457 Work Visa Changes

Discussion in 'Australia, NZ, Pacific' started by truthvigilante, Apr 18, 2017.

  1. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Well there we have it. After a few years of discussing the 457 visas program for various reasons, in particular its outdated place in the Australian workplace, it "looks" as though it is finally unfolding. Alas, the unions are suspicious that the program will just be rebadged under some other title, which looks to be the case.

    Will these changes be good for Australia? As far as I was concerned there were way too jobs on eligibility list that should not have been there.

    Interested to know people's educated thoughts.

    To be honest, I haven't read through the following article thoroughly. Maybe there is more there that I missed. You may have a more credible source.

    http://m.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017...bout-the-457-working-visa-changes_a_22043897/
     
  2. robot

    robot Active Member

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    I say good but it does not go far enough. I say if you want to import a worker then you need to pay that person above average wages. That way we only import highly skilled workers. Anyone else we should be able to train. Like nurses, they are mostly women so probably underpaid. If they were paid more then more people would go into that profession and so the shortage would be reduced and no need to import them. Nurses are one occupation you can still import.
     
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  3. slipperyfish

    slipperyfish Well-Known Member

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    This is all well and good, and I say about time, but how are we going to fill the skilled sector. We have been ignorant to the skills shortage for a long time now, what measures are they going to implement to address this shortage? Let's face it, these skills can not be acquired from a one week Centrelink course.

    It is all well and good to appease popular opinion, but surely they have a plan to address the real issue, which is skill shortage. Then again probably not.

    So sick of fixing broken limbs with band aids.
     
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  4. scarlet witch

    scarlet witch Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I approve of the changes, certainly were surprised to find out a police record were not mandatory previously. Also the "labour market testing", surprised to find out that was not previously mandatory with 457.

    I think the higher english requirement is good, if you want to work in Australia you need to be able to communicate, so something to work on before you arrive.

    Not sure how I feel about them closing the path to permanent residency, if someone qualifies for a job in Australia, proves to be a good resident and contribute to our society, I think they should be given an opportunity to apply for residency.
     
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  5. ThirdTerm

    ThirdTerm Well-Known Member

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    The rationale behind this change is the mining bust. The Aussie mining industry has shrunk by 25% in recent years from $120 billion to $90 billion. It's estimated that 122,000 mining construction jobs have been lost already and foreign workers from India or Britain should be the first to go.

     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2017
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  6. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Well said! I think you'll find many Aussie trained nurses sitting waiting for an opportunity to apply their trade. BB would know more on this one. If their is a shortage then provide some incentives. The money will most likely stay here rather than go overseas.
     
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  7. Diuretic

    Diuretic Well-Known Member

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    First thoughts. Load of old cobblers. They’re in trouble and they’re going all populist without thinking it through (as with the raid yer super for a deposit and blow the housing market right up).

    Very interesting comments thus far. I am better informed for reading them.

    I am still really bloody annoyed that we are not training our own people. This is a direct result of the Tories scrapping Labor’s industrial training programmes years ago.

    In many states TAFE is in diabolical trouble. The private sector (I work in a not for profit RTO) cannot take it all on and nor should it and anyway there are so many dodgy providers, happily going down the tubes now, that the whole VET sector has been stained. It needs a total overhaul but that won’t happen with the current government.
     
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  8. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Too many project builders in residential construction industry these days. These companies don't seem too inclined on employing apprentices. They'll obviously shoot themselves in the foot.

    Years ago, contractors and subbies would always employ apprentices. Sub contractors work for peanuts while these big project builders rake in the dough. Tradesmen just can't compete it seems!
     
  9. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I think it is about ensuring our citizens get first pickings.

    I also think if their is a genuine shortage then it probably doesn't matter too much about language barrier, dependant on skill shortage that is. Many may struggle initially but can communicate enough to get by. I'm not talking telemarketers or Telstra call centres etc etc!
     
  10. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Ah yes, TAFE went all commercial with their prices. TAFE was the foundation for all communities. It is where young people could learn prevocational skills in preparation for jobs at a cost that was affordable and certainly not scarily indebted.

    Course prices now match those of private RTOs. Private providers have their place but the system was atrocious, the incentives weren't governed by retention it seemed, but by initial enrolments. They could afford to give away laptops and iPads previous to the government shutting these silly loopholes. People were guaranteed completing cert IV and diplomas within weeks. It is all about privatisation of services it seems!
     
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  11. slipperyfish

    slipperyfish Well-Known Member

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    I have argued this point on countless times.

    We as a nation of people have brought this on ourselves. We have become so self obsessed and bloated on good times that we have dropped the ball. The government is only to blame to a certain point, remember we have the ability to hold them accountable. However we always seem to hold them accountable after the fact, when it appears it is going to affect us personally. We have become a visionless society led by a visionless political system. God help our future generations.
     
  12. m2catter

    m2catter Well-Known Member

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    Hmmm,
    while I understand that our jobs have priority it also means we are missing out on foreign knowledge.
    Foreign (highly skilled) workers meant bringing their expertise to our shores.
    Not sure whether this move by populist Donald Turnbull is a wise one....
    Cheers
     
  13. Diuretic

    Diuretic Well-Known Member

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    I do my best to suggest my students - who are able of course - to look to TAFE or Uni Foundation Courses. When they look at TAFE they are shocked at the prices. These people have been on NewStart, they can't afford to shell out money like that. Even the subsidised courses are quite pricey if you're not in paid employment.
     
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  14. m2catter

    m2catter Well-Known Member

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    The only way to make sure we have an educated workforce is to reduce costs or abolish costs for tafe and similar.
    Everything else and our country is missing out.
    But here we go again, brute capitalism is the go....
    Regards
     
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  15. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Uni foundation courses are the most logical nowadays, if that's the students intention for further study, obviously dependent on educational level. TAFE was always a safer and cheaper alternative to test themselves. Obviously tertiary prep courses are a consideration.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2017
  16. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    People are mostly oblivious to what the future holds, we have enough on our plates to think too much outside our own day to day issues. We obviously employ politicians to use their resources, skill and knowledge to ensure our futures are stable. If we believe what they sell then that is our fault because there is an alternative, in terms of certain policy. We do have a responsibility to research and make informed decisions but while things were seemingly good in the now we got lazy and forgot about what the impacts for our futures may be. If a government takes from the poor to give to the rich we have a serious problem that will get worse.
     
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  17. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    No doubt but fair is fair. People born and raised here should have first pickings and if there are shortages then give incentives to employers and potential employees. If demand is that great then yeah, let's look outside.
     
  18. m2catter

    m2catter Well-Known Member

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    Na,
    I only partly agree.
    To lift our game, we must be willing plus grab the chance to learn from others.
    Anything else wouldn't be in our interests. There is always something to gain.....
    Cheers
     
  19. truthvigilante

    truthvigilante Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    No worries, we can't agree on everything :). In saying that our multiculturalism enriches us as a nation and immigration is extremely important but shouldn't be at detriment to opportunities for citizens born and bred. I'm talking all citizens, Indian, Asian, European and Indigenous etc etc.
     
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  20. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

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    Wouldn't say we are underpaid or that we are women although we are still running at 10:1 ratio

    Our big, to quote soemone nameless yuuuuge problem is rural and remote. I can guarantee that any advert for staff will have 30 applicants from every country in the world and oneAustralian new grad with no experience. Despite the fact there are unemployed nurses in the capital cities. My area even gives out generous incentive packages worth thousands per year and we still cannot recruit. Medical personnel it is worse. But then if you are a medical officer getting a fat salary in Brisbane doing just eight to five why would you come to the country and be on call 24/7?
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2017
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  21. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

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    We should have gone to life long learning years ago. Even in nursing there is no reason why it cannot be in stages. Cert 3 in aged care. Get a job in the industry and upgrade to Enrolled Nurse get a better job and upgrade to Registered Nurse

    The only problem with that is that you are requiring people to study during the prime child bearing years. Still there is not a lot an Regustered Nurse can do thatEndorsed Enrolled Nurse cannot do
     
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  22. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

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    This is where we shot ourselves in the foot with the apprentice courses. There has to be a way of making things more affordable for the student while still making it attractive for employers to take on learners
     
  23. Diuretic

    Diuretic Well-Known Member

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    Exactly! I worked as the litnum adviser on a Cert III Individual Support (Aged Care) course which was being run by the firm I work for. The students were a great mix of people. During the course I did a lot of group work and one on one with the students and several expressed confidence (after finding they could actually handle the demands of the Cert III) that they would do exactly that - get into the industry and study for an EN qualification and then upgrade to RN. It is very achievable and a great way to progress for people who may lack the confidence in their abilities.
     
  24. Diuretic

    Diuretic Well-Known Member

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    Short-term thinking again, mixed up with the "market forces will fix it" ideas of the Coalition. They find it difficult to conceive of societal needs, they see everything in terms of business needs. It's why we are where we are now - in a complete mess - and why they have to go and Labor needs to reject the neoliiberal thinking that has infected it.
     
  25. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

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    Not only that but it allows for real development of practical skills. Worse thing we did was make student nurse supernumerary but I understand why we did from a union point of view. We should have gone to a model where the student could be paid at a lower rate whilst studying. They need experience in NURSING not serving at Macdonalds or KFC
     
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