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ACS welcomes review of the migration system
27 April 2023
ACS, the professional association for Australia’s technology sector, welcomes the findings of the Review of the Migration System and applauds the government’s commitment to major reform work in this area.
“Skilled migration is vital for ensuring Australia has the technical skills to prosper in the 21st century economy with ACS’ annual Digital Pulse report finding nearly half of Australia’s technology workforce were born overseas,” said ACS Chief Executive Chris Vein.
“Yet these vital and highly skilled workers are forced to navigate a migration system that the review describes as being too complex, slow, and inefficient to attract more of the world’s top talent.
“Not only does this put a strain on business innovation and the ability to compete in globally connected markets, but it limits our capacity to develop sovereign and critical capabilities like quantum computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, and cyber security.
“As the review points out, local businesses are in a tight global competition for the best and brightest minds so it’s of the utmost importance that we make Australia’s migration system as navigable and fair as possible.”
Along with Thursday’s publication of the review, ACS also welcomed the long-awaited increase to the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold from $53,900 to $70,000 and the addition of a pathway to permanent residency for Temporary Skill Shortage visa holders.
Vein went on to say that ACS is encouraged by the review’s recommendation to give Jobs and Skills Australia an elevated role as the trusted source of information about Australia’s labour market and skills needs.
“We have already seen Jobs and Skills Australia take a proactive approach to working with industry and the broader technology sector which is very encouraging,” Vein said.
“Occupation skill lists are, as the review notes, especially troublesome for the fast-moving technology sector and we are pleased to see this part of the system getting overdue attention.
“ACS looks forward to continuing our work with Jobs and Skills Australia to accurately identify and target the much-needed skills that will see the nation thrive in the 21st century.”
-ENDS-
Further information
Director of Corporate Affairs and Public Policy
About Us
ACS is the professional association for Australia’s technology sector and the largest community with 47,000+ members from across business, government and education.
ACS champions the technologies, people and skills critical to Australia’s future, creating value for ACS members, the tech sector and society in four ways:
Community
Our focus is on fostering an innovative and inclusive community that is dedicated to powering positive change through technology.
Capability
We set the standard for assessing, developing and recognising the skills and experience of technology professionals.
Career
We create career pathways to guide technology professionals and ensure Australia has a pipeline of talent with the right skills and knowledge.
Migration
We assess and support skilled technology migrants to address critical skills shortages, improve diversity and enrich Australia’s workforce.
Find out more at: acs.org.au