Employers are voicing their alarm at Coalition plans to slash migration after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton vowed to make deeper cuts than Labor to the annual intake, sparking fears of a shortage of skilled workers.after the federal government revealed plans to cut net overseas migration from 528,000 last year to 260,000 next year, while Dutton said he would drive the number down to 160,000.
“It would have to have a very material impact across a range of areas where we have still very severe skill shortages.“So that means areas like engineering and nursing, teaching, hospitality professions. All of these areas would have to be facing, I think, further challenges in terms of securing the skill requirements that we need.”
Australian Industry Group chief Innes Willox said the migration program should be about encouraging skilled migrants who could help to grow the economy.“The last area to cut in the overall program is the absolute number of skilled migrants welcomed to Australia,” he said. “Instead of taking away the workers we badly need, the government can create policies allowing farmers to be part of the solution to the housing crisis,” he said. One way, he added, was to offer tax incentives for farmers to offer more housing.Dutton stood by his policy on Tuesday and accused the government of planning a “big Australia” with its migration forecasts, even though both major parties are promising cuts.
University of Melbourne professor of demography Peter McDonald warned that it would be extremely difficult to target the net intake to a particular number, saying a big cut to overseas students would be a “formula for chaos” at universities.
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