Impact on Australia Immigration As Country Re-Elects Scott Morrison

Posted by Global Tree on June 1st, 2019

The Australian election has been seen as a major upset by the local residents and news agencies. Almost all the opinion polls had been predicting a win for the opposition labor party. However, the conservative party led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, which has been in power for the last three terms. What would be the impact of this result on Australia immigration and what is the way ahead for the shaping of immigration policy in the country? We take a look below.

Impact on Australia Immigration

The conservative government of Scott Morrison has recognized the importance of immigration for Australia and its contribution to the economic growth of the country, especially in the rural provinces. The government has hitherto held a cautious approach to immigration. Encouraging immigration among skilled and unskilled workers from abroad for industries and regions facing labor shortage, while at the same time, setting a cap on immigration to ensure that local citizen’s jobs are not threatened. The re-elected government is also expected to continue in the same manner. The government has unveiled its plans to cap the number of PR visas issued to 160,000 for the coming four years. It also plans to introduce new skill-based visas, which are expected to bring in 23,000 new entrants into the country. Immigrants who enter on these visas can apply for PR after they stay for three years in the region where they got nominated from. The government is expected to unveil a plan for new regional skilled based visa that is targeted for highly skilled workers.  The Morrison government is also planning to offer special scholarships amounting to 15,000 AUD for international students to encourage them to study at regional universities. The government will also allow international students who choose to study at a regional university, the option of staying on for an additional year, under the post-study work visa.

Prime Minister Morrison reiterated the importance, of having a practical immigration policy, which would lessen the impact of congestion in the big cities as well as assist regional areas in increasing population growth, to boost their local economies. Policies would be put in place, which assist in a greater shift of immigrants from already overcrowded cities to rural areas of the country.  One such proposed policy would be to provide priority processing to immigrants who enter the country under the regional visas. Moreover, immigrants who breached the conditions laid down by the regional visas by relocating to the larger cities would become ineligible to apply for PR in Australia and may even face cancellation of their visa and debarment from the country. This would help to ensure that population would grow in rural areas which are on the lookout for more people to settle in their provinces and fill job vacancies, while reducing congestion in the already overcrowded cities.

The good news for potential immigrants is that, with the same government in place, one would have a fair idea of the immigration policies outlined by the administration and there would be less chance of sudden and surprise moves.