Skilled migrants to provide skills relief

IMMIGRATION Minister Chris Evans has announced an expansion of skilled migration to take some of the inflationary heat out of the employment market.

While the scheme announced by Senator Evans takes broad aim at the mining and construction industries, the measures – which include the expansion of 457 long-stay skilled visas – should also have a positive impact in the ICT sector.

As an immediate measure, the Skilled Migration program will be increased by 6000 places in 2007-08. The increase will be made up of permanent employer-sponsored visas and General Skilled Migration visas.

The additional 6000 places will bring to 108,500 the total number of permanent visas granted under the Skill Stream of the migration program this financial year.

Senator Evans has established an external reference group to investigate skill requirement, including the expansion of the Temporary Business (Long Stay) visa (subclass 457), which allows businesses to recruit skilled labour from overseas for temporary entry to Australia for between three months and four years.

The reference group will advise the Minister on current and anticipated future employment trends and the need for overseas recruitment in the identified sectors.

“The group will provide me with specific advice on ways to ensure the temporary work visa system, also known as the subclass 457 visa program, operates as effectively as possible in contributing to the supply of skilled labour,” Senator Evans said.

Senator Evans said he was also expanding the working holiday visa program to provide relief to Australia businesses. Last financial year there were 126,000 people on working holiday visa in Australia. And the number expected to extend their visa by a year is expected to soar this year by more than 50 per cent to 10,000.

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Cabinet approves $1b schools plan

FEDERAL Cabinet has signed off on a $1 billion plan to give every student in years nine to 12 their own computer at school, with the first $100 million in funding to become available in March.

The plan is one of the first election commitments to be put through the Cabinet process, and means that schools can start applying now for funding of up to $1 million each.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said an national audit of schools’ computer resources and broadband facilities would be conducted to determine those in most need.

Though funding is available to all schools – public and private – the first round money will go to those found to be in most urgent need.

Mr Rudd said schools can elect to spend the funding on a range of digital equipment – from computers, interactive whiteboards, networking equipment, digital projects and improved broadband connectivity.

Deputy Prime Minister and education Minister Julia Gillard has also outlined broad plans to improve teacher training in ICT skills to ensure they are equipped to teach in computer-equipped classrooms.

Under its National Secondary School Computer Fund commitment during the election, Labor noted that ICT “is also now becoming critical to most jobs in most industries,” for mining, to agriculture, manufacturing and services.

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