Reduced entrants in the country halt population growth resulting in slow economic activity.

Let’s take a look at skilled migration and international education updates due to closed international borders.

Skilled Migrant

Prioritisation of Skilled Migrants

The Coalition-dominated committee demands reserve seats on flights and rooms in hotel quarantine for skilled migrants to make it easier for businesses to employ overseas workers, as published in The Guardian.  They were tasked to review Australia’s Skilled Migration Program.

The proposal was created in response to the latest labour figures that showed Australia’s unemployment rate 5.8% drop last month.

Joint Standing Committee on Migration put forward the new proposal to streamline rules for businesses looking to hire international workers.

The committee said Australia faced significant skills shortages due to COVID-19 border closures and the loss of 500,000 temporary visa holders who have left the country.

Optimising Australia’s Permanent Skilled Migration

Australia is experiencing its first period of negative net migration since WW2 due to COVID-19. According to CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia), the government could better match skilled migrants with businesses looking for workers.

In CEDA’s latest research, A good match: Optimising Australia’s permanent skilled migration, which focuses on attracting the right people to Australia to meet emerging skills needs.

The report’s suggestions can deliver a more agile and responsive system that will yield better results for both employers and skilled migrants:

1. The Federal Government should set up a new government-regulated online skills-matching jobs platform. Accredited employers can hire skilled migrants that register their skills on the platform.
2. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) update the codes that define the occupations experiencing skill shortages to ensure migrants with needed skills can work in Australia.
3. The Federal Government should be more transparent on its assessment process: what occupations to include on the skilled occupations lists.  The Department of Employment’s skilled occupation lists analysis should be made public. Create an independent committee to advise on the occupation lists.
4. Reduce the Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period for unemployment payments to six months to support permanent skilled migrants’ job hunting

For more information, visit CEDA‘s website. 

Update on skilled migration visa nomination programs per state

In a new article published in SBS on 25 March, most Australian states and territories continue accepting applications for their skilled visa nominations, emphasising filling critical positions necessary to support the country’s recovery from COViD-19.

In VIC, there were plenty of ROIs (registration of interest) for medical occupations that were chosen to apply for Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 and Skilled Regional Sponsored Subclass 491.

In NSW, the demand for skilled migrants with health, ICT, and engineering specialities supports its rejuvenation. Last month, the state broadened its occupation list for Subclass 190 and the Skilled Regional Sponsored Subclass 491 visa categories.

In the meantime, SA nominations for its skilled program is ongoing for onshore applicants.

QLD’s state nominating body stopped the skilled program due to a massive backlog of applications, but the program reopens in April for onshore applicants only.

International Students

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke – temporary visa holders allowed entry ASAP

In an SBS interview, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said the government is planning to allow temporary migrants, including international students, back into the country as soon as possible.

He said the government is currently implementing the vaccination program to prepare the international borders, particularly the global student industry, a significant contributor to the Australian economy.

International education industry as ‘single voice’ to tackle crisis 

Major international student peak bodies joined forces to have talks with the federal government to tackle the sector’s situation in an article by Pie News.

Robert Parsonson, Executive Officer of ISEAA (International Student Education Agents Association), hoped that the peak bodies’ collaboration would form a ‘single voice’ for the international student sector. The slump in the industry created a multiplier effect, affecting the tourism sector and the people who do homestay and CBD businesses.

Within the health and safety guidelines, Mr Parsonson said that the federal government’s involvement is vital to international students.

He noted that the fundamental objective is to work on the backlog of stranded students with visas offshore before recruiting new ones. 

When will international students return?

According to a news article published in the Canberra Times, peak bodies Australia projected the sector lost $1.8 billion in revenue in 2020 and expected for further drop by $2 billion this year.

According to the Department of Home Affairs, there was only 120,962 student visas granted, a 39.8 % decline compared to the same period in the previous year.

The Department of Education, Skills and Employment released a protocol for international students returning, which includes:

• Internal state and territory borders must be open
• Australians and permanent residents must not be disadvantaged
• Students must be from a diverse range of countries
• The states, students and institutions are responsible for all travel and quarantine costs.

As of this writing, there is no official date when international students will be allowed entry into Australia.

Low Population

According to ABS, the growth rate (0.1%) was the slowest since quarterly population estimates began in June 1981.  The annual growth rate declined to 1.3%.

The two primary factors to the country’s population growth are net overseas migration (overseas migration arrivals minus overseas migration departures) and natural increase (births minus deaths). Natural increase remains relatively steady over time, and net overseas migration changes drive total growth changes.

Implications 

Borders closing meant inability for skilled migrants and international students from entering the country with the vaccine program’s rollout. It’s just a matter of time when the border opens again to welcome international students and skilled migrants to jumpstart the Australian economy.

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