Canberra 27 April, 2023 – The Tech Council of Australia (TCA) welcomes today’s announcement by the Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Clare O’Neil MP, setting out the Government’s plan for a once-in-a-generation reform of the migration system.
Kate Pounder, CEO of the TCA, said skilled migration is an essential part of growing a globally successful Australian tech sector, but the current system is failing us.
“We commend the Minister on commissioning this comprehensive, root-and-branch review of the migration system and setting out a positive pathway for reform.”
“Australia has some of the best tech talent in the world, but we simply do not have enough to meet demand.”
“Our labour market shortages are concentrated in highly technical roles requiring years of experience, and it’s here that skilled migrants are particularly important.”
“However, our existing system is slow and uncompetitive compared with other nations vying for tech workers, and that means we’re losing out to the rest of the world.”
“The Government and the Tech Council have a shared goal of reaching 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030, and getting there will require a faster, more efficient and more responsive migration system that prioritises high-skilled, high-wage workers.”
“The Minister’s announcement today sets out a pathway that can help us achieve this, and we are delighted that the tech sector’s voice has been heard.”
Over 650,000 people will need to enter the tech sector in Australia by 2030 to reach 1.2 million tech jobs, and around a quarter of these will need to come from skilled migration. While positive progress is being made on visa processing times, which are falling, Australia still rates poorly compared to nations like Israel and Canada, where processing times for tech workers are 2 – 3 times faster.
“We support the Government’s decision to focus on creating faster and simpler pathways for the highly-skilled and highly-paid workers needed to drive innovation in the economy.”
“It is these workers where there is a fierce global competition for talent, and where we need to be more competitive by creating a streamlined set of requirements that apply above a defined wage threshold.”
“This is a welcome move, and we look forward to working with the Government to ensure the design of this streamlined pathway positions Australia to be truly competitive in bringing in tech talent compared to other nations.”
“We are also pleased to see the Government will prioritise making the system more responsive – companies are currently restricted to bringing in skilled migrants that are on outdated occupation lists that don’t include new or emerging jobs in tech, like product managers and UX designers.”
“We also support the focus on improving pathways to permanent residency, including for international students, which will make Australia a more attractive destination for skilled migrants and help companies retain good workers”.
“These reforms are complemented by measures to improve trust and integrity in the system, including by lifting the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold and increasing the capacity for mobility, which we recognise are an important part of the reform package.”
“Overall, what we are seeing is a plan aimed at addressing many of the pain points that have long afflicted Australia’s tech sector.”
“We thank the Minister for her vision and look forward to working through the important implementation and design details, which will be critical to ensure the potential of this plan is realised.”
“We also thank the Government’s expert panel for their comprehensive work on the review and their engagement with the tech sector.”
Importantly, improving the skilled migration system will help create even more tech job opportunities for Australians.
“Skilled migrants are proven to create more job opportunities for Australians in tech by filling senior roles that are necessary to train and mentor junior staff.”
“There are also countless stories of skilled migrants starting new tech companies here – our very own Board Member Mina Radhakrishnan is a great example of this, having migrated to Australia as an experienced tech leader and founded her own company :Different, which has created around 100 jobs in Australia.“
About the Tech Council of Australia
The Tech Council of Australia is the peak industry body for Australia’s tech sector. Providing a trusted voice for Australia’s technology industry, with over 160 members, the Tech Council comprises the full spectrum of tech companies.
We aim to advise and engage with Australian governments, businesses, and the wider community to help support the ongoing creation, development, and adoption of technology across industries.
Our vision is for a prosperous Australia that thrives by harnessing the power of technology.
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