THE EMPLOYMENT OF SKILLED MIGRANTS ON TEMPORARY 457 VISAS IN AUSTRALIA: EMERGING ISSUES

Abstract

Australia is characterised as a migrant nation, and yet rhetoric rather than evidence-based research dominates current discussion about skilled migration. This paper reports on the scoping phase of a national industry-collaborative study that explores the issues associated with employing skilled migrants entering Australia on temporary 457 visas. It is well established that the Australian economy is currently almost unique amongst first world nations in entering an extended phase of growth fuelled by the developing nations' hunger for natural resources. How Australia should balance the current need for skilled migrants to sustain this growth, with the concerns for sustainable population growth, is the subject of vigorously contested public debate. This paper explores the current literature and details the key positions currently vocalised by the main stakeholders in the press and social media as a mechanism to argue for further research on the topic. The paper concludes with a summary of the current literature and stakeholder positions. This analysis indicates the complex ways that skilled migration impacts upon industry, communities and the migrant families themselves and provides a knowledge platform for our subsequent research study exploring the economic and social costs and benefits of skilled migrants on temporary 457 visas.