The total permanent Migration Program outcome for 2019–20 was 140,366 places, of which 95,843 places were delivered in the Skill stream.
According to analysis of visa data by SBS News, accountants, registered nurses, cooks, chefs and restaurant workers were the main occupations to receive permanent residency visas last financial year:
A quick glance at the federal government’s own skills shortage list reveals that accountants have not been in shortage since 2008 (12 years ago), whereas Registered Nurses have not been in shortage since 2011 (9 years ago). Chefs have not been in shortage since 2015 (5 years ago), whereas Cooks haven’t been in shortage since 2013 (7 years ago).
Given there are zero shortages in these occupations, according to the federal government’s own data, why are we handing out permanent residency to these workers?
Doing so will only deepen the oversupply of workers in these markets, push down wages, and lengthen the unemployment queues.
Australia’s ‘skilled visa system’ continues to deliver skills the nation does not need.
