Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister outline to the Senate the process a foreign worker will need to go through to work as a skilled tradesperson on a temporary skilled 457 visa under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ruston for her question because I know that Senator Ruston is based in the Riverland area of South Australia, one of our prime agricultural areas. As such, she represents a part of Australia which, like so many parts of Australia, will benefit greatly from the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement through increased export opportunities, increased wealth and, most importantly, increased jobs.

ChAFTA does not change the skills and experience requirements that need to be met by any skilled worker applying for a temporary skilled 457 visa to Australia. It is to the shame of those opposite that they follow blindly their leader, Mr Shorten, who, once again, on ABC radio this morning, and in the parliament today, has continued to report falsehoods and to generate a scare campaign in relation to skilled tradespeople working in Australia, which is just not based in truth. Any applicant for a skilled 457 visa will still be required to demonstrate to the department of immigration, the border protection service and the Department of Education and Training that they possess the requisite skills and experience to work in this country. This includes evidence of identity, of work history—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

of qualifications, Senator Cameron, and of memberships of relevant bodies or associations; and references and documents showing English language skills. Further, additional skills assessments from registered training organisations approved by Trades Recognition Australia will be conducted where further verification is required. Perhaps most importantly, anyone working in a licensed trade must continue to meet the requirements of Australian state and territory authorities in relation to those licensed trades. So unlike what Mr Shorten, Senator Cameron or others say, Australians can have confidence that skilled workers in Australia will always be properly skilled. (Time expired)

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister outline to the Senate the consequences of misleading claims about foreign workers?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): The consequences are severe. It will put billions of dollars of trade, billions of dollars in investment in Australia and thousands of jobs at risk for Australia's future if we do not get the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement passed and implemented, because of the growth opportunities that exist. This is an agreement that in terms of skills recognition is bringing China into line with 150 other countries who we already trade with and who can already access skilled 457 visas, countries like the United States, Korea, Japan, Poland, Chile, Germany, Singapore, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Somalia—it brings China into line with Somalia in terms of being able to access skilled 457 visas. It is amazing how silent those opposite go when they hear all those other countries listed—because in that regard this is about providing more opportunities for more investment in Australia, which equals more jobs for Australians. (Time expired)

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister outline to the Senate whether the China free trade agreement will create more or fewer opportunities for skilled tradespeople?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): Clearly the China free trade agreement will create more job opportunities for all Australians, including skilled tradespeople around Australia, because we will see billions of dollars in additional investment in Australia that will generate job opportunities. We will see billions of dollars in additional exports from Australia that will create opportunities for more workers and more opportunities for people to work in those jobs as they are developing those businesses. There will be enormous job opportunities, as Senator Abetz highlighted before. When it is fully implemented there will be some 178,000 additional job opportunities for Australians under ChAFTA, including skilled Australian workers. Those opposite really should go and have a look at section 2.26B of the Migration Regulations, which stipulate the types of conditions that skilled workers in Australia have to meet. Whether they are from China, Somalia or the United States, they will all be appropriately skilled. (Time expired)