Migration Planning | The Right Skills in the Right Places

Australia’s skilled migration program is undergoing significant change, starting with revisions to the ways in which skills shortages are identified so that the program can better meet the needs of employers and the wider economy.

This year, the Government expects to reform the way it undertakes migration planning to ensure Australia’s temporary and permanent skilled migration programs are appropriately targeted to skills needs in specific areas.

Here’s a summary of the Government’s six commitments to ‘Get the Right Skills in the Right Places’, according to its Migration Strategy.

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1. Plan for Migration Beyond a 12 Month Horizon

Migration has historically been planned over a 12-month horizon and cannot effectively target skilled migrants for emerging trends and challenges arising from skills shortages, changing needs of the economy and an ageing population.

Extending the planning horizon beyond a 12-month view will allow for better alignment with other National, State and Territory priorities.

2. Collaborate More Effectively with States and Territories

While immigration is a Commonwealth-led portfolio, the Government has recognised the need for greater collaboration with States and Territories on migration policy settings that align with infrastructure, public service delivery and housing planning.

Population planning, including for overseas migration, will be planned in collaboration with States and Territories, who will have a greater role in determining their skilled migration needs – especially in regional areas.

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3. Define Skills Needs with an Evidence-based and Tripartite Approach

Jobs and Skills Australia will act as the key advisory body on Australia’s skills needs, and will enhance the coordination of education, training and migration programs. The role of the body is to advise on labour shortages using new, evidence-based methodologies and inform the Minister of Immigration on specific skills that should be targeted by the temporary skilled migration program.

This includes recommendations for occupations that will be eligible for migration under the new Core Skills Occupation List for the Skills in Demand Visa, which is expected to replace the Subclass 482 Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) Visa in 2024.

You can read more about the evidence-based and tripartite approach used to define the Core Skills Occupation List here.

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4. Improve Skills Recognition and Assessment Processes

Skills assessments are used to ensure migrants have the necessary technical skills, qualifications and experience to meet occupational standards for employment in Australia. The skills recognitions processes will be enhanced in the following ways:

• Improve the assurance framework to improve accountability in the skills assessment sector
• Implement new standards for skills assessing authorities that optimise outcomes for Australian employers and migrants, such as greater workforce participation
• Better reporting to ensure the analysis of skills assessments are backed by evidence

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5. Enhance outreach to businesses, regional bodies and unions

An enhanced outreach program will be launched to strengthen and maintain relationships with businesses (both small and large), regional bodies and unions. This will be built on the Government’s tripartite approach to seeking stakeholder feedback on skilled migration needs.

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6. Monitor skilled migration using an evidence-based and tripartite approach

A reformed Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration will evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of the skilled migration program reforms and identify areas for improvement, in close coordination with Jobs and Skills Australia and its tripartite mechanisms. Ongoing evaluation and research will be based on evidence, data and stakeholder feedback.

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Migration Planning for Australia’s Skills Needs

It is encouraging to see the Government is committed to undertaking robust research on the labour market as it starts to form migration policy settings for the new Skills in Demand Visa.

However, with significant media attention on Australia’s Net Overseas Migration levels, we are hopeful that the facts supporting the need for skilled migration to alleviate skills shortages won’t be outweighed by political sentiments in the design of the future migration program.

This article is part of Interstaff's series, 'Embarking on a Migration Strategy'. Established in 1988, Interstaff has over 35 years of Australian visa and migration experience and is an Australian-owned and operated business providing strategic migration advice to businesses and individuals Australia-wide and internationally.

About the Author?| Sheila Woods is a Registered Migration Agent (MARN: 0533879) and the Managing Director of Interstaff and has over 15 years experience in Australian migration matters for businesses and skilled visa holders.

Connect with Sheila and follow Interstaff for more migration insights, or get in touch to discuss your business' visa and sponsorship options.

Interstaff | 1800 449 858 | [email protected] | Head Office: Ground Floor, 20 Clive St, West Perth

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Source:

Interstaff’s Registered Migration Agents

The Department of Home Affairs – The Migration Strategy

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The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.