Australian Prime Minister John Turnbull says he will abolish the 457 visa and replace it with a new visa. Future operating costs may increase and the approval process complicates, raising concerns in the agro-pastoral and tourism industries. There is a large demand for 457 visa workers in rural Australia, and significant changes in visa policies will have a greater impact on butchers, food processors, pig houses, dairy farms and local tourism operators.
Dutton (Peter Dutton), Australia`s immigration minister, said goverment would reduce its two-year visa to 650 jobs, but in the future goats, deer farmers and herbage farmers, wool cutters, wool buyers, butchers and small commodity producers. Classes such as horse tutors and jockeys are removed from the list.
(Australian Meat Industry Council), the Australian meat industry association, said the total number of workers on its 475 visas was 95000, of whom about 20 percent or 15000 were engaged in meat processing or industry chain-related jobs. Overseas workers generally have a higher professional literacy, widely welcomed by the agro-pastoral industry.
Hutchinson (Patrick Hutchinson), the association`s general manager, said access to hiring workers would be limited once visas were abolished and production costs were expected to increase. This policy undoubtedly aggravates the burden of industry development and hopes that goverment will introduce more detailed measures to solve practical problems.
Burke (John Burke), president of the Victorian Pork Business Alliance, says the policy is not conducive to hiring rural employers. State Secretary Fern á ndez (Patricia Fernandez) also said, "We agree with the Prime Minister`s statement to raise the employment rate. In fact, the visa does not put pressure on local employment." What the goverment should limit is a 417 visa (also known as a backpacker visa) for working vacations.
Joseph (Anthony Joseph), a fruit and vegetable wholesaler in Brisbane, believes overseas skilled workers can help the company build good relationships with international markets and gain customer trust. The company employs three Indian workers who not only work hard and are good at learning, and whose language skills are crucial to expanding the international market.
Tourism was also affected by the abolition of visas, with operators of a scenic spot in the northern Territory of Alice Springs saying the industry usually preferred Australians when hiring, but eventually hired overseas workers, who relied on 457 visas for development.
Travel season is approaching, the abolition of 457 visas will be a heavy blow to the tourism industry, solving the employment of overseas workers is the top priority. They want the goverment to come up with more detailed information to understand the situation.
