Shorten Labor government would triple skilled migrant fees under visa crackdown – The Sydney Morning Herald

ALabor government would triple the fees for skilled migrants visas to work in Australia, establish a new visa for academics, set up a new training fund and establish a newindependent body to test whether jobs can be filled by Australians instead of overseas residents.

And in an escalation of tit-for-tat "Australians first" migration policies, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will accuse the Turnbull government of announcing"little more than a con job" when it announced the abolition of the 457 visa program last month.

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The decision to abolish 457 temporary work visas is presented by Malcolm Turnbull as putting the interests of Australians first.

The suite of prospective policy changes also include a promise that Labor in government will not sign another free trade agreement that allows local labour market testing to be waived, as the South Korean, Japanese and Chinese dealsdo.

They will be unveiled by Mr Shorten in a pre-budget address to the McKell Institute in Sydney on Wednesday.

Labor was heavily critical of the Turnbull government's new visa policies, which includedthe abolition of the 457 visa and creation of twonew temporary skills shortagevisas, tougher English language tests, stricter labour market testing, at least two years of work experience and a mandatory police check.

It argued the changes were window dressing, did not go far enough on labour market testing and also caused problems for universities and the advanced technology sector, by making it too hard to bring highly educated professionals to Australia.

The policies outlined by Labor on Wednesdayfollowthe government's package of measures, some of which will need to pass parliament, and underscore the fact that both major partieshave shifted to a more strident, nationalist position on immigration in recent months.

"With underemployment at record highs and young people across the country struggling to find work, too many employers are turning to temporary work visas to undercut local jobs, wages and conditions. It's time to change the system so locals get the first shot at local jobs," Mr Shortenwill say.

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Under the changes, fees for temporary skilled migrant visas willincreaseto 3 per cent of the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold, which is currently$53,900.

That means, in practice, visa fees for temporary skilled migrants would rise to$1617 per year, $3234 for two years or $6468 for four years.

In comparison, the Turnbull government's planned visa fee hikes will see fees for the new two-year visa set at$1150, or $575 per year, and $2400 for the new four-year visa.

"This is a strong price signal to employers that they should be looking for local workers first. Under Labor, putting local workers first won't just be fairer it will be cheaper," Mr Shorten will say.

The moneyraised from the fee hike will establish the"SkillUP Training Fund" to be used to fund Labor's agenda in skills and training. The Turnbull government has also promised a greater focus onskills training as part of its new visa plans.

Theso-called "SMART" visa, designed for highly-skilled workers in theScience, Medicine, Academia, Research and Technology sector, is designed to help ensure "universities, research institutes, medical, scientific and advanced technology industries and companies and public research agenciesto bring the best and brightest here".

"The current surge in anti-intellectual, anti-scientific sentiment in great research nations offers Australia a unique opportunity to attract the world's finest minds. That's why Labor will introduce a new, four-year visa, with appropriate salary safeguards."

A new, independent Australian Skills Authority will take charge of labour market testing and create a single skills shortage occupations list, while the currentMinisterial Advisory Committee on Skilled Migration be abolished.

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Shorten Labor government would triple skilled migrant fees under visa crackdown - The Sydney Morning Herald