50 occupations may be dropped from SOL

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Over fifty occupations may be removed from Australia’s Skilled Occupation List that identifies occupations for immigration to the country. The SOL is a compilation of occupations for skilled migration for the purpose of meeting the medium to long-term skill needs of the Australian economy.

 

The 52 occupations that have been flagged on the Skilled Occupation List 2016-17 include health professionals, including specialists, engineers, taxation accountants, barristers, solicitors etc.

 

The federal health department is pushing to scrap 41 jobs from SOL - including GPs, surgeons and anaesthetists, The Australian has reported.

 

“Immigration is often used as a short-term demand management strategy and it continues to be poorly co-ordinated," a Health Department submission into the review of the Skilled Operations List reads.

 

"Over a longer planning *horizon, better management of migration pathways for international health professionals must occur in combination with all commonwealth departments"

 

The move would be counterbalanced by increasing numbers of local medical graduates who could fill vacancies, especially in regional areas.

 

The Department of Education and Training provides advice to the Minister of Immigration and Border Protection on the composition of the SOL.

 

The department undertakes the review of the SOL each year following which there are a number of occupations which are ‘flagged’ for possible removal in the future. Generally, occupations are flagged when there is emerging evidence of excess supply in the labour market.

 

 

 

[AJ]

They more need to cut down visa's for Tradies, at least until the job situation picks up a bit, there are plenty unemployed without bringing more and more with no employment prospects.

[Booma]

They more need to cut down visa's for Tradies, at least until the job situation picks up a bit, there are plenty unemployed without bringing more and more with no employment prospects.

 

it depends where in oz you are though. there is lots of work for tradies on the east coast where we are.

[AJ]

 

it depends where in oz you are though. there is lots of work for tradies on the east coast where we are.

Well there are an awful lot of East Coast Electricians over here! Must be for the big wages, there wont be so much jobs when they all return from Wheatstone and Gorgon etc and looking for local work Edited September 12, 2016 by AJ

[Parley]

Maybe they will add 50 occupations to replace the one's the take away.

[flag of convenience]

So many areas require plugging the hole, but not convinced tradies are yet one of them. Having had extensive dealings with a number of trades this year, they appear to of the opinion they are entitled to charge enormous amounts for what they do. Outrageous. One area where competition would certainly benefit the buyer.

[flag of convenience]

Maybe they will add 50 occupations to replace the one's the take away.

 

There are few occupations not on the list. The need has been there for a considerable time to tighten up. I mean importing social workers, psychologists, accountants and the like when the local market more than satisfies the need is purely ridiculous.

[Quoll]

Maybe they will add 50 occupations to replace the one's the take away.

Yup, some bright spark will probably decide there is a real need for an influx of telephone sanitizers! Or, more probably, prayer mat weavers :-/

[Parley]

True enough. We shouldn't be importing people when we have unemployed Australians already here who can fill the roles.

[flag of convenience]

Went into my local Post Office today and both folk working behind the desk were Indian (Sikhs) with a long employed English (originally) woman watching them as they were in training. A few months ago it was a Thai woman. Now nothing at all wrong with that on the surface, but all were clearly not long in the country. Were these folk brought out on professional qualifications? Engineers or Accountants or whatever? Were they unable through no fault of their own obtain work in their profession? Or is the Post Office, as are all government departments, in their bid to become multi racial, (reflecting future society) recruiting direct from abroad to work in such institutions? I guess we'll never know.

If they had been Brit's of course it is an unlikely question to have been posed through not standing out to the same degree. Hence I'm fully aware of the racial connotations arrived at here, but it does tend to beg the answer to some questions.

[flag of convenience]

True enough. We shouldn't be importing people when we have unemployed Australians already here who can fill the roles.

 

The growth of population that out performs most all developed societies, even surpasses Indonesia's, when I last looked, in order to shore up GDP as well as create demand and sustain the housing bubble, surely requires some questions into the type of Australia that is being rapidly formed?

[welljock]

Went into my local Post Office today and both folk working behind the desk were Indian (Sikhs) with a long employed English (originally) woman watching them as they were in training. A few months ago it was a Thai woman. Now nothing at all wrong with that on the surface, but all were clearly not long in the country. Were these folk brought out on professional qualifications? Engineers or Accountants or whatever? Were they unable through no fault of their own obtain work in their profession? Or is the Post Office, as are all government departments, in their bid to become multi racial, (reflecting future society) recruiting direct from abroad to work in such institutions? I guess we'll never know.

If they had been Brit's of course it is an unlikely question to have been posed through not standing out to the same degree. Hence I'm fully aware of the racial connotations arrived at here, but it does tend to beg the answer to some questions.

 

They could be partners of people who did come out on Professional Qualifications and did get jobs in their profession.

[Nemesis]

Went into my local Post Office today and both folk working behind the desk were Indian (Sikhs) with a long employed English (originally) woman watching them as they were in training. A few months ago it was a Thai woman. Now nothing at all wrong with that on the surface, but all were clearly not long in the country. Were these folk brought out on professional qualifications? Engineers or Accountants or whatever? Were they unable through no fault of their own obtain work in their profession? Or is the Post Office, as are all government departments, in their bid to become multi racial, (reflecting future society) recruiting direct from abroad to work in such institutions? I guess we'll never know.

If they had been Brit's of course it is an unlikely question to have been posed through not standing out to the same degree. Hence I'm fully aware of the racial connotations arrived at here, but it does tend to beg the answer to some questions.

 

Friend of mine works for Australia Post in their HR area. They don't sponsor people from overseas, they don't need to with a lot of people here applying for every job they advertise. Most of their recruiting is through agencies, and they have new migrants, partners of new migrants, and people who have lived here all their lives applying -if they are the most suitable person for the job, they get it, regardless of whether they are new here or not.

 

My own local post office had four trainees through it in the last few months before I left. All Australian.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Nemesis

[Parley]

A lot of Post Offices, probably all the small one's, are franchise operations.

Just another small business and the staffing would have nothing to do with Australia Post.

[JockinTas]

A lot of Post Offices, probably all the small one's, are franchise operations.

Just another small business and the staffing would have nothing to do with Australia Post.

 

Yes I agree. Our small local post office in the Sydney suburb we lived in was a franchise and was very capably run by a 2nd generation Cambodian family.

[silencio]

Currently Australia has a higher unemployment rate than the USA or Germany (watched that on ABC this morning).

 

Australian authorities should address that issue with local unemployed rates first AND limit immigration to only high demand occupations until the employment market/jobless rate is going to reach similar numbers as of the US for example.

[srg73]

There are 2 professions there which I would suggest are still in very short supply here in Brisbane.....Quantity Surveyors and Structural Engineers. There are plenty of people who think they are QS or Engineers however they are not fully qualified. I believe as maturing trades Aus should be encouraging more chartered professionals and continued training of those already here.

 

The removal of some of the specialist trades suggests bit of a stitch up and trying to preserve the existing high fee rates by denying entry to others who may encourage a reduction in fees. Works in the highly competitive UK market.

 

S

[AJ]

There are 2 professions there which I would suggest are still in very short supply here in Brisbane.....Quantity Surveyors and Structural Engineers.

 

S

they could issue hundreds of visas for each of these occupations. Doesn't mean to say that any of them will go to Brisbane though! Might all want to live in Perth

[Nemesis]

they could issue hundreds of visas for each of these occupations. Doesn't mean to say that any of them will go to Brisbane though! Might all want to live in Perth

bAnd once they have a PR visa they can work in any trade they want

[flag of convenience]

They could be partners of people who did come out on Professional Qualifications and did get jobs in their profession.

 

So working as Post Office counter staff requires overseas professional qualifications in your book does it?

[flag of convenience]

Friend of mine works for Australia Post in their HR area. They don't sponsor people from overseas, they don't need to with a lot of people here applying for every job they advertise. Most of their recruiting is through agencies, and they have new migrants, partners of new migrants, and people who have lived here all their lives applying -if they are the most suitable person for the job, they get it, regardless of whether they are new here or not.

 

My own local post office had four trainees through it in the last few months before I left. All Australian.

 

Then the reasoning must be overseas trained people brought in and unable to work in listed shortage profession, which I find probably more likely.

[flag of convenience]

There are 2 professions there which I would suggest are still in very short supply here in Brisbane.....Quantity Surveyors and Structural Engineers. There are plenty of people who think they are QS or Engineers however they are not fully qualified. I believe as maturing trades Aus should be encouraging more chartered professionals and continued training of those already here.

 

The removal of some of the specialist trades suggests bit of a stitch up and trying to preserve the existing high fee rates by denying entry to others who may encourage a reduction in fees. Works in the highly competitive UK market.

 

S

 

Yes I would agree with that assessment. We require more Asian tradesmen in my book. Had a great Chinese/Singaporean tradie of late. English not the best, but very polite and exact and not a flaunting,pretentious Bogan know it all, charge until the blood has drained from the body , not to say way cheaper as well.

[flag of convenience]

bAnd once they have a PR visa they can work in any trade they want

 

Nothing wrong with that as it is as it should be. The issue being the list of supposed 'shortages' being pure fantasy in the first place. Sure pleases The Chamber of Commerce and fellow siders on the subject though.

[flag of convenience]

A lot of Post Offices, probably all the small one's, are franchise operations.

Just another small business and the staffing would have nothing to do with Australia Post.

 

I doubt if my local post office is, but will make a point in asking them next time. Staff change with some regularity. A number appear to learn on the job at this particular office.

[Guest]

 

I doubt if my local post office is, but will make a point in asking them next time. Staff change with some regularity. A number appear to learn on the job at this particular office.

I used to work for Australia Post and during the training phase you will be sent to a post office for training usually in the area you live. Usually each area will have one particular Post office that is a designated training office. Hence why you will see sometimes an influx of trainees.