Submission to Senate Standing Committee on temporary skilled visa system

In December 2018 we made a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on the effectiveness of the current temporary skilled visa system in targeting genuine skills shortages.

The inquiry requested submissions focused on;

• the interaction between the temporary skilled visa system and the system in place for training Australian workers, including how a skills shortage is determined;

• the current skills assessment regime, including but not limited to, the correct application of ANZSCO codes and skills testing requirements;

• the relationship between workers on skilled visas and other types of visas with work rights, including the rationale and impact of the 400 visa;

• the effectiveness of the current labour market testing arrangements;

• the adequacy of current skilled visa enforcement arrangements, with particular regard to wages and conditions and access to information about rights and protections;

• the use and effectiveness of labour agreements; and

• related matters

We highlighted oversights in the system that have allowed the exploitation and underpayment of migrant workers and a need to address skill and training shortages in the domestic workforce as a priority.

Our submission, written by ETU National Policy Officer Trevor Gauld, can be found here -

https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=94cb20ab-6a67-4f11-a517-31a15c00a5d1&subId=663721