Australia reforms "broken" migration system - minister

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister has committed to an overhaul of the country’s “broken” migration system.

In a speech to a workforce summit on Wednesday, Clare O’Neil declared that Australia must shift away from “permanently temporary” migration.

O’Neil said the country must focus on making it easier for skilled workers to move to the country permanently.

“Australia’s migration system is broken. It is unstrategic. It is complex, expensive and slow,” she said.

“It is not delivering for business for migrants or for our population.”

Net skilled permanent migration to Australia has stalled at approximately 30,000 annually for the past two decades.

While the number of visa holders in the country on a temporary basis, has nearly doubled from one million in 2007 to 1.9 million.

O’Neil said significant structural reform was needed to rebalance programmes, but it could take years to fix the system, making Australia an unattractive destination for migrants.

“It is relatively easy for a low skill, temporary migrant to come to Australia, but difficult, slow and not particularly attractive for a high-skill, permanent migrant to come here.

“The government has identified international students as an untapped market, with many forced to leave after graduating from Australian universities.

He said around 50 per cent of those who stay working in lower-skilled jobs than they are qualified for.

Accelerating recognition of qualifications gained overseas is also a priority.

In spite a national nurse shortage, qualified migrants to Australia can currently wait up to 35 months to have their qualifications recognised.