Master Builders Australia say they welcome changes to the temporary skilled migration program which was announced by the Government on Tuesday.
Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said providing Australians with jobs, and training the younger generation for rewarding careers, has always been their priority.
“However access to foreign workers to fill immediate skills gaps on projects where locals cannot or will not meet demand for skilled labour is important to the productivity of the building and construction industry,” she said.
“We look forward to working with the Government to ensure that the Temporary Skill Shortage Visa is responsive and flexible to our industry’s needs,” she said in a media statement.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that the government was abolishing the 457 visas scheme and replace it with a two-tier visa with stricter requirements.
“This will ensure Australian workers are given the absolute priority for jobs, while businesses will be able to temporarily access the critical skills they need to grow if skilled Australians workers are not available,” Turnbull said in a media release.
According to the ABC, the latest figures from the Immigration Department states that there has been a drop in 457 visas holders in Australia to 95,758 in September 2016.
The majority of the 457 visa holders were from India, which accounted for almost a quarter of the intake, followed by the UK and China at 19.5 percent and 5.8 percent respectively.
