On 23 November 2022, the Joint Standing Committee on Migration (JSCM) initiated an inquiry into the role of permanent migration in nation building, at the request of the then Minister for Home Affairs, Clare O’Neil MP. The final report from this inquiry was completed in September 2024 and made public on 9 October 2024. The JSCM has made a total of 73 recommendations to the Minister for Home Affairs, aimed at improving the Australian migration system to better support nation building efforts in the future. Of all the recommendations, these are the several that will have a major impact on Skilled Migration in Australia.
The Committee recommends the Australian Government:
- Removes the requirement to retest the English language proficiency of visa applicants already in Australia, where the level of proficiency required is the same or lower than the applicant had previously satisfied;
- Conduct a comprehensive review to guide the staged reform of the Migration Act 1958 to ensure that the Act remains fit for purpose as the legislative framework supporting the new migration strategy;
- Develops internal mechanisms to assess, and report publicly in relevant Annual Reports, the effectiveness of the measures introduced to reduce the visa backlog, modernise the visa system, and embed simplification as a key objective of all actions in the Migration Strategy;
- Re-establishes a stand-alone Department of Immigration Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs;
- Abolish the current skills list in favour of Jobs and Skills Australia lists;
- Increase Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) age limits to 50 and exempt certain cohorts from application age limits;
- Abolish Labour Market Testing;
- Reassess definitions of regional Australia and increase promotion and incentives for regional settlement;
- Review the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) and Labour Agreement programs.
The JSCM has taken two years to hand down this report. However, the proposed recommendations show a thorough review was conducted, and conscientious proposals were put forth. The overarching theme is a more modernised, simplified and liberalised skilled migration system. As well as including several measures for to promote migration in Australia, and services to support new migrants
Among the 73 recommendations, the report covered several other migration programs including family reunification, working holiday, the PALM Scheme, humanitarian, and other visa programs.
The question focuses on implementation. Between the Migration Review, Migration Strategy and the Report the Federal Government has conducted a wide-ranging review and has several sources of information to draw upon. Cumulatively, the proposed reforms would position Australia as a competitive destination for global talent, capable of embarking on significant nation building projects. More information.