Skilled Workers Chefs, Bricklayers and Tilers can now apply Skilled Independent Visa Australia
New and exciting news that chefs, bricklayers and tilers have been added to Australian’s Skilled Occupation List.
Come July 2014 foreign chefs, brick layers and tilers will no longer require a sponsor to work in Australia which means workers do not need to be sponsored by employers for a Permanent visa as the three professions, chefs, brick layers and tilers have been added to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) from 1 July 2014, and will be able to apply for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189).
Some Australian Unions have shut down the move as they believe that the Government should be looking out for domestic workers rather than encouraging more overseas skilled workers to come to Australia.
The assistant Minister of Immigration and Border Protection, Michaelia Cash said that Australian residents will always come first. She added that, “The Abbot Government believes that where there is an Australian who is ready, willing and available to do the job, they should always be considered first.
There will always be an Australian who is willing and available to do the job and fill a specific position, and that is the role of the Skilled Migration program to fill that gap where such shortages exist.
The Australian Skilled Occupation List includes 188 professions which will now include more tradesman jobs in Australia than ever before.
Added to the Skilled Occupation List:
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Boat builder and repairer
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Locksmith
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Midwife
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Roof Mechanic
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Social worker
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Solicitor
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Stonemason
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Telecommunications Network Planner
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Vascular Surgeon
For the last decade qualified skilled chefs have been in shortage and according to the Department of Immigration the hospitality and tourism industry sustainability is under great threat as many of the positions remain vacant. The union representing chefs have voiced their concern over the move called the United Voice. According to United Voice, the industry has no problem attracting staff in Australia but it does have problems keeping staff because when it comes to the hospitality sector, low wages and long hours make it difficult to retain staff.
The Department of Immigration substantiated their move by stating that the tourism and hospitality industry is constantly under a lot of pressure and strain with a vacancy rate of 400% more than the national average in any other industry.
David O’Byrne, acting national secretary of the union stated that “The hospitality industry is very good at and easily able to attract staff through the industry”. He also added that the Australian government should be investing in developing nationals instead of recruiting migrants for the vacant posts.
“In the era of Masterchef are you telling me there are people who don’t want to become chefs? It just does not make sense,” he said.
The government has discussed that the vacancies for tradesmen like bricklayers and tilers is only because of an increased demand for those skills in the building industry, which is becoming more urgent as more and more apprentices fail to complete their training.
The above statement is contested by the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union saying these claims are unfounded.
The number of skilled workers under the program to be taken in has been capped at 43,990. Australia could see up to 2283 overseas chefs apply for a place in the program, 1401 places for bricklayers and 948 for floor and wall tilers.
