Australia's Lowly Skilled Worker Migration Prompts Debate
28/05/2008 by Bryan Palmer
As much has been documented regarding Australia's growing incentives and needs to coup highly skilled workers to the country; another debate surrounding the potential benefits and risks of lowly skilled migrants has been raised.
With Australia's skills pool running low and the population ageing, there remains an inevitable need for lowly skilled workers. Such workers could fill the rising labour shortages in an array of industries, from agriculture and mining to manufacturing and hospitality.
These current shortages are viewed by many as hampering to the countries economic standing. With many companies and industries experiencing growing demands for work and contracts the need for skilled workers has become a key concern.
Although the country is actively seeking skilled individuals whom can contribute somewhat to relieving the problem, little has been established with regards to the need in these lower skilled sectors, which too in turn have vacancies which need filling.
One prominent body which has expressed concern over the migration of lowly skilled foreign workers is the Ethnic Communities Council of Western Australia whom fears that "by bringing more low-skilled overseas workers to the country there's an increased risk of creating an underclass of the poorly paid and socially isolated."
Recognising these concerns, Chris Evans Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has addressed that as long as properly managed, there are obvious benefits for migrants to Australian employers.
Recognising these concerns the Australian government is keen to establish a balance between the needs to ease labour shortages and manage a growing influx of foreign workers.
The situation surrounding bringing highly skilled workers in has been addressed by the implementation of tightened immigration laws which includes a point's based system. This allows for a careful selection of migrants to come into the country that will directly benefit the country's economy.
Speaking of Australia's growing concerns surrounding the need for foreign workers the ACT Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Chris Peters said that "business growth in the territory had been stalled for 18 months due to insufficient workers. About two years ago staff shortages were number thirteen on businesses lists of concerns. Now they are at number one."
Another point of view being addressed is the possible solution for the 26,000 unemployed Aboriginals residing in the country to be retrained in order to fill the low skilled vacancies.
With Australia experiencing growing immigration numbers and successfully attracting highly skilled migrants from the global marketplace, it's inevitable that the issue of foreign workers will cause intense debate within the country.
That aside with effective immigration rules in place there's no reason for lowly skilled migrant workers not to be equally as successful as highly skilled workers in aiding the Australian economy and helping them solve their crippling labour shortages.
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