A MAJOR Federal Government review released last week called for a complete rewrite of Australia’s immigration system, with almost every visa category subject to change. The review found the immigration system was “complex, inefficient and inflexible”.
Working holiday makers (backpackers) come to King Island to work across many of our local businesses. Currently, the island has people from Spain, Sri Lanka, The Netherlands, Taiwan, Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Indonesia, Japan, Argentina, France, Canada, India, Poland, Israel, and England. They stay three to 12 months, sometimes longer if they extend their visa.
Working holiday visa holders can extend their visa for an additional year (up to three years maximum) if they do three months/six months of work in critical industries such as agriculture or mining and during Covid this was extended to hospitality in some regions too. They can be seen working on King Island in dairy and beef farms, cheese production, mining, and hospitality, but they can work in any industry if they choose to.
There are between 30-50 backpackers on the island at any time. Because of King Island’s remoteness and because backpackers are often working and living with locals and other travellers, they will often form strong friendships and continue these friendships after they leave the island.
Some backpackers have formed partnerships, married, started families, and become Australian citizens and part of the King Island resident community. There are more than 100 visa sub-classes, and the government says the system must be simplified, making it easier and faster for people to be processed.
King Island is also home to Business and Investment program, Family Reunion, and temporary visa holders. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said the system was not up to the task to solve the greatest labour shortage Australia has faced since World War II and last week told the National Press Club that administrative problems were “central” to Australia’s immigration woes.
“We ask an overseas-trained nurse to pay up to $20,000 and wait up to 35 months to get their qualifications recognised and their visa granted,” she said.
The changes include an immediate lift to the decade old minimum wage threshold for skilled workers; the establishment of a pathway to permanency for about 17,000 temporary workers; tightening rules and more support for international graduates to help get into skilled employment; providing exploitation protections and removing bureaucratic delays and outdated occupation codes. The skilled list has not been added to since 2013 and does not reflect contemporary skills or changed skilled labour needs.
The government said the “points test” for skilled visas, which helps determine which applicants are most desirable for improved productivity, must be rewritten and “recalibrated.”