Visa Staff Cut Despite Migrant Demand

The Immigration Department has slashed one-in-10 overseas postings for officials who assess skilled workers’ visas - just as the skilled migrant intake is increased by 25 per cent.

From July 1, the department will cut its overseas staff from 160 to 144, despite the cap for skilled migrants being lifted by 31,000 to 133,500 places.

It is estimated that in the next financial year, temporary visas for skilled workers - the 457 visas - will exceed 100,000 for the first time.

Immigration staff were notified the day after the budget cuts were announced, and six employees were told their language training and postings would cease, while another six were told they would be brought back to Australia.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans promised in the budget to improve the “integrity of the assessment of temporary visas”, and allocated $19.6 million over four years to clarify the “obligations and rights of employers and workers, further protecting workers from exploitation”.

“This is the first stage of a series of reforms aimed at restoring integrity and public confidence in the 457 program,” Senator Evans said on budget night.

Before the federal election, the unions campaigned against the abuse of 457 visas and wanted much closer scrutiny of the applications.

The Immigration Department, which got an extra $47 million in the budget towards its $500million computer program, believes the job losses at overseas posts will not affect the efficiency of the checking of working visas.

The bulk of working visa assessments is done by computer in the department’s Adelaide headquarters.

The reduction in overseas immigration officers comes as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also faces cuts, as does the Transport Department, which has slashed the number of its security liaison officers in large foreign cities.-The Australian, 19 May 2008