Scott Morrison vows to "cut union red tape" on 457 visas

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Created on Friday, 18 October 2013 15:23

Written by Editorial staff

Yesterday (October 17), the government announced it plans to "cut union red tape" on 457 immigration visas, which is sure to be welcome news for migration agents in Australia.

The 457 visa enables skilled workers to come to Australia for up to four years and work for an "approved business" here, states the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Those who wish to enter the country on a 457 visa must be sponsored by this "approved business", which needs to have proved it cannot find an Australian citizen or permanent resident to fill the role.

Sky News states that the 457 visa is popular among professionals from the United Kingdom, with nearly half of those who enter the country on this temporary visa submitting a permanent resident or citizenship application so they can stay in Australia for good.

In July 2013, new rules and regulations affecting the 457 visa were introduced in an attempt to stamp out the "rorting" of the system that was supposedly occurring.

These put more pressure on businesses to prove their need for skilled workers from overseas was "genuine".

In addition to this, labour market testing laws were introduced, which require businesses to advertise job vacancies in a range of media for about six months before applying to sponsor an overseas worker through the 457 visa program.
 
Australia's businesses have been asking the recently elected government to consider abolishing this legislation - and it looks as though Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Scott Morrison is going to do just that.

The Australian reported the government will be investigating the claims of "rorting" that caused these rules and regulations to be introduced in the first place.

Mr Morrison said the opposition was against these measures, and "will be consulting on how best to cut union red tape on 457 visas, while maintaining legitimate protections that support the integrity of the scheme".

Liana Allan, treasurer of Migration Alliance, is thrilled with this news.

Migration Alliance has been lobbying the Minister of Immigration and Border Protection about 457 visas for quite some time.

Ms Allan has been actively speaking out on both Twitter and the Migration Alliance blog about "the ridiculous and baseless 'red tape' plastered all over the 457 visa system by unions".

"It is great to see Mr Morrison vowing to abolish red tape," said Ms Allan.