Immigration Minister Scott Morrison highlighted the outcomes of a recent independent review into the integrity in the 457 scheme during an address to the National Press Club in Canberra.
The review – conducted over four months by a four person panel – made a number of recommendations including the abolishment of labour market testing, the relaxing of English language requirements and a review of the fee structure.
The review report, which was created with feedback from 189 submissions and more than 150 stakeholders, also recommended a streamlining of the processing system.
The review follows a crackdown on the scheme by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who argued that temporary visa numbers had outstripped employment growth.
Mr Morrison told the National Press Club that the scheme “came under direct attack” from Labor.
“They attempted to suffocate the program with unnecessary regulation,” he said.
Mr Morrison said the review found no evidence to back the claims of widespread rorting of the scheme, as alleged by Labor.
He also said he supported the recommendation to relax the English language requirements.
“They are restrictive, serving more as an industrial lock out than an honest attempt to ensure appropriate language skills,” he said.
“There are more practical and effective ways to achieve what is needed.”
The report in full can be read at the end of this article.
‘People smugglers have crawled back under the rock’
Mr Morrison also spoke on Operation Sovereign Borders, ahead of its one year anniversary next week.
He said the results had been “outstanding”, claiming that “people smugglers have crawled back under the rock they came from”.
“Offshore processing and resettlement has been implemented, however this has not been without challenges,” he said.
“The death of Reza Berati in PNG was a terrible tragedy… I was also terribly saddened by the death last Friday evening of Mr Hamid Kazaei, and I am advised that was a result of septicaemia.”
WHAT IS A 457 VISA AND WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
The 457 visa was introduced in 1996 and allows skilled workers to be employed in Australia for up to four years.
Applicants must be sponsored by a local business for a specific job, relevant to their skillset.
Although applicants can be inside or outside Australia when lodging an application, more than half of all 457 visa applications issued throughout the 2012-13 financial year were lodged from onshore by people who held a temporary visa.
Currently, applicants must speak “vocational” English and may be required to take a language test.
A score of at least 'B' is required in each of the four components of an Occupational English Test, or an International English Language Testing System test requires a score of at least 5 in each of the four test components of speaking, reading, writing and listening.
HOW MANY 457 VISAS HAVE BEEN ISSUED?
The number of 457 visas issued reached a record high in the 2012-13 financial year, according to the Department of Immigration’s annual report.
At a total of 126,350, the tally outstripped the previous year’s total of 125,070. The 2011-12 figure was also a previously record breaking number, which eclipsed the highest level reached during the Howard Government.
Both years were a significant increase on the 2010-11 total of 90,120.
The Department of Immigration reported strong growth in the 457 visa program throughout 2012-13, which saw 11.5 per cent of visas issued to construction workers.
Other main users of the visa scheme were health care 10.9 per cent, accommodation and food services at 9.9 per cent, as well as IT at 9.8 per cent.
India was the country with the most successful 457 visa applicant at 20.8 per cent of primary visas granted, followed by the United Kingdom at 19.4 per cent and Ireland at 9.6 per cent.
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