Commercial Feature

Australian CEOs in the services, manufacturing and mining industries have expressed concern that Australia faces a skills shortage unless skilled workers can be attracted to migrate with an Australian visa.

The Australian Industry Group and Deloitte’s national survey found CEOs in the manufacturers and services sectors were particularly concerned about a possible re-emergence of skills shortages as the economy recovers in 2010, and that overseas workers would have to be enticed to apply for an Australian visa for these positions.

Australia’s Mining Monthly journal has also reported that the number of employment positions for skilled workers in the mining industry is once again starting to rise well above the number of candidates available to fill them and that many employers were starting to recruit new workers.

In recent years, the Australian mining industry has relied on attracting skilled workers from overseas, who enter the country on a long-stay Australian Visa, to fill the shortfall of skilled labour.

As well as the sponsored 457 visas, Subclass 457 Business (long stay) Australian Visa, there are other avenues available for employers to access potential employees, including the 476 Skilled Graduate Australian visa to recruit engineering graduates from overseas.

Workers can also obtain their own independent Australian Visa, seek sponsorship for an Australian visa from a state or territory, or obtain sponsorship for an Australian Visa through close family members already living in Australia.

Skills shortages in Australia have traditionally been addressed by attracting migrants with needed occupations to apply for an Australian visa and opening up the number of Australian visas that are available every year.

Australian visa skilled subclasses include: skilled- independent Australian visa; skilled-sponsored; skilled – regional sponsored; skilled –regional; regional sponsored migration scheme; skills matching Australian visa; labour agreements and the graduate skilled Australian visa.

The most popular Australian visa for general skilled migration for those wanting to immigrate to Australia, and geared towards skilled workers who can make an immediate contribution to the Australian economy is the Highly Skilled Visa Independent Australian Visa, Subclass 175. Under this Australian visa sponsorship by a state, family or company is required, and visa holders are able to live anywhere in Australia.

To obtain this Australian visa applicants must meet the basic requirements, pass the points test, nominate an occupation from the Skilled Occupation List, be less than 45 years of age and have been employed in a skilled occupation for 12 months in the period of 24 months immediately before the application is made.

There are two stages in the application process for this Australian visa, with the first stage of the application involving completing a skills assessment with the relevant government body, and once a positive skills assessment has been obtained you can continue to the final application stage which requires you to provide proof that you fulfil all eligibility requirements and meet the pass mark for the Australian visa.

Australian Immigration operates a points-based system of determining eligibility for a skilled worker Australian Visa, and in order to qualify for an Australian Visa under this category there are a minimum number of points an applicant must score.

Australian visa points are awarded for: Skill; Age; Language; Specific Work Experience; Occupation in Demand / Job Offer; Australian Work Experience; Australian Qualifications; Regional Study; Partner Skills; Nomination; Designated Area Sponsorship; and Designated Language.

As well as the skilled Australian visa category there are many other Australian visas that each addresses a different set of circumstances, skills or requirements including: travel and tourist visas, business visas, family and spouse visas, investor and retirement visas, student visas and working holiday Australian visas.

All visitors to Australia who do not have an Australian or New Zealand passport must have an Australian travel visa. The most popular of these travel visas is the Electronic Travel Authority (or ETA visa). The ETA is easy to apply for online, and once approved, the holder is able to travel immediately without any further paperwork, visa stickers or stamps.

Many young Britons aged between the ages of 18 and 30 spend one year or up to 24 months living and working in Australia under the working holiday Australian visa category.

This Australian visa category is open to young people between 18 and 30 years old from a participating country and gives the ability to live and work in the country, provided they have a valid passport with at least one year until renewal, sufficient funds to support themselves when they first arrive in Australia, and no substantial criminal convictions and medical issues.

The holder of this Australian Visa is able to work in any number of occupations or industries, although it is not possible to work for any one employer for any longer than six months.

A second working holiday Australian visa can be granted to those who have spent three months working as a specified worker, for example as a harvest worker, in a regional part of Australia. This second working holiday Australian visa allows the holder to stay for a further year, making the total amount of time spent in Australia up to 24 months.