Significant changes for some employers hiring skilled migrants
A government update over the weekend comes as welcome news for many of you looking to fill skill shortages.
You may recall, prior to the pandemic the government was looking to introduce Sector Agreements. This process has now been finalised and introduced.
How will sector agreements help?
The new Sector Agreements will work to assist with short-term labour shortages. They will also aid businesses previously unable to meet the median wage of $27.76 per hour under the new AEWV policy. Now, under the new sector agreements some occupations will be granted a work visa with an hourly rate starting at $24 per hour, depending on occupation.
Industries benefiting from the Sector Agreements include:
- The Care Workforce
- Construction & Infrastructure
- Meat Processing
- Seafood (onshore & sea-based)
- Seasonal Snow and Adventure Tourism
Under these sector agreements a 2-year maximum visa and subsequent 12-month stand down will apply if the median wage is not offered for an occupation. For employers previously feeling deterred about hiring skilled migrants due to the high labour cost implications, you can now revisit this option.
ALREADY HAVE ACCREDITATION AND JOB CHECK?
For companies already underway with the recruitment process, it is important to review and assess how these Sector Agreements can benefit you and what strategies you might want to change mid-way through your existing process. You can potentially access a greater pool of workers. You may just need to adjust your attraction and immigration strategy. Significant change requires planning so please contact us if you need assistance with immigration advice or attracting skilled migrants.
Want clarity on Sector Agreements?
To make it easy for you to grab the info relevant to your business, we have included links from our Sector Agreements webinar, broken down by industry;
–0:00 Introduction
–2:30 Exemption to median wage
–9:12 Overview of Sector Agreements
–12:20 Healthcare Sector
–16:54 Construction & Infrastructure
–21:40 Meat Processing
–25:12 Seafood
–29:50 Seasonal Snow & Adventure Tourism
–35:01 Recap
Roles that are on the Sector Agreements, but are paid the median wage or more will still be able to obtain visas of longer duration, up to 3 years.
Some may also be able to support partners on open work visas, provided that these are submitted prior to changes, coming into effect from December 2022.
Depending on industry lobbying, additional roles may be added to the Sector Agreements and minimum wages payable.
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