Budget 2017: Major infrastructure advertising account opportunities and businesses to pay foreign worker levy

Changes to the 457 work visa scheme, which many in the marketing and communications industry fear could destroy Australia’s access to overseas talent, will see businesses now contributing to a Skilling Australia Fund on an annual basis if they bring in temporary workers, Treasurer Scott Morrison announced in his 2017 Budget.

At the same time companies seeking to bring in workers permanently on a skilled visa will be forced to pay a one-off levy of $3,000 and $5,000 under the new rules.

“Until now, employers have had to contribute 1 or 2 per cent of their payroll to training if they employ foreign workers,” Morrison said in his Budget speech.

“These requirements have proven difficult to police. Accordingly, we are replacing these requirements with an annual foreign worker levy of $1,200 or $1,800 per worker per year on temporary work visas and a $3,000 or $5,000 one-off levy for those on a permanent skilled visa. Over the next four years, $1.2 billion will be raised from this levy that will contribute directly to a new Commonwealth-State Skilling Australians Fund.