One of the most common types of visas being applied for today is the Australian work visa. Indeed, Australia has been considered as a favorite country to work in for a lot of people. But the recent changes made by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) on the skilled migration program, it seemed that getting work here has become even harder than before.
It can be noted that the DIAC began implementing the changes since early last year. One of the changes that was made was the revision of the Skilled Occupation List. The DIAC began reviewing the SOL in the hopes of getting more highly skilled professionals into the country, which is the current thrust of the government.
After almost a year of review, the immigration department finally released the new SOL last July 1, which also immediately took effect. The biggest changes that was made in the new list was the removal of more than a hundred vocational positions in favor of more higher skilled jobs. The new SOL also provided for stricter regulations with regards to visa application.
Upon the release of the SOL, reactions to it are clearly divided. One of the biggest groups that have aired their concern about the new list is the foreign workers themselves. According to them, the new list gives them less opportunities to get into the country and work. It should be noted that ta large number of foreign workers are currently taking up vocational jobs in the country. This one is mainly due to the easy of getting permanent residency from these positions. However, with these removed from the list, their applications were automatically revoked also.
However, the foreign workers have gotten an unlikely ally in the business sector. Business companies assert that the new regulations would be, in the long run, detrimental to the country. They argued that the new changes might cause the perception that Australia is getting stricter with immigrant and will likely drive potential workers away. They added that more careful planning must be done in order to ensure that the changes in the program actually work as intended. They also said that this will likely cause worker shortages.
However, the government asserted that the changes are really for the betterment of the country. They said that these moves would in fact help solve worker shortages by directing laborers to areas where they are most needed. They also assured vocational workers that they are still very much welcomed in the country, as long as they are able to secure jobs that suit them.
