21 Oct 2015
The Migration Council Australia welcomed the Federal Government’s deal with the Opposition to pass the China Australia Free Trade Agreement as a win for our migration framework.
The Migration Council believes it is critically important that our migration program enjoys strong bi-partisan support from our political leaders.
The movement of natural persons provisions under ChAFTA bring important economic gains in their own right. Migration and the flow of skills and expertise across our borders is key to innovation and future prosperity.
If Australia wants to grow to become a regional hub for investment and the production of new knowledge, we need to have in place agreements that facilitate the movement of people and the human resources they add to our workforce capacity.
The Migration Council welcomes the additional safeguards including increased transparency and the provision of additional public data on the program. The MCA also fully supports a review into the level of the Temporary Skilled Migrant Income Threshold (TSMIT). With the requirement for paying market wages, the salary threshold provides critical protection to ensure existing wages and conditions are not undermined.
MEDIA CONTACT: MCA Acting CEO, Henry Sherrell 042 331 5250