The initiative will benefit around 9,500 onshore skilled migrants, the said.
The program aims to provide eligible skilled migrants with targeted support “to remove obstacles” like processing delays in skills assessment applications, financial or eligibility barriers, and challenges finding a job at their skill level.
Highlights:
- The Migrant Skills Incentive program has been divided into- faster migrant skills assessments, skills assessment opportunities for migrants, and employability assessments
- The program will provide an opportunity for onshore migrants to join the workforce and address skills shortages
- The initiative will benefit around 9,500 onshore migrants to join the workforce
The investment in the program is expected to improve the employment outcomes for migrants in occupations where workers are in shortage and support Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19’s impact.
“Having their skills recognised in Australia provides a greater opportunity for migrants to join the workforce. Businesses and employers will have increased confidence that migrants have the skills they need to do the job,” the department said.
"The Migrant Skills Incentives program is designed to enable migrants currently in Australia who have unrecognised or under-recognised skills to contribute to the Australian workforce and fill skills shortages. It will improve the employability of migrants who are ready to work in priority occupations," a department spokesperson told SBS Hindi.
Eligible occupations for these incentives have been drawn from the National Skills Commission’s skills priority list, which was published in June 2021 and provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for occupations nationally.
Migrant skills incentives program will assist in the nation's economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. Source: Getty Images/triloks
Migrants who have experience in a priority occupation with unrecognised skills can also access the program. Skills assessments are carried out by each of the priority occupation’s Assessing Authority.
Under the program, an eligible onshore skilled migrant can fast-track their assessment at no extra cost which can be completed in around 15 business days from the time the related assessing authority receives all necessary documentation.
The move has been welcomed by one of the skills assessing authorities, CPA Australia, which deals with accounting, finance and business professionals.
“There’s an acute shortage of accountants in Australia. It’s a problem that pre-dates the pandemic, but two years of reduced migrant intake have intensified local shortages. Accounting practices and businesses are struggling to find suitably qualified professionals. Thousands more accountants are needed annually to meet demand in Australia,” CPA Australia's General Manager (External Affairs) Dr Jane Rennie told SBS Hindi.
She said there was a need for such initiatives to overcome professional skills shortages in Australia.
"The global shortage of accounting and finance professionals means Australia is competing against other countries to attract talent. Programs like this can help onshore skilled migrants enter the Australian workforce,” she added.
Gold Coast migration expert Seema Chauhan has also welcomed the move.
"It is a brilliant initiative to address the current skill shortages in the country by expediting the skill assessment applications for onshore migrants in the priority occupation list as well offering employability assessment for those working below their skill level," she said.
