A WA parliamentary question seeks information on the government's policy on 457 visas, their usage by departments, and the use of external consultants for visa processing. The Minister provides a partial answer, deferring the rest.

AnsweredQoN 29Legislative Council
Asked
20 March 2007
Portfolio
Federal-State Relations

QuestionView source ↗

SECTION 457 VISAS - EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
(1) What is the government’s policy position on the use of section 457 visas to supplement employment opportunities in Western Australia? (2) Have any government departments or instrumentalities brought employees into Western Australia using a sub-section 457 visa; and, if so, how many employees have each department brought into Western Australia? (3) Have any departments or instrumentalities used an external consultant to assist them with the visa work; and, if so, what was the average cost charge to the department of each section 457 visa obtained? (4) Where a department has used an external consultant, was the consultant engaged through a public tender process or on some other basis; and, if so, what was the nature of the other basis? Hon KIM CHANCE

AnswerView source ↗

The answer is in two parts, some of which I can supply now. I will have to ask that part of the question be placed on notice. (1) The highest priority for the Carpenter government is to provide job and training opportunities for Western Australians. Also high on our list of priorities is that all workers receive fair pay for a fair day’s work. That said, the subclass 457 temporary business long-stay visa is a means for government and industry to address the shortage of skilled workers in key sections of the state’s economy and to support the current unprecedented growth in Western Australia. The government is finalising a lengthy submission on the issue, which will go to a committee of the federal Parliament chaired by Don Randall, MHR. (2)-(4) Given that a number of state government agencies and instrumentalities are using the 457 visa to source skilled migrants, it would be necessary to seek a combined response to these questions. Consequently, I ask that these parts of the question be placed on notice.
(2) Have any government departments or instrumentalities brought employees into Western Australia using a sub-section 457 visa; and, if so, how many employees have each department brought into Western Australia? (3) Have any departments or instrumentalities used an external consultant to assist them with the visa work; and, if so, what was the average cost charge to the department of each section 457 visa obtained? (4) Where a department has used an external consultant, was the consultant engaged through a public tender process or on some other basis; and, if so, what was the nature of the other basis? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: The answer is in two parts, some of which I can supply now. I will have to ask that part of the question be placed on notice. (1) The highest priority for the Carpenter government is to provide job and training opportunities for Western Australians. Also high on our list of priorities is that all workers receive fair pay for a fair day’s work. That said, the subclass 457 temporary business long-stay visa is a means for government and industry to address the shortage of skilled workers in key sections of the state’s economy and to support the current unprecedented growth in Western Australia. The government is finalising a lengthy submission on the issue, which will go to a committee of the federal Parliament chaired by Don Randall, MHR. (2)-(4) Given that a number of state government agencies and instrumentalities are using the 457 visa to source skilled migrants, it would be necessary to seek a combined response to these questions. Consequently, I ask that these parts of the question be placed on notice.
(3) Have any departments or instrumentalities used an external consultant to assist them with the visa work; and, if so, what was the average cost charge to the department of each section 457 visa obtained? (4) Where a department has used an external consultant, was the consultant engaged through a public tender process or on some other basis; and, if so, what was the nature of the other basis? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: The answer is in two parts, some of which I can supply now. I will have to ask that part of the question be placed on notice. (1) The highest priority for the Carpenter government is to provide job and training opportunities for Western Australians. Also high on our list of priorities is that all workers receive fair pay for a fair day’s work. That said, the subclass 457 temporary business long-stay visa is a means for government and industry to address the shortage of skilled workers in key sections of the state’s economy and to support the current unprecedented growth in Western Australia. The government is finalising a lengthy submission on the issue, which will go to a committee of the federal Parliament chaired by Don Randall, MHR. (2)-(4) Given that a number of state government agencies and instrumentalities are using the 457 visa to source skilled migrants, it would be necessary to seek a combined response to these questions. Consequently, I ask that these parts of the question be placed on notice.
(4) Where a department has used an external consultant, was the consultant engaged through a public tender process or on some other basis; and, if so, what was the nature of the other basis? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: The answer is in two parts, some of which I can supply now. I will have to ask that part of the question be placed on notice. (1) The highest priority for the Carpenter government is to provide job and training opportunities for Western Australians. Also high on our list of priorities is that all workers receive fair pay for a fair day’s work. That said, the subclass 457 temporary business long-stay visa is a means for government and industry to address the shortage of skilled workers in key sections of the state’s economy and to support the current unprecedented growth in Western Australia. The government is finalising a lengthy submission on the issue, which will go to a committee of the federal Parliament chaired by Don Randall, MHR. (2)-(4) Given that a number of state government agencies and instrumentalities are using the 457 visa to source skilled migrants, it would be necessary to seek a combined response to these questions. Consequently, I ask that these parts of the question be placed on notice.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: The answer is in two parts, some of which I can supply now. I will have to ask that part of the question be placed on notice. (1) The highest priority for the Carpenter government is to provide job and training opportunities for Western Australians. Also high on our list of priorities is that all workers receive fair pay for a fair day’s work. That said, the subclass 457 temporary business long-stay visa is a means for government and industry to address the shortage of skilled workers in key sections of the state’s economy and to support the current unprecedented growth in Western Australia. The government is finalising a lengthy submission on the issue, which will go to a committee of the federal Parliament chaired by Don Randall, MHR. (2)-(4) Given that a number of state government agencies and instrumentalities are using the 457 visa to source skilled migrants, it would be necessary to seek a combined response to these questions. Consequently, I ask that these parts of the question be placed on notice.
The answer is in two parts, some of which I can supply now. I will have to ask that part of the question be placed on notice. (1) The highest priority for the Carpenter government is to provide job and training opportunities for Western Australians. Also high on our list of priorities is that all workers receive fair pay for a fair day’s work. That said, the subclass 457 temporary business long-stay visa is a means for government and industry to address the shortage of skilled workers in key sections of the state’s economy and to support the current unprecedented growth in Western Australia. The government is finalising a lengthy submission on the issue, which will go to a committee of the federal Parliament chaired by Don Randall, MHR. (2)-(4) Given that a number of state government agencies and instrumentalities are using the 457 visa to source skilled migrants, it would be necessary to seek a combined response to these questions. Consequently, I ask that these parts of the question be placed on notice.
(1) The highest priority for the Carpenter government is to provide job and training opportunities for Western Australians. Also high on our list of priorities is that all workers receive fair pay for a fair day’s work. That said, the subclass 457 temporary business long-stay visa is a means for government and industry to address the shortage of skilled workers in key sections of the state’s economy and to support the current unprecedented growth in Western Australia. The government is finalising a lengthy submission on the issue, which will go to a committee of the federal Parliament chaired by Don Randall, MHR. (2)-(4) Given that a number of state government agencies and instrumentalities are using the 457 visa to source skilled migrants, it would be necessary to seek a combined response to these questions. Consequently, I ask that these parts of the question be placed on notice.
(2)-(4) Given that a number of state government agencies and instrumentalities are using the 457 visa to source skilled migrants, it would be necessary to seek a combined response to these questions. Consequently, I ask that these parts of the question be placed on notice.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more