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Immigration Daily News Is an ureasonably high English Language standard failing Australia’s skilled migration program objectives?
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Is an ureasonably high English Language standard failing Australia’s skilled migration program objectives?
The migration skills list and the occupation ceilings sets the limits on the number of permanent visas granted each year under Australia’s skilled migration programme. However, many of the trades skills quotas are not being met. It is not clear if there is insufficient interest from applicants or if people are not bothering to apply due to the high English Language requirement.
Eight months of the financial year have passed and DIBPs recently updated statistics on occupation ceilings show that out of some 160,000 possible invitations that DIBP can issue in each programme year, only about 19,402 invitations have been sent as at 25 February 2015. The statistics are listed here: http://www.immi.gov.au/Work/Pages/SkillSelect/SkillSelect.aspx#tab-4 . You will have to click the Occupational Ceilings tab to view the data.
Occupational ceilings limit how many invitations to apply are issued by the Department of Immigration each year for general skilled migration for a particular occupation. Generally, applicants with an Expression of Interest in occupational groups which have reached their ceiling will not be invited to apply for a visa but however will remain in the EOI pool for two years from the date of submission, or until they are selected to apply when a fresh quota is issued.
Occupational ceilings do not apply to Employer Sponsored or Business Innovation and Investment visa subclasses and have now also been removed for State or Territory Nominated, visa subclasses. Effectively this means that states can nominate occupations for Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 and Skilled Regional Subclass 489 visas even if the ceiling has been reached.
Based on DIBPs current statistics, over 90 per cent of the jobs have barely hit 50 per cent of their quota. In fact, more than half the jobs on the list that numbers 75 occupations, have barely hit 3 per cent of their quota.
Here’s the shock list as at 25 February 2015
|
Occupations |
Quota |
Invites |
|
Production Managers |
3132 |
2 |
|
Painting Trades |
2448 |
8 |
|
Metal Fitters/Machinists |
6816 |
41 |
|
Plasterers |
1980 |
14 |
|
Welding Trades |
4482 |
39 |
|
Electronic Trades |
2580 |
23 |
|
Motor Mechanics |
6444 |
107 |
|
Plumbers |
4464 |
76 |
|
Electricians |
7854 |
140 |
|
Construction Managers |
5178 |
94 |
In addition there are over a dozen occupations with a quota of 1000 like Tilers, Glaziers, Optometrists, Automotive Electricians and Air-conditioning/Refrigeration mechanics where invitations issued sit a single digit. Either they don’t find Australia attractive, or the skills assessment and language thresholds have made it impossible for them to give the process a go.
The other shock list for jobs with a quota of about 1000
|
Occupations |
Quota |
Invites |
|
Sheetmetal Trades Workers |
1000 |
0 |
|
Boat Builders and Shipwrights |
1000 |
0 |
|
Automotive Electricians |
1000 |
1 |
|
Precision Metal Trades Workers |
1000 |
1 |
|
Wall and Floor Tilers |
1110 |
2 |
|
Glaziers |
1000 |
2 |
|
Electrical Distribution Trades |
1000 |
2 |
Have people given up on skill-select and trying other pathways? What is becoming of this policy of amassing the best and brightest from abroad to our abode through this precise system of social engineering?
Perhaps the Skillselect system is best suited for those in IT, Accounting, Engineering and Health Care. These occupations are well on their way to hit their quotas before the end of the financial year. The 5478 places for Accountants and the 5005 places for Software Programmers are about 70 per cent full.
The stated purpose of the occupational ceiling is to distribute the number of invitations across jobs so that, “the migration programme is not dominated by a small number of occupations.” However the current system is causing the program to be dominated by a few occupations. Perhaps it is because the best and brightest in their skill set who may have a suitable language level for their occupation just cannot meet the questionable high language bar imposed by DIBPs program. It is time for a rethink. Lowering the language threshold may be a start.
Comments
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Friday, 27 February 2015English is definitely a factor which excludes a large number of migrants who would otherwise be very attracted to Australia. As is blatantly obvious to any one in the industry, the increase in English language scores over the years has had much more to do limiting the number of applications than it has had to do with anything else. English is of course important however there are many ways to ensure that migrants have sufficient English or gain sufficient English once they arrive. Very few of the Greek and Italians migrants postwar would have passed IELTS 5 mind you IELTS 6 however they have made a great contribution to Australia as have their children.
Another factor also seems to be the tightening of requirements by certain skill assessors who are artificially inflating the years of work experience required or introducing a much shorter currency of work requirement than that applied by the immigration department.
Let's hope this report highlights the need for the reform and the risks to Australia of being too parochial. -
Wednesday, 04 March 2015
im native of the uk and have failed ielts 3 times ,stoping many people from applying
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Friday, 27 February 2015
Realistically what is the use of going to all of the trouble involved with SkillSelect even if you do get a Visa granted, then you finally arrive in Australia and cannot get a well paid job in the Occupation you want and the area you want to live and work in.
Change the emphasis and focus to Employers getting assistance with the true Skills Shortages and having a pathway of 457 to 187 and 186 PR Visas. -
Monday, 02 March 2015
There's only a tiny issue with this assertion: the "best and brightest" tend to be middle aged professionals with family, seeking security for their future and do not like any risk such as a temporary visa for a few years. And anyways, how to get an employer to sponsor an employee for 457 if they only talk on the phone as an interview??? They hardly want to commit for sponsorship for the extreme complex and costly nature of the process even if the employee has already proven their worth by working for them on a temporary visa - like Graduate or Student visa - before. And the "best and brightest" will definitely not quit their jobs overseas to come to Australia on a Student visa (for lack of any suitable alternative) trying to find a sponsoring employer.
Thus, the point tested visas remain for these "best and brightest", or rather for the luckiest of them as GSM is like a Roulette game: you bet on a path like you bet a number in the game and if you're lucky, no rule/occupation list/additional condition/policy or else will change while you try to gather your skills assessment, IELTS and state nomination (if applies, and often applies). And if the ball falls in your court than you get out of it with a permanent visa, if not than you can bet again for some extra money or walk away and try your luck with Canada or New Zealand. I'm working in this arena for years and it gets more and more unpredictable... -
Friday, 27 February 2015
I've not looked at other statistics, but my guess is that the migration system was geared towards employer sponsored visas. If GSM was so easy, which it was before the massive shake up, then people would be studying the trades or a particular trade if the migration English thresholds were low and courses were way cheaper than universities. That's exactly what happened with the glut of cooks and hairdressers. I expect that DIBP will never go down that pathway again.
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Friday, 27 February 2015
Hello Matt" As is blatantly obvious to any one in the industry, the increase in English language scores over the years has had much more to do limiting the number of applications than it has had to do with anything else." English language scores have gone up and applications down. With respect, it's not that obvious. Post hoc ergo propter hoc.
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Monday, 02 March 2015
This is simply a result of the TRA as they have become ridiculous to deal with. It is as if their goal is stop tradespeople coming into Australia.
I remember going to a CPD where TRA presented. Their statement to Agents was that they do not consider any tradespeople as good as Australian tradespeople. When this is your starting point you are not going to be fair or realistic in your assessments.
The TRA process is expensive, difficult and very hit and miss. Unless you have followed a pathway that they understand (i.e. an Australian apprenticeship) they make it very difficult to obtain a successful outcome.
I had one instance where I had two tradespeople assessed for the same company. They both went to the same technical school, at the same time, obtained the same qualification while doing an apprenticeship with the same employer. One was successful the other was not. They had two different assessors who applied completely different standards to each application. TRA defended their assessors and stood by their decision. -
Monday, 02 March 2015
Hello Blog,
This "professional" blog should require names and email addresses of bloggers. Otherwise it risks publishing inaccurate and scattered idea bubbles that sometimes verge on defamation. Having the blog anonymously "subscribed" is not sufficient. It merely means that the blogger has an email address somewhere to accept MA's confirmation. -
Monday, 02 March 2015
RTS-I agree with you. I think tradesworkers are going to Canada instead because of the lower English language requirements.
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Monday, 02 March 2015
I mainly deal with employers sponsoring workers who hold trade certificates. TRA is difficult and inconsistent.
English is a major problem. If I had a dollar for every candidate who scored a 5.5 in reading or writing and 6-7 in the other bands I would have retired about 12 months ago. Scoring 6.0 and above seems to have an inverse correlation with good work experience. Prior to the changes in July 2012 the quality of each applicant was considerably better. -
Monday, 02 March 2015
The English language test is certainly an issue. Applicants could score an additional 5 points on the Credentialled Community Language component, but they should sit a NAATI-test as evidence that they speak their own language. How ridiculous is that? Why not apply the same rules for this as with the exemption English speaking applicants have for not sitting a language test? An extra 5 point could give applicants just enough points to qualify for a GSM visa.
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Monday, 02 March 2015
Some time ago I had a client from the UK who was in his early 40's, had a positive Skills assessment from TRA as an electrician (he had his OTSR) however he was 5 points short of 60 points. He was unable to increase his points through the IELTS test as he could not reach a 6 in writing!! He was 15 when he left school to do his apprenticeship and therefore his writing skills were not the best. He was an experienced and successful electrician in England. What a loss to Australia who needs tradespeople.
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Monday, 02 March 2015
I think the current English requirement is fair. Otherwise, we might as well let all the rubbish into the country.
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Tuesday, 03 March 2015
Some of the most highly skilled and successful people in the world are not English speakers. They are far from rubbish.
Unfortunately in Australia we have an attitude that if you cannot speak English then you cannot contribute. Australia was built by migrants who could not speak English.
Australian assessing bodies will not assess skills and qualifications if a person does not have high level English which is ridiculous because their assessment is about their skills and qualifications and not about their employability.
People who are intelligent, motivated and hard working are far more beneficial to our country than people who speak English but are lacking in other qualities. -
Monday, 02 March 2015
We also find TRA to be a poor accrediting body, technical, literal, and with a penchant for applying new policy retrospectively if it would lead to a refusal. The other factor is the cost of applying for the visa. DIBP fees are difficult to meet particularly if you have 2 or more children. Apart from that, the off-shore skilled program is being wound back, however you describe it, in favour of selecting of migrants from the pool of people who are already here on other visas. The country is awash with Students, Working Holiday makers, Graduates and Post Study Work visa holders, 457 workers and short term Business Visitor visa holders many of whom are looking to stay. This creates a pool of competitive, 'reformed' people in a Business Council sense, willing to take whatever is on offer from the employers. This is likely to continue with a concomitant relative decline in the off-shore skilled program until perhaps youth and graduate unemployment starts to rise and along with it the call to change.
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Monday, 02 March 2015
If the focus is too employer driven as Wayne Harrison suggests, earlier, all be it with the suggestion of a pathway to PR what about the temp visa stage? One of the biggest concerns i experience is new migrants wanting/needing security and not feeling 'beholden' to an employer,we all know the visa process takes time and at interview, all may sound like a 'good fit' for the company, the job role etc, but on arrival some time later, the structure of the organistion may have changed/people move on and the migrant is left, often in a temporay visa situation feeling out of control of thier life, everyone else is 'pulling thier strings' and they are unable to put down roots until PR is granted. Plus with a young family, temp visas are very high risk and education costs expensive. An overall IELTS score would be a fairer test, than the current acceptable scores, especially with trades where speaking and listening are essential, reading important, but maybe writing could be acceptable at 5.5 or 6.5 as appropriate for the score required etc. So many times score results are .5 down in one area of the test and higher then required in others, even for level 7x4 or 8x4 I am sure other agents see this all the time as i do. It gets to the point where you expect a second or third test is the norm and prepare clients for this outcome and expense.
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Tuesday, 03 March 2015
The number of steps involved and the overall risk and uncertainty involved with:
Correct English results
Points Test calculation
Skills assessment
Expression of Interest
(State and Territory Nomination Carnivale)
Invitation
Application for a visa
and arrival in Australia to simply exist in an outer suburb of Sydney or similar and end up as a taxi driver or shelf stacker
Is all too fraught for me.
The business side of that is very difficult to ascertain and when i do cost it - I cannot compete in the existing market - so I don't!
My opinion of the TRA has still NOT recovered from June 2007 - for those who remember.
The VETASSESS website saps my will to live.
MJ -
Tuesday, 03 March 2015
In my opinion, the blockage to Trade assessments caused by the TRA has caused an unbalance in the 189/190 visa program. The program is dominated by professional occupations such as Accountants, IT professionals, etc, where the assessment authorities are more reasonable and/or consistent.
This has caused a continued shortfall of tradespeople throughout many industry sectors.
As an example, the hospitality industry has a huge shortfall for Cooks and Chefs. Young Australians are simply not taking apprenticeships in this field. I have witnessed numerous hospitality businesses who simply cannot find apprentices. When they do find an apprentice, more often than not they only last a few months before deciding that the industry is too hard.
As a result many businesses are forced to rely on overseas students who have minimal qualifications and experience and often do not remain in the industry once they have obtained Permanent Residency.
Until the assessment process for tradespeople becomes more consistent and fairly administered, the situation will not be addressed. -
Tuesday, 03 March 2015
Its not just the high bench mark score requirements but more so the inconsistencies in testing and system of allocation of points that adds to the failure and frustration of the English points system
How may clients have sat the IETLS test only to find that each test result differences widely from test to test 9Even i9f taken 9one month apart) and low and behold they fall short by 0.5 in one component from the target score.
The points should be allocated differntetly to take into account overall scores ad not just minimums in each component.
eg: IELTS:
an overall score of 7 and minimum 6 in each component should equal 5 points
7 in each component equal 10 points
an overall score of 8 and minimum 7 in each component should equal 15 points
7 in each component equal 20 points
An assessment based on the overall score would minimise impact on fluctuations in test scores and give recognition to thj9se applicants that have a higher score then the minimum.
The other issue that is not address by the English testing system is Occupational Health and Safety.
There should be a mandatory Occupational Health and Safety component to ensure that applicant understand the context and meaning of fundamental use of English such as "STOP" Hold one a minute" "Wait"; "Careful" etc every day use of language. In many ways occupational health and safety English is more important then the battle for points scores
https://www.change.org/petitions/scott-morrison-minster-for-immigration-and-border-protection-review-the-allocation-of-points-awarded-for-the-ielts-english-exam-for-skilled-migration-to-australia-as-outlined-below
Immigration blog
Employers and prospective employees have never liked any sort of pooling. It is too hard to use, risky, expensive and not worth the effort. English language has naught to do with it. It is an old convict idea tarted up for the 20th century and out of date in this one.