Migration policy must focus on skills and boosting productivity, says business group | The Business

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has unveiled what he described as the “biggest cut to immigration in this country’s history”, declaring he was “confident” the changes would be budget “neutral” but did not offer up modelling on the broader economic impact of the policy. The Coalition’s migration plan would go further than Labor’s migration targets while increasing skilled migration. The plan would drive net overseas migration down to 100,000 for two years through major changes to graduate, humanitarian and other visa programs.

Mr Taylor said Australia needed “breathing space” after several record years of migration post-pandemic, arguing this was best achieved by slashing temporary migrants and prioritising high-skilled workers, including in construction. Business groups have expressed some caution over the plan saying productivity should be a key migration policy priority. “There’s an area of concern we have with the Coalition approach, which would be that people who are here going through training, let’s call it that, or education, have to go home before they can get a job here,” Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said.

“We think, we understand where they’re coming from, because there’s no doubt there’s been gaming of the system and visa hopping and the like. Anyone involved in the system knows that. But if you’re sending people away, who have legitimate jobs in legitimate areas of need, being employed by legitimate employers, we don’t want to make that hard for them,” Mr Willox said.

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