Feb 24,(AAP)- The 75,000 jobs the government said would be created by its first economic stimulus package will flow this year, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.
The government outlaid $10.4 billion before Christmas on cash handouts for pensioners, carers and low-income earners, and funding an extension to the first home buyers grant scheme
"The flow-through effect on the economy will occur during the course of this year," Mr Rudd said in answer to a question from Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull.
"We will also see what occurs with the fourth quarter data for 2008."
The government was taking a responsible course of action.
"The alternative, as recommended by the Liberal party, is to do nothing," he said.
Source: news.smh.com.au
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Skilled Migration Debated in Australia
Australia is reconsidering its seduction of skilled migrants as the jobless rate rises at home, yet analysts see sound economic reasons to keep the flow of workers coming and even opportunity in the firing frenzy abroad.
The tidal wave of global job shedding could be a rare opening for Australian recruiters to tap top talent and plug skill shortages that have plagued business here for years.
"There's going to be an extraordinary pool of experienced people looking for work and a real chance for Australia to fill gaps in sectors like health and engineering, which are crying out for them," said Stephen Roberts, an economist at Nomura.
"For economists, the case for skilled migration is cast iron, but as unemployment creeps higher, policy makers will surely come under pressure to cut back, and that would be a shame," he added.
Economic success has turned Australia into a major importer of people. Eighteen years of uninterrupted economic growth has generated a serious need for labor - everything from bricklayers to brain surgeons.
Read the full article here: www.iht.com
Author: Wayne Cole
The tidal wave of global job shedding could be a rare opening for Australian recruiters to tap top talent and plug skill shortages that have plagued business here for years.
"There's going to be an extraordinary pool of experienced people looking for work and a real chance for Australia to fill gaps in sectors like health and engineering, which are crying out for them," said Stephen Roberts, an economist at Nomura.
"For economists, the case for skilled migration is cast iron, but as unemployment creeps higher, policy makers will surely come under pressure to cut back, and that would be a shame," he added.
Economic success has turned Australia into a major importer of people. Eighteen years of uninterrupted economic growth has generated a serious need for labor - everything from bricklayers to brain surgeons.
Read the full article here: www.iht.com
Author: Wayne Cole
Monday, January 5, 2009
A New Fast-Track Visa for Australia
PM - Wednesday, 17 December , 2008
Reporter: Alexandra Kirk
MARK COLVIN: The Federal Government has announced changes to the program that brings skilled migrants to Australia.
The Immigration minister Chris Evans says that fast-tracking professionals on the critical skills list will ensure the economy gets the skills it needs now, not just those people who applied first.
The changes will start from the 1st of January.
Senator Evans says the Government will fast track the processing of permanent migration visas where the skilled migrants are sponsored by an employer.
People applying to come to Australia without a sponsor will be given priority if they have an occupation on the government's list of skills in critical shortage.
The minister spoke to Alexandra Kirk a short time ago.
CHRIS EVANS: Well since the Budget a bit earlier in the year clearly the economic forecasts have been revised downwards and it's reasonable to see that the demands for skills in the economy will decline and I've been reviewing employer's needs. Talking to them about their expectations but their very strong message is to continue to run a strong migration program. That there are still skills and a critical shortage but they want the scheme targeted so we bring the right people in to fill the jobs we can't fill locally.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: So will the number of skilled overseas workers coming into Australia decrease?
CHRIS EVANS: No, look I think we'll probably meet the program targets this year, we might come a little under. But what I'm trying to do is make sure first of all that we only get people who are coming in to fill jobs that they're qualified for and they're filling jobs that we can't meet from local workers.
We going to make sure it's much better targeted and prioritising the critical skills we need.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: So people with the wrong skills have been coming in?
CHRIS EVANS: Well at the moment, people are if you like, self-nominating and while they come in order of application across a broad range of skills and what I think we should be doing is recruiting people in priority order for those skills that are in critical need in the medical areas, in the engineering areas etc.
And I think the changes we've announced will allow us to do that and to make sure that in changing economic circumstances we're getting the people we need in a highly targeted way that's responsive to businesses needs and this would also help us with any major infrastructure projects and with any economic growth that occurs over the next couple of years.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: The emphasis here is on people who are applying to come here permanently. In the past two years, there's been a big increase in the number of temporary skilled migrant workers or those coming in under the 457 visa scheme. Will that number be cut?
CHRIS EVANS: Well the 457 is responsive to employer demand. They nominate who comes in. What we know about the permanent migration system is increasingly people are already in the country and under the changes I announced today will see up to about 50 per cent of the permanent migration coming from people already in the country.
That's a good thing because they're already here, they want to stay and they're in a job. So they're a good outcome from a migration program point of view. So as I say, half the people will probably be in the country. What we are doing is regularising their status as permanents and the 457 scheme will continue but we are already seeing a drop off in demand as employers scale-back on their labour needs.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: So what will the net benefit do you think, be?
CHRIS EVANS: Well I think we'll have a much better targeted program. We'll be ensuring that we get the skills into the country that we need. We'll be getting those skills in quicker and in the high priority areas and so it's much more responsive to the economy. It's much more responsive to employers. And make sure that people who are coming into the country are coming into jobs that we can't fill locally.
They won't be coming in in large numbers just looking for a job. Those who are coming in permanently into a pre-arranged job.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: Do you have employer groups onside?
CHRIS EVANS: I think the employers will respond positively to this. It's very much making the system work better for them. They're in a global market for skills and one of their concerns has been that it all takes too long. This will help make us much more responsive to our needs.
MARK COLVIN: The Immigration minister Chris Evans with Alexandra Kirk.
Source: abc.net.au/
Reporter: Alexandra Kirk
MARK COLVIN: The Federal Government has announced changes to the program that brings skilled migrants to Australia.
The Immigration minister Chris Evans says that fast-tracking professionals on the critical skills list will ensure the economy gets the skills it needs now, not just those people who applied first.
The changes will start from the 1st of January.
Senator Evans says the Government will fast track the processing of permanent migration visas where the skilled migrants are sponsored by an employer.
People applying to come to Australia without a sponsor will be given priority if they have an occupation on the government's list of skills in critical shortage.
The minister spoke to Alexandra Kirk a short time ago.
CHRIS EVANS: Well since the Budget a bit earlier in the year clearly the economic forecasts have been revised downwards and it's reasonable to see that the demands for skills in the economy will decline and I've been reviewing employer's needs. Talking to them about their expectations but their very strong message is to continue to run a strong migration program. That there are still skills and a critical shortage but they want the scheme targeted so we bring the right people in to fill the jobs we can't fill locally.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: So will the number of skilled overseas workers coming into Australia decrease?
CHRIS EVANS: No, look I think we'll probably meet the program targets this year, we might come a little under. But what I'm trying to do is make sure first of all that we only get people who are coming in to fill jobs that they're qualified for and they're filling jobs that we can't meet from local workers.
We going to make sure it's much better targeted and prioritising the critical skills we need.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: So people with the wrong skills have been coming in?
CHRIS EVANS: Well at the moment, people are if you like, self-nominating and while they come in order of application across a broad range of skills and what I think we should be doing is recruiting people in priority order for those skills that are in critical need in the medical areas, in the engineering areas etc.
And I think the changes we've announced will allow us to do that and to make sure that in changing economic circumstances we're getting the people we need in a highly targeted way that's responsive to businesses needs and this would also help us with any major infrastructure projects and with any economic growth that occurs over the next couple of years.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: The emphasis here is on people who are applying to come here permanently. In the past two years, there's been a big increase in the number of temporary skilled migrant workers or those coming in under the 457 visa scheme. Will that number be cut?
CHRIS EVANS: Well the 457 is responsive to employer demand. They nominate who comes in. What we know about the permanent migration system is increasingly people are already in the country and under the changes I announced today will see up to about 50 per cent of the permanent migration coming from people already in the country.
That's a good thing because they're already here, they want to stay and they're in a job. So they're a good outcome from a migration program point of view. So as I say, half the people will probably be in the country. What we are doing is regularising their status as permanents and the 457 scheme will continue but we are already seeing a drop off in demand as employers scale-back on their labour needs.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: So what will the net benefit do you think, be?
CHRIS EVANS: Well I think we'll have a much better targeted program. We'll be ensuring that we get the skills into the country that we need. We'll be getting those skills in quicker and in the high priority areas and so it's much more responsive to the economy. It's much more responsive to employers. And make sure that people who are coming into the country are coming into jobs that we can't fill locally.
They won't be coming in in large numbers just looking for a job. Those who are coming in permanently into a pre-arranged job.
ALEXANDRA KIRK: Do you have employer groups onside?
CHRIS EVANS: I think the employers will respond positively to this. It's very much making the system work better for them. They're in a global market for skills and one of their concerns has been that it all takes too long. This will help make us much more responsive to our needs.
MARK COLVIN: The Immigration minister Chris Evans with Alexandra Kirk.
Source: abc.net.au/
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