❓ A parliamentary question regarding the WA skilled migration program, specifically addressing the prioritisation of Australian residents for employment and the existence of caps on skilled migration.
AnsweredQoN 3363Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the document, ‘Skilling WA - A workforce development plan for Western Australia’, and the short term priority action 2.1.1, Western Australian skilled migration occupation list - The Department of Training and Workforce Development will develop and use a Western Australian skilled migration occupation list to address the State’s skill needs through the State sponsored General Skilled Migration program, and I ask -
(1) What measures are being taken to first ensure priority occupations listed on the WA State Migration Plan cannot be filled by Australian residents?
(2) Is there a requirement that employers should first seek to fill a vacancy from within the Australian workforce?
(3) If yes to (2), what are the details of that requirement?
(4) Is there an annual ‘cap’ on the number of persons to be sponsored through the General Skilled Migration program?
(1) What measures are being taken to first ensure priority occupations listed on the WA State Migration Plan cannot be filled by Australian residents?
(2) Is there a requirement that employers should first seek to fill a vacancy from within the Australian workforce?
(3) If yes to (2), what are the details of that requirement?
(4) Is there an annual ‘cap’ on the number of persons to be sponsored through the General Skilled Migration program?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 March 2011
Responded by
Minister for Training and Workforce Development
Response time
34 days
(1) The State Government's first workforce development priority is the training and preparing of local Western Australians to enter and progress through the workforce. Skilled migration is a necessary strategy to be used by industry to supplement the local workforce, in filling those jobs unable to be filled by the local workforce.
The Department of Training and Workforce Development has conducted extensive economic and labour market research and analysis at an industry and occupational level to determine the State's priority occupations and areas of skills shortages. This information was validated by industry stakeholders such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia and the State's ten training councils. The resulting list of occupations is compiled into the Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List.
(2) The State Sponsored General Skilled Migration program is not an employer sponsored program.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) The Australian Government determines the number of persons that may immigrate to Australia each year.
To manage its permanent migration program, the Australian Government has set the 2010-11 program at 168 700 places. This is comprised of:
· 54 550 places for family migrants who are sponsored by family members already in Australia;
· 113 850 places for skilled migrants who gain entry essentially because of their work or business skills; and
· 300 places for special eligibility migrants and people who applied under the Resolution of Status category and have lived in Australia for 10 years.
Employers also have access to temporary 457 visas. These are driven by demonstrated demand and uncapped. It is the most commonly used program for employers to sponsor overseas workers to work in Australia on a temporary basis (or for a period of up to 4 years) where they cannot find an appropriately skilled Australian.
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The Department of Training and Workforce Development has conducted extensive economic and labour market research and analysis at an industry and occupational level to determine the State's priority occupations and areas of skills shortages. This information was validated by industry stakeholders such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia and the State's ten training councils. The resulting list of occupations is compiled into the Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List.
(2) The State Sponsored General Skilled Migration program is not an employer sponsored program.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) The Australian Government determines the number of persons that may immigrate to Australia each year.
To manage its permanent migration program, the Australian Government has set the 2010-11 program at 168 700 places. This is comprised of:
· 54 550 places for family migrants who are sponsored by family members already in Australia;
· 113 850 places for skilled migrants who gain entry essentially because of their work or business skills; and
· 300 places for special eligibility migrants and people who applied under the Resolution of Status category and have lived in Australia for 10 years.
Employers also have access to temporary 457 visas. These are driven by demonstrated demand and uncapped. It is the most commonly used program for employers to sponsor overseas workers to work in Australia on a temporary basis (or for a period of up to 4 years) where they cannot find an appropriately skilled Australian.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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