The Joint Standing Committee on Migration today tabled its report into temporary business visas in parliament.
The Joint Standing Committee on Migration today tabled its report into temporary business visas in parliament.
The report, titled Temporary visas...Permanent benefits: ensuring the effectiveness, fairness and integrity of the temporary business visa program, provides 25 recommendations to improve eligibility and reporting requirements, monitoring and enforcement of temporary business visas, including the 457 visa.
The report recommends the Department of Immigration and Citizenship research individual sectors' use of the 457 visa, beginning with the meat processing industry.
It proposes a national skills assessment process for overseas trained doctors be fast-tracked, and that the character requirements of the 457 visa program be reviewed to ensure the integrity of security and police checks.
The report advises against dividing the 457 visa into subclasses for higher and lower (regional) classifications for occupations.
However, it supports the introduction of better monitoring and reporting arrangements for regional areas.
The report recommends DIAC work with stakeholders and employers to develop benchmarks for training requirements and direct appropriate resources to monitoring compliance.
It also proposes that the government investigate the adequacy of the 457 visa salary system, and continue with its proposal to index salaries of 457 visa holders in line with increases to the minimum salary level or award conditions.
A number of measures to improve the transparency of the 457 visa program are recommended, including the publication of more detailed statistics on the program; and a communications strategy to ensure stakeholders and the broader population are kept informed of visa changes.
Adequate resources to enforce compliance with the 457 visa program are also proposed, along with regular reporting of DIAC's monitoring activities on its website.
This would include listing employers that are being monitored, sites visited and sponsors that have been banned or fined.
In addition, the Committee recommends promotional material be given to 457 sponsors and visa holders, outlining the rights of visa holders.
Other outcomes include a proposed independent review of the 457 visa program, to be conducted in 2008-09, assessing this year's changes, as well as a performance audit of the administration of the program.
