The Business Council of Australia has made a submission to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in relation to the Independent Review of Integrity in the Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (Subclass 457) Programme.

The submission argues that an effective 457 temporary work (skilled) visa programme is critical to address skills shortages, develop Australia’s workforce and increase employment opportunities for Australians.

We recommend several changes to make the scheme more efficient while also maintaining the scheme’s integrity. We recommend that the government:

• reverse additional regulatory imposts made in 2013 that were not evidence based, such as labour market testing
• streamline 457 visa approval processes to improve turnaround times, particularly for sponsors with a proven track record in training employees and hiring locally
• commit to industry consultation and a Regulation Impact Statement if considering any changes to the 457 visa scheme in future.

Submission to the Review into the Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa (Subclass 457) Visa Programme