Employer-backed migration to Australia surges

There has been a major surge in employer-sponsored skilled migration levels into Australia. In fact, one in five of Australia's 171,318 immigrants during the past financial year was sponsored by an employer.

The Report on Migration Program 2008-09 shows that the Australian Government’s targeted approach to overseas workers is helping to fill critical skills gaps in the healthcare, engineering, financial services and IT sectors.

In detail, the employer-sponsored intake, a sub-section of the skilled migration category, jumped by 60 per cent to 38,026, well in excess of initial plans for 37,080 places, as expressed in a Government migration program report.

The Government introduced a critical skills list in January, which gives priority to employer-sponsored skilled migration. "A properly targeted migration program will ensure we have the right-sized and appropriately-skilled labour force to meet Australia's needs now and into the future as our economy grows and recovers," Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans said.

Australia's overall skilled migration stream made up two-thirds of the migration intake during the past financial year, with the remainder arriving through the family stream. But the tally of 115,000 skilled migration places was cut by 14 per cent in March 2009, motivated by predicted results of the Global Financial Crisis.

The skilled migration intake for this financial year has been trimmed to 108,000 places. "The migration intake in the coming year reflects the economic conditions while ensuring employers can gain access to skilled professionals in industries still experiencing skills shortages such as healthcare and engineering," Senator Evans said.

The United Kingdom was Australia's largest source of migrants during the past financial year, though its share has fallen from 21.2 per cent in 2006/07 to 17.9 per cent in 2008/09.

India was Australia's second biggest supplier of immigrants, followed by China, South Africa, the Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and the United States.

Across all permanent skilled visa categories, accountants, computing professionals and registered nurses were the most successful applicants.

What next? Not an easy prediction, but if China remains a big player in manufacturing both in export and in developing its vast domestic consumer market, prospects look pretty good for Australian resources like coal, iron ore and uranium, all of which are opening up new mines. And then there’s the massive growth in gas (LNG) on both sides of the continent.

As these projects move ahead, and as federal and state government infrastructure projects roll out, it may be that the government is likely to discover it again needs many of the skilled workers currently deleted from its plans. Thus, those skilled folk already investigating Australia as a potential location for career and lifestyle advancement will be at a distinct advantage.

It may well be highly advisable to keep a close watch on any such changes of policy and even to establish a relationship with a proven, reputable immigration advisory company like LIA, to give oneself a head start in gaining Australian skilled visas.