A guest worker migration program to fill low-skill jobs with temporary migrants would contribute to disharmony if it was rolled out in Australia, a migrant communities spokesperson says.
The chairman of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia, Joe Caputo, condemned the prospect of guest workers, raised in a report from the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) into the migrant intake released today.
"Australia's history of migration has been that you bring migrants to this country not as guests, but as permanent residents and we strongly believe that we should continue to do that and not develop a guest worker system,” he said.
“When you bring people to this country they should be on par with everyone else and that is why Australia has developed an inclusive, cohesive and harmonious multicultural society.”
Under guest worker programs such as those currently operating in Russia and Qatar, migrants are given temporary visas to work in sectors such as agriculture or construction without the same benefits and protections as citizens.
When the visas expire or work opportunities run out, the migrants are expected to return to their country of origin.
The CEDA report included a recommendation to possibly introduce a “purpose built” guest worker program "for specific industries struggling to attract adequate low-skilled workers”.
However it notes such a move should only be used if a cap on working holidaymaker visas and a review of temporary migration failed to “restore the integrity” of the migration scheme.
The report notes immigration ministers have traditionally avoided discussion of a “guest worker society” in Australia, but the current Department of Immigration secretary, Mike Pezzullo, has recently argued Australian policy-makers should be wary of the “trap of sentimentality” which preferences traditional forms of permanent settlement.
CEDA chief executive Stephen Martin said before a guest worker program was considered, restrictions needed to be applied to skilled temporary visas to better direct workers into sectors that needed them.
"That review should take into consideration whether or not there is the potential to affect the ability of local people to get jobs,” he said.
“But importantly as well, the qualifications that people are bringing into this country and whether they are meeting the skills shortages that can clearly be more tightly identified.”
