13 June 2008

Australian employers would bear the costs of the Pacific worker scheme

The majority of the costs involved in the Australian Pacific temporary worker scheme will be paid for by the employer, according to the Immigration and Citizenship Minister, Senator Chris Evans. The government official has warned the scheme, which would cater to labour shortages by allowing unskilled Australian visa holders temporary access to the country, will not result in cheap labour due to the infrastructure costs, reports Radio Australia.

Senator Evans told the radio station: "It's not a panacea for all the ills in the Australian labour market and it's certainly not about exploiting those workers, so there's a lot that has to go into any such scheme." He said the costs would be in the recruitment, transportation, housing and training of the workers, which would be paid for by the employer.

Meanwhile the farming industry in the country has welcomed moves to increase Australian immigration, in order to take part in short-term seasonal work. The industry says 25,000 workers are needed in the horticultural industry, with Australian immigration potentially helping this.

Australia needs skilled workers: Anyone applying for an Australian visa should begin by completing the Australian Visa Bureau's online Australian visa application to see if they meet the Australian visa requirements.