Reforms that will block permanent residency for occupations representing a majority of current temporary migrant workers in Australia risk creating a "guest worker" style system, the head of the Migration Council has warned.
The change means hairdressers, finance managers, chief executives, public relations professionals, primary school teachers, dentists - among hundreds of other occupations - will have to pursue permanent residency through regional, investment, family or other niche visas.
Carla Wilshire, CEO of the Migration Council, said the permanent pathway changes mean the short-term visa "might end up looking a lot more like a guest worker system in Australia.
The 457 visa overhaul effectively closes the pathway to permanent residency enjoyed by more than 15,000 migrants last year.
Beginning in March 2018, an applicant must be on the new, abbreviated list of occupations announced this week to qualify for the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) permanent visas.
