Turnbull Government to abolish 457 visas ‘to prioritise Australian workers’
The federal government is set to abolish the 457 visa, which the media and marketing industry regularly uses to employ international talent, and replace it with two new visa classes.
In an announcement today, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: “We’re putting jobs first, we’re putting Australians first. Australia is the most successful multicultural nation in the world. We are an immigration nation but the fact remains Australian workers must have priority for Australian jobs, so we’re abolishing the 457 visas, the visas that bring temporary foreign workers into our country.
“We’ll no longer allow 457 visas to be passports to jobs that could and should go to Australians.”
About time! This is long overdue. The 457 visa holders soon go back home again to only be replaced by another lot. In the mean time there is reduced investment in local resources who actually stick around which does nothing for the future of the industry. ‘Back in the UK” examples are tiresome and boring as this market is totally different.
Roll-on a refresh of the industry!
What about all the Australian’s keen to go to London or New York to experience a different culture/working environment. Or the incredible creative teams that come here from South America who add a different flavour to the work. What’s your opinion on this? Surely diversity and travel makes for a better and more creative industry.
Far from bitter. And far from alone in wanting the imbalance redressed. Diversity is fine but they are here for a short time and simply leave. Growing a stable industry for those who want to contribute to the industry long term should be a priority along with diversity of gender and age. Given the current situation of imbalance and dominance of those from the UK, perhaps including unicorns in the mix may also be possible!
I hope this forces all the Brits who dominate the industry to pack up and go home. Way too many Brits over here in PR and marketing.
Are you still judging people based on their country of origin, rather than talent? Are you serious?
About time – this is a very welcome change to the industry with by far too many internationals taking gigs from locals…. and not necessarily for the better. Brits continue to have this “we know better” attitude when in fact they don’t know this industry/ demographic at all. Develop and nuture local talent is a much more forward approach rather than continually pulling from an out of date empire.
Well it is clear that a cup of populism, with a tablespoon of xenophobia has won the day.
And here I was thinking that the best person for the job was the objective.
What happened to the innovation nation you shilled at election time. The ‘vision’ we’re being sold is that ee’re now the introversion nation in a rudderless ship with no leadership apart from hunkering down in the last lifeboat.