More skilled Migrants needed in Australia

Immigration does a country two big favours: Add cultural diversity and give it skilled labour. If the current number of migrants arriving in Australiais doing it any favours, then they have to be these two.Migration experts and analysts believethis will not only make Australia more competitive, but fill vacant spaces where skill is needed. Soaring demand for skilled labour fuelled by the mining investment expansion, coupled with Australia's station as a favoured destination for those aspiring to better educations, makes Australia just the place you would want to be.

 
This means that the number of 457 visa applications granted in the year ending 31 March 2014 equates to approximately 5.4 per cent of unemployed Australians and 0.3 per cent of employed Australians. Based on the above, the 457 visa program accounts for overseas skilled migrant pool equivalent to just 0.3 per cent of the total Australian labour market. When analysed from this angle, the percentage of skilled migrants is too small to have any significant economic impacton the labour force in this country. And that is why, Australia needs more skilled migrants. A publication by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection says that Australia plans to accept 250,000 migrants every year at least until 2017. A report on Regional Net Overseas Migration forecasts immigrationlevels at 249,900 by June 2015: 250, 300 by June 2016: and 250, 200 by June 2017.

For many, Australia is a stepping stone. Statistics from the Immigration Department show an increase in inward migration/arrival into the country for many reasons, including work, education, family reunions and leisure. But the growing numbers of young migrants, especially from non-English speaking backgrounds, who decide not to stay in Australia is not less than shocking, making the Australian labour market one of the most mobile inthe world, and thus its dynamics ever-changing. Department of Immigration numbers show that more than 90,000 people emigrated from Australia in theprevious financial year. Most of themwere Asians (Chinese, Indians and Pakistanis), and over 40 per cent were professionals.

Source: ME Alliance Magazine August 2015