Australia Immigration Minister, Mr Chris Bowen, said that under the new plan, skilled workers will be able to fast-track to full trade qualifications within a much shorter timeframe – as little as 18 months – and that the Australian Government would provide $200 million towards training projects for skills in high demand and low supply.

The taskforce have handed the Government a report, ‘Resourcing the Future,’ which outlines strategies for increasing the number of skilled workers available to Australia’s resources sector. The Australian Government has accepted all 31 recommendations made in the report.

Bowen said that this move was intended to enable companies who are struggling to recruit labour for projects, to “…benefit immediately from a boost to their workforces.”

The Australian Minister for Resources and Energy, Mr Martin Ferguson, gave his approval to the move, acknowledging that it was an important ‘first step’ in combating the skills shortages being experienced by Australia’s resources sector. 

In their response to the ‘Resourcing the Future’ report, the Australian Government also announced that it supports ‘in principle’ the introduction of enterprise migration labour agreements, that would allow employers to bring overseas skilled workers to Australia on a 457 visa for big resource projects. 

"The Government is consulting stakeholders in the development of enterprise migration agreements to facilitate the entry of overseas skilled workers to work on 'mega' resource projects, where there are genuine skilled vacancies that cannot be met from the Australian labour market. These agreements will require employers to make a strong commitment to the training of Australians to meet the future skill needs of the project."

Projects with a total value over a certain amount will be eligible to use the agreements, but this threshold has yet to be set and will follow discussions with stakeholders.

Chief executive of the Australian Industry Group, Heather Ridout has stated that improved training and apprenticeship practices would not be enough to counter the skills crises, and that improved immigration practices will remain a vital ingredient in addressing this problem. 

Ridout believes the Australian Government needs to increase immigration numbers, and improve immigration policies and procedures in ways that make it easier for big projects in Australia to recruit skilled workers. 

Similarly, The Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have called for the need to revise Australia’s temporary migrant regulations. Executive Director, John Roskam, welcomed the Gillard Government’s first steps to helping secure Australia’s future by adopting all 31 policies in the Resourcing the Future report but said it should be taken further.

Mr Peter Brencht, president of the Australian Constructors Association (ACA) is also pleased that Australia’s Government has supported in principle the introduction of Enterprise Migration Agreements for mega projects, and indicated that discussions between industry and the Government have been progressing well. 

"The reality is that given ongoing and projected skill shortages, overseas skilled workers will be needed for a considerable time and we need efficient arrangements in place to manage their participation in the Australian workforce," Mr Brecht said.