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The Australian Government and employers are holding exhibitions throughout the world and Australia seemingly every second week. Although concerns about the lack of apprenticeships and training for Australians are expressed and acknowledged, the skilled visas continue to be promoted because of Australia’s serious skills shortages, particularly in industries such as mining and construction.

The Minister for Immigration, Amanda Vanstone, has announced that the total immigration intake for 2006-2007 would be in the range of 134,000 to 144,000 places with 97,500 places in the skills stream, representing an increase of 20,000 skills places.

Migration professionals, lawyer and agent, have found that increasing the number of places is not enough. Of the 11 skilled visas, the Skilled Independent Visa still remains the first choice for many applicants because no reliance is required upon a sponsorship, either by family, government or employer. However, the points passmark for the Skilled Independent Visa remains at its highest level which effectively excludes anyone who has turned 30 years of age, unless that person is eligible to nominate an occupation in demand which attracts additional points.

Accordingly, many experienced and very skilled workers are not eligible for the Skilled Independent Visa because of age.

Admittedly, other state government sponsored visas are available, but these visas too are restricted by each state having its own occupations in demand list; if the applicant’s occupation is not on the list, then state sponsorship will not be granted.

So we return to the Skilled Independent Visa. The points passmark and the age limit of 45 years deserve a review. So often, prospective highly experienced skilled migrants are keen for a change of lifestyle and to live and work in Australia but are thwarted by their age of 46 or 47 years.

The latest news from the Minister for Immigration is the introduction of a number of changes based on the need for skilled migrants to have sound English skills and relevant work experience. Changes to be made include: an increase in the base level of English language proficiency; increase of bonus points for applicants who achieve English language scores above the base level; greater emphasis on skilled work experience as a factor in the points test.

The emphasis on relevant work experience will affect overseas students studying in Australia who are now exempt from recent work experience if they meet a number of conditions. The government will require some work experience for an overseas student to be eligible for the skilled visa.

Australia’s serious skills shortage will be improved if regulations and policy are focused to attract the highly skilled who are currently not eligible. The other area for review is the mandatory skills assessment by the relevant skills assessing authority, each of which has demands of varying degrees. But that is a subject for another day.