MINISTER ANDREWS IMPRESSIVE IN SUPPORT FOR SKILLED MIGRATION
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship took the stage at this month's LIVE IN australia.com Official Office Launch to openly encourage skilled migrants to pursue a life in Australia, indicating that he and his Department are looking for ways to attract as broad a range of skilled workers as possible.
"The reality is that we in Australia are a nation of migrants. Since the end of the Second World War, six and a half million people have migrated to Australia and made it their home, and without them we would not be enjoying the prosperity and the great prospects at the present time."
In addressing the audience, the Hon. Kevin Andrews MP talked about Australia's long history of migration and the increasingly competitive nature of attracting skilled migrants to Australian shores.
"The future is significant in terms of migration, because we face a number of important challenges. One is that we are moving into an era where we're looking for every worker we can find. We are increasingly involved in a global competition for people themselves. That's compounded by the aging of the population," he said. "Over the next 5, 10 , fifteen years we are going to see an exodus of people out of the workforce, so much so that the growth of available workers will contract quite substantially. This is a challenge that will not go on for the next three or four years, this is a challenge that will go on for four or five decades into our future."
Said Minister Andrews: "It's people that can add to the professionalism and the skills trade in this country that will be the cornerstone for success of Australia into the future."
LIVE IN australia.com CEO Assyl Haidar asked the Minister some candid questions canvassed from some of LIVE IN australia.com's vast network of skilled migrants around the globe. Four questions were posed by Assyl to the Minister, with each question representing a major stream of questions or comments elicited from more than 1200 responses received in the two weeks leading into the event.
See Assyl Haidar's question and answer session with Minister Andrews.
"I was impressed with his candor and his obvious support for skilled migration," says Assyl. "I was also encouraged by his acknowledgement that the age limit may be too low considering the increase in life expectancies, and the Department's review of that policy."
In an earlier interview with LIVE IN australia.com, the Minister sent a strong message to individuals and families considering migrating to Australia.
"Australia is a great place, it's a wonderful country. We think it's the best country in the world, and it's a land of great opportunity. For anyone who has a skill there is a real possibility for them in Australia. I would say take a look at Australia because we are welcoming skilled migrants from all around the world," he said.
Watch Minister Andrew's interview with LIVE IN australia.com.
