08 Apr 2021 | Media Release
Skills and labour shortages across Australia are severely impacting business recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration this week, ACCI has urged the Federal Government to make skilled migration more immediately accessible so business can access critical skills through Australia’s skilled migration program.
“Skills shortages have been exacerbated by the prolonged closure of Australia’s border, and this is evident both in sectors that have bounced back strongly as well as those that are still recovering”, acting CEO Jenny Lambert said.
“It is a matter of survival for businesses in the accommodation, hospitality, cafes and restaurants sectors to access skilled migration. But there is also a critical need for more professionals such as structural and civil engineers, surveyors and veterinarians in order for businesses to grow.
“Regional communities are intensively feeling the loss of migrants, not just for skilled workers, but for people to fill seasonal jobs in agriculture and hospitality where working holiday makers traditionally filled the gaps. Farmers are letting fresh produce rot, and local businesses are either not opening some days, or closing off rooms as they simply do not have the staff to service customers.
“The immediate imperative is for governments to work collectively on how we manage arrivals, whether they be returning Australians or migrants, in a way that is proportionate to the risk and which best captures the economic opportunity. Not all arrivals are coming in from high risk countries, and important cohorts can be managed in way that controls the risk, particularly with more of the arrivals having been vaccinated and tested overseas before travelling.”
“For the longer term, our skilled migration program has become more complex and expensive and needs to be overhauled. A responsive, affordable and business-friendly migration system that has integrity checks in place is critically important to a strong, prosperous country in the future.”
8/04/2021
Employers, like the rest of the community, want sexual harassment in the workplace to be a thing of the past. There is no place in...
22/03/2021
The passage of the Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2021 today is a responsible outcome, ensuring casual employment remains a viable option for business,...
18/03/2021
Australia’s leading business groups welcome the passage through the Senate of amendments to the Fair...
18/03/2021
The economic recovery continues to gather momentum, with today’s ABS Labour Force numbers showing a huge leap in full time employment. "With restrictions easing for many...
18/03/2021
Small businesses across Australia will be dismayed by the deal announced today by one small business organisation with the ACTU on casual employment provisions in...
17/03/2021
As the Senate debates the Omnibus Industrial Relations Bill in the next 24 hours, its decisions will have real impacts, positive or negative. Failing to...
16/03/2021
The manufacturing sector is leading Australia's economic recovery, with the nation's peak industry survey showing the sector expanding at a strong pace in early 2021. The Australian...
15/03/2021
The appointment of Mathias Cormann as the next Secretary-General of the OECD is welcomed by ACCI, Australia’s unique member of Business @ OECD (BIAC). "The...
15/03/2021
ACCI has today released an important report to show how part time additional hours agreements will help to address underemployment among part-time employees and reduce...
15/03/2021
Australia's leading industry groups are calling for Parliament to vote on the IR Omnibus Bill this week and for all Senators to support it. There...
11/03/2021
The post-JobKeeper support package announced today will help to salvage 13 key tourism regions but falls short of what is needed to save many flailing...
9/03/2021
The Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements 50 per cent wage subsidy extension to September 2021 announced today is a recognition of its outstanding success in reversing the...
3/03/2021
The latest GDP quarterly growth figures demonstrate the positive impact of rolling back restrictions, however some sectors still affected by government-imposed restrictions remain weak and will...
1/03/2021
An ACTU and COSBOA flexible part-time employment proposal for the General Retail Award is poorly drafted, will add more red tape and risks exposing business...
10/02/2021
Labor's IR plan would cut job opportunities Labor’s industrial relations plan fails to recognise how jobs are created and what Australia needs to retain jobs and...
5/02/2021
The foremost network of business groups from the Asia Pacific has commissioned renowned macroeconomist Dr Andrew Stoeckel to author a study on resurrecting the world trading system. The...
1/02/2021
ACCI calls on unions to withdraw their latest advertising campaign opposing industrial relations reform, and to rethink their messages trivialising road safety, violence and genuine tragedies...
29/01/2021
The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry has submitted a proposal to the Federal Government this week for a new financial support mechanism for businesses...
21/01/2021
The Australian Bureau of Statistics' latest employment figures indicate that Australia is on track for economic recovery, with total employment now just 93,000 jobs shy of...
13/01/2021
International Chamber of Commerce Australia is pleased to announce its thirteen nominees to the international body which arbitrates foreign commercial trade disputes. Joining the nine continuing Australian members...