Immigration slashed to protect jobs
* Yuko Narushima and Mark Metherell
* March 16, 2009
* Page 1 of 2 | Single Page View
THE record immigration intake will be cut for the first time in more than a decade as the Government tries to preserve jobs in a deteriorating global economy.
The Immigration Minister, Chris Evans, will announce a 14 per cent cut to the skilled migration program today, capping the number of workers to enter Australia next year at 115,000, down from 133,500 in 2008-09.
Skilled workers make up the majority of migrants.
The decision to cut back on foreign workers comes as pressure mounts on the Government after last week's jump in unemployment to 5.2 per cent.
"The economic circumstances in Australia have changed as a result of the global financial crisis," Senator Evans said. "It is prudent to reduce this year's migration intake accordingly."
The cuts will be coupled with deletions to the critical skills list, which specifies which jobs are open to migrants. Trades in building and manufacturing will be removed, forcing companies to find bricklayers, plumbers, welders and carpenters domestically. Professions still experiencing skills shortages will be immune, such as nurses, doctors, engineers and information technology workers..
Senator Evans says Australia needs a more targeted list "so that migrant workers are meeting skills shortages and not competing with locals for jobs".
"There are still skills shortages in some sectors, such as health care, and these measures will enable industry to continue to source the skilled professionals they need while protecting local jobs and the wages and conditions of Australian workers."
The move is likely to please unions but upset businesses, which have warned against "short-sighted" migration cuts.
The national secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, John Sutton, has argued for construction to be removed from the list. Imported workers were not needed when big companies were sacking Australian workers, he said.
But the Australian Industry Group has said a time lag in migration meant the consequences of adjusted migration numbers and a shortened critical skills list could take up to two years to show. By that time, economic conditions could be vastly different, the chief executive, Heather Ridout, has said.
Yesterday the Treasurer, Wayne Swan, said the worse than expected unemployment rate in February did not necessarily mean the jobless rate would eclipse the official forecast of 7 per cent and reach 10 per cent by Christmas. "But with this global recession and in the savagery of its impact, it can really have a substantial impact on employment in Australia, there's no doubt about that."
The Agriculture Minister, Tony Burke, also declined to say whether he expected unemployment to outstrip forecasts, saying "I don't think it's helpful for me to be throwing numbers around."
Meanwhile, a boat carrying 54 people was caught off the north-east coast of Darwin after illegally entering Australian waters.
The navy intercepted the vessel on Saturday night after a customs plane flew over on a tip off from a Northern Territory park ranger.
It is not yet known if any of the passengers are seeking asylum.
The group will be taken to Christmas Island where 137 others await health, security and identity checks.
Since September 29, 180 people have arrived in Australian waters.
The Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus, said the handling of the latest arrival demonstrated Australia's ability to respond to "maritime threats".
But the Opposition immigration spokeswoman, Sharman Stone, said it showed people smugglers were attracting "satisfied clients" and Australia was playing into these people's hands. "These people want to be located. Claims for asylum cannot succeed until people are met by officials," she said. |
发表于 16-3-2009 02:39:32
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发表于 16-3-2009 11:29:17
