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Breaking the skills shortage barrier for Australian businesses

| April 1, 2021
An interim report has made several business-friendly recommendations which aim to expand the Skilled Migration Program and improve flexibility for employers to take advantage.

Skill shortages are becoming a significant barrier, particularly for the businesses attempting to make a recovery out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant work is needed to address these labour and skills shortages to ensure long-term prosperity of Victoria.

In the short-term, skilled migration is a vital tool that assists individual businesses who experience skill shortages as well as fill skills gaps in the economy.

The Skilled Migration Program provides access to skilled workers not available to the employer when they need to expand or replace a departing worker. Without this option, businesses are negatively affected, and this costs our economy as well as reduces job opportunities for Australians.

On 18 March 2021, the Joint Standing Committee on Migration released the Interim Report for the Inquiry into Australia’s Skilled Migration.

A full list of the 12 recommendations is available via the Parliament of Australia website here.

The Committee is still accepting submissions and a further report is expected in July of 2021 which will consider longer-term issues regarding the Skilled Migration Program.

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