Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced the 457 visa program will be repealed, saying “Australian workers must have priority for Australian jobs.”
Taking directly to Facebook, the PM said that the scheme will be replaced with another system, which will allow businesses to seek skilled temporary employees from overseas should a legitimate skills gap exist.
Turnbull said the new system will also require applicants to meet a new set of requirements, including a heightened level of work experience and more developed English language skills.
Last year, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton indicated the Coalition government was considering its options regarding the 457 visa, which has been criticised for allowing foreign workers to work in jobs which would supposedly be taken by local staff otherwise – especially in rural areas.
However, the government’s recent changes to the 457 visa had been maligned by critics for putting visa-holders in increasingly vulnerable positions. The number of 457 visas granted had also already decreased significantly under the Turnbull government.
Expect to hear more debate about this one in the weeks to come.
Source and photo: Malcolm Turnbull / Facebook.
