported that the skilled migrants with whom they worked spoke English as a first language, 33.63% a second language or 45.83% some of each, indicating that language appeared not to be an issue of much significance for that sample group.
Benefits of working with 457 visa workersThree out of four of these respondents (75%) believed their organisation had benefited from sponsoring skilled migrants while 18.75% were not sure. Only 6.25% reported that the organisation had not benefited.
Table 24 sets out the benefits respondents identified, the top two being filling skill gaps (190 respondents) and being highly skilled (146), with relevant work experience a close third choice (143). Co-workers were also more enthusiastic than employers about the capacity of skilled migrants to create a more diverse work culture (117), pass on their skills to other workers (113), be hard working (113) and get on well with other workers (81).
Table 24. Respective benefits of skilled migrants as co-workers
Why do you think your organisation has chosen to use
the 457 visa scheme to employ overseas workers?
Difficult to get Australians permanentresidents or citizens to work in this region25.08%
There is a shortage of workerswith these skills in Australia
70.94%
Australian permanent residentsor citizens don’t like doing this job9.79%
Australian permanent residents or citizenswith the same qualification and experiencewere too expensive
12.54%
Need to bring workers in to train others10.09%
Require woekers at very short notice10.70%
Sponsorship suits company’s policy9.17%
457 visa conditions provide a higherlevel of control4.59%
To attract international skills and knowledge34.56%
Not sure10.40%
If you have indicated yes, what were these benefits?
They have filled skilledjob vacancies
76.00%
They are highly skilled workers58.40%
They are hard working45.20%
They have relevant work experience57.20%
They have passed on their skills& experience to other workers45.20%
They get on well with other workers32.40%
They require little training24.40%
They have helped to increaseinternational competitivenessthrough new knowledge and ideas
31.20%
Created a more diverse work culture46.80%
Research Report20
page
Problems of working with 457 visa workersA total of 169 respondents from this sample group (52.32%) reported no problems with 457 visa workers, a quarter didn’t know (25.08%) and one in five (22.6%) thought there had been problems.
Of the 79 respondents who indicated what the problems were, table 25 shows that the main two identified were English proficiency (53.16%) and assimilation with other workers (40.51%), each of which is not a problem related to skills per se but to social interaction factors.
Table 25. Respective problems of skilled migrants as co-workers
Regardless of problems encountered, four out of five respondents (82.41%) in the sample group of co-workers believed their organisation would use 457 visa workers again.
Respondents were invited to comment in writing on why they would or would not want their organisation to use the 457 visa scheme again.
Sample group 3: Organisations that have not used skilled migrantsA total of 154 respondents identified themselves as coming from organisations that have not used skilled migrants to date.
Of that sample group, table 26 indicates that approximately one-third (32.47%) indicated they probably would not use skilled migrants in the future. Around one in ten (12.99%) reported they probably would and more than half (54.55%) said they may do so.
0%
20%
60%
If you have indicated yes, what were the problems?
Skills
Wo
rk eth
ic
Illne
ss
Oth
er
Wo
rke
xpe
rien
ce
Train
ing
req
uire
d
En
glish
pro
ficien
cy
Leavin
gb
efo
revisa
exp
ires
17.72% 17.72%13.92%
40.51%
13.92%
40%
Assim
ilatio
nw
ith o
the
rw
orke
rs
53.16%
20.25%
5.06%
24.05%
Research Report21
page
Table 26. Likelihood of using skilled migrants in the future
The reason offered by 69 respondents (45.1%) was that it’s easier to source Australian citizens. Other reasons given were the difficulty of the process (47 respondents), a preference for training Australian citizens (46) the cost of the fees (34), and lack of confidence that they will get the appropriate skills from overseas workers (25).
Twenty-five respondents reported that a main reason they had not sourced overseas workers is because there is not a shortage of the skills they require in Australia. However, when asked what might make them consider using 457 visa workers, the largest number (79 respondents) reported that if there were a shortage of skills in Australia they would change their mind.
The next strongest reason offered (60 respondents) to reconsider was to attract international skills and knowledge, making a total of 139 responses on that issue from the sample group of 144 and confirming the skills factor as the primary motivating reason.
When asked to indicate areas of concern were they to consider employing skilled migrants, table 27 indicates that 85.91% regard concerns about English proficiency as the main drawback. A distant secondary concern is assimilation with other workers (42.56% of respondents).
While medical insurance was mentioned by only 28.86% of respondents as a concern, when asked what things they would change about the 457 visa scheme, nearly half (47.6%) said they would remove the employer obligation to pay medical costs for 457 workers and families. Calls for changing the sponsorship process (30.1%) and reducing the fees (33.6%) were the next strongest calls for change.
Table 27. Areas of concern in considering employing 457 visa workers
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
If you were to consider employing skilled workers, which ofthe following areas would you see as a potential concern?
Skills
Wo
rk eth
ic
Wo
rke
xpe
rien
ce
Assim
ilatio
nw
ith o
the
rw
orke
rs
Train
ing
req
uire
d
En
glish
pro
ficien
cy
Leavin
gb
efo
revisa
exp
ires
Me
dica
lin
sura
nce
Oth
er –
Ple
ase
spe
cify
28.86%
20.81%
33.56%
42.95%
31.54%
85.91%
29.53% 28.86%
6.04%
0%
20%
40%
60%
If your organisation has not used skilled migration workersup until now, do you think it will in the future?
Yes No Maybe
12.99%
32.47%
54.55%
Research Report22
page
Sample group 4: Skilled migrant respondentsA total of 47 skilled migrants responded to the survey, 29 of whom (61.7%) indicated that English is their first language. Most, though not all, identified themselves as coming through the 457 visa scheme.
Around half (24 respondents) identified themselves as working in a professional area, 18 in a managerial position, and smaller numbers in a trade or administrative role (4).
Eight of the 41 respondents who answered a question about why they came to Australia for work indicated they had come by other means than a 457 visa.
Of the other 33 responses, most indicated that a 457 was either the only or the best option open to them, and added in some cases that it was relatively easier, cheaper and could be arranged faster than by other means.
As indicated in table 28, most respondents were required to provide evidence of work experience (38) and /or work references (38) to demonstrate adequacy for their current position and most also had to provide evidence of educational attainment by way of academic transcripts, diplomas and the like.
Smaller numbers were required to participate in a formal examination (9), be assessed by a relevant authority (8) or have their skills verified by a recruitment agency.
Table 28. Ways in which migrants were required to demonstrate skill requirements
Problems with being a skilled migrantThirty-nine of the 43 respondents who answered a question as to whether they had encountered any problems being a skilled migrant, reported no problems.
Of the four respondents who did report a problem, two mentioned co-worker attitudes, two insufficient training and two insufficient pay.
Thirty-eight respondents (88.37%) would choose to be sponsored as a skilled migrant again were the opportunity given.
Changes to the schemeAnswering a question as to what they would like changed about the scheme, 41 respondents reported in the following ways (they could nominate more than one change):
• allow 457 visa holders to work with other sponsors (56.1)
• extend the visa beyond 4 years (31.7%)
• increase range of relevant occupations (26.8%)
• allow multiple entries into Australia (26.8%)
• increase minimum salary level (22%)
• reduced sponsorship and nomination fees (19.5%)
• nothing (19.5%)
What were you required to do to demonstrate you hadthe required skills for your current position?
Skills verified by recruitment agency17.78%
Participated in a formal examination20.00%
Showed evidence of educationalattainment - eg. diplomas,academic transcripts
77.78%
Provided evidence of workexperience - eg. CVs84.44%
Skills assessment conducted byrelevant assessing authority17.78%
Work references84.44%
Research Report23
page
ALL SAMPLE GROUPS
During an economic slowdownA total of 994 respondents answered a question as to what should happen with the 457 visa scheme in the event of an economic slowdown. Answers were as follows:
• continue as usual (53.42%)
• have restrictions applied to it (26.16%)
• be wound down (13.46%)
• be expanded (6.94%)
Respondent storiesRespondents were invited to tell a story that they thought instructive in some way. A selection of responses follows:
SAMPLE RERSPONDENT COMMENTSDo you have a story you would like to share relating to the employment of 457 visa workers?
‘It’s not a requirement for employers to pay medical insurance for 457 visa holders. It’s a requirement to ensure they are insured, which if you pay them sufficiently they can do for themselves and provide you with proof. I have found the experience to be a positive one, having sponsored South African and Indian employees ONLY because I used an immigration consultant to take care of all the frightful work involved. It was worth the fees as the employees earned this back for the company many times over. Don’t be afraid - use a consultant and do it!’
‘We met with an agency who liaised with skilled migrants from China to fill positions we were having difficulty filling within Australia. After our extensive investigation in looking at a number of options, it proved to be an expensive exercise for us to undertake - particularly the possibility of covering medical expenses. There was also some concerns about English communication skills (written and verbal), as it was in a retail environment. We decided to not pursue this option and continued to attempt to source Australian applicants, albeit a very slow process’
‘The one failed 457 visa sponsorship we had was where an applicant used us to gain entry into Australia (based in NSW) with no intent on staying. Within 4 months he had applied for a position with a competitor in WA and left. It was a $10,000 exercise bringing out his family, paying airfares, accommodation, car rental etc to have him leave so quickly. We felt used. It would be good if there was some obligation on the 457 visa holder to be tied in some way to the employer’
‘A majority of the time in my experience, the 457 program has provided mutual benefits for Australia and for the skilled migrants who come in to fill our staffing shortages. I enjoy my job, but no more than when i see families arrive in Australia ready to make something of their lives, without the threat of economic instability, violence and political mayhem that they endure in their own countries (namely South Africa, Zimbabwe and Fiji). These workers have been found to be hard working, grateful for their opportunity and generous, compassionate talented individuals’
‘The thing that affects our business the most is employees can leave after receiving permanent residency. We have put a clause in our contracts stating they must give us at least 2 years after receiving it, but it’s still quite frustrating that after these 2 years, some employees leave after all the money and time you have put into them’
‘The issue I have with the 457 visa is that you are at the mercy of your employer. You don’t have much flexibility in case things don’t work out. It limits you a lot’
‘I have had a positive experience in gaining a 457 to work in Australia, mainly thanks to the skills of the mobility co-ordinator in facilitating the visa. I have gained skills myself and been able to pass on my knowledge to others. All in all, a good experience all round’
‘A friend who has several migrants employed in his cabinet making business has almost doubled his production with the introduction of migrant workers’
Research Report24
page
‘No, other than it has been a positive process. We hired 6 geologists from 5 different countries who have all added value to our company. It has been a positive experience for all our employees with our very multicultural workforce’
‘Some great success stories but nothing out of the ordinary. Some fantastic employees are on 457s’
‘We have had a couple of individuals join us through acquisitions and brought them on board via the 457 visa and then they have gone on to obtain permanent residency, in general the retention is higher and salary initially lower than their Australian counterparts. We have not had the need to use the 457 visa in the past twelve months as we have successfully sourced candidates within Australia, however I would not hesitate to use the scheme and can work as a long term incentive in most situations’
‘Migrants are given the run around a bit with the timeframes. These people basically put their lives on hold when the process starts, but can take months to go through. They have families and commitments to take care of. Conversely, I can appreciate the Australian Government’s requirement to be thorough
- with our safety in mind - so it makes it difficult. Maybe more resources are needed to get things moving faster’
‘I think there is an opportunity for employers to pay 457 visa workers less than Australian citizens, when comparing wages in the same organisations. 457 visa workers should earn the same as the worker doing exactly the same job next to them’
‘Difficulties include - the cultural differences of how business is done here, i.e. what is acceptable/what is not, how people address each other, power distances, language – it can cause problems for migrants and locals who are very different and may not be aware or trained in how to deal with people from varying backgrounds’
‘We currently have 2 executives (1 legal and 1 sales) on 457 visas as well as a marketing executive who joined us on a 457 visa and is now a resident. We also have many sales employees with exceptional skills that have joined us and have transferred their skills to our local staff’
‘I’ve heard of competitors insisting on clauses in contracts offered, legally binding the employee not to leave them for a set period with a penalty of incurring relocation costs, down to personnel time in processing the visa etc. It’s harsh on people from 3rd world countries, unfamiliar with their rights, but I understand why they do it as skilled people come here with relocation costs paid, and then hop employers and have their visas transferred’
‘We had one person who failed a project medical due to having contracted AIDS but this was not picked up on in the visa medical which concerned me greatly. Due to confidentiality and no legal requirement for me to disclose it to the authorities, I wasn’t able to highlight the issue to the immigration office’
‘During a busy recruitment process the nomination and approval process of any 457 visa takes about 12 - 16 weeks . This is a long time to wait for an employee to fill a specialised position, especially in research where funding is an issue. All 457 visa nominations are a heavy and time consuming process through DIMA for one employee at a time. Most 457 visa holders apply for permanent residency once in Australia’
‘The migration agent mislead us into believing that the potential employee’s visa would be processed in a 4 week period. The potential employee resigned from his host employer in preparation for the move to our organisation. However the delay in the processing caused enormous stress. He had to “grovel” for his position back, pending the outcome. It took 6 months to finally get the visa, and by then his wife was having a baby and his circumstances had changed. He did not want to risk the uncertainty with a family to consider. We lost out due to the slow process’
‘We have mostly had good experiences. Most overseas applicants are very keen to live and work in Australia and their skills and experience are very valuable to us. However, occasionally the person has not worked out, and has caused industrial difficulties because the ability to continue living in Australia is dependent on their employment. The unions get hold of this and fight you on every detail, so you end up trapped sponsoring a person who is incompetent and/or lazy’
‘We came to Australia on a 457 visa as my husband is a tradesman. He left the company after six months as he was not happy there and went to another company. We had to reapply for a new 457 visa with the new employer. A year later we applied for permanent residency and had to leave the country and re enter as permanent residents when it was granted. I thought that unnecessary as we could claim any benefits before the date on the stamp in our passports. If PR is granted and we are issued with our new visas then our Centrelink and Medicare etc start from that date so why do we have to leave the country and re-enter? What purpose does it serve? I also think applicants are not always told that as soon as they have a case file number when applying for PR they can register at Medicare. I only registered after it was granted and had paid for private medical overseas visitor insurance all that time when I could have paid for a “top up” cover only’
Research Report25
page
‘We have hired several overseas 457 division 1 nurses for our aged care facility in regional Victoria where we just have not been able to fill the roles ourselves with permanent residents. There have been some language issues. The roles that division 1 nurses fill in aged care facilities have supervisory responsibilities and 457 nurses have often not had sufficient assertiveness skills or management skills to supervise Australian aged care employees. That has then created training issues. As an employer we have sponsored 457 visa holders for permanent residency to keep them but then once they are residents, the employees decide to move out of regional areas and leave our employment. In two instances, the nurses have been coaxed into arranged marriages by overseas family members, the partners have then migrated from overseas to Australia and have subsequently moved to metropolitan Melbourne for greater work opportunities. As a result the whole process has been rather costly. We are now aware as an employer that we will only have our 457 visa for about a two year period before they decide to leave for the city’
‘I have to say the process was very easy, actually a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. The Dept. of Immigration were great, they were very patient in explaining all the details, the information on the website was very clear and I was able to put through the applications on line. I kept in email contact with our sponsored employee during the entire process and she kept me informed of what was going on from her end. We now have a wonderful employee who is a perfect fit for the organisation and who has the skills, knowledge and experience that we needed to do the job. This is a process I would not hesitate to go through again’
‘No, all of our 457 visa stories have been trouble free and successful to date’
‘Biggest problem we have with 457 workers is taxation arrangements for staff we bring from our sister companies around the world, when they stay on their home office payroll. Having to tax equalise them can be an expensive exercise, particularly for staff coming from the US. We are still liable for tax and super for them and it becomes an expensive exercise running a shadow payroll and providing tax advice to help the staff members out with lodging their tax returns in their home country as well as here’
‘The majority of our experiences have been positive. The only issue we have is that we sponsor on the 457 visa but the medical practitioner needs to pass the College of Surgeons test and if that doesn’t happen, that’s when issues arise’
‘The arrival of our first Zimbabwean national ( afitter and turner) with five more families arriving in January (electricians) not only fills the role but provides the opportunity for a new life. This extends beyond a business solution and ‘feels great’. The range of international staff also provides for great organisational development work’
‘ Simply that minimum salary levels cause employers issues. The system seems to be in place to punish everyone and not just employers who try to exploit 457 visa holders. The MSL should be set according to positions and not simply a single figure. The restrictions around payment for every hour worked is not suitable to every business. These issues create difficulty managing equity between 457 visa holders and local workers. Most employers want to do the right thing and do adhere with the requirements’
‘Profesional organisations such as the Australian Computing Society hold too much power in dictating who is a professional and who is not. It should be up to the company willing to sponsor the person as to whether they have the required skills. Obviously this doesn’t hold true for all professions (i.e. healthcare) but it does for such a broad area as information technology where an individual can be a world expert without so much as a university qualification ... like Bill Gates for instance’
Australian Human Resources Institute LimitedABN 44 120 687 149
Level 10, 601 Bourke Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
T (+613) 9918 9200
F (+613) 9918 9201
www.ahri.com.au