SPEAKING at the AREEA Migration Forum in Brisbane one year ago, shadow minister for immigration and citizenship Scott Morrison warned tougher market conditions, price volatility and rising business costs were putting at risk $243 billion worth of uncommitted resource projects.

He also warned that scare-mongering over the Roy Hill EMA had damaged Australia’s international reputation.

“Companies behind large resource projects need security guarantees for their investors to ensure access to the skilled workers they need to operate these projects viably in Australia,” the minister said on 2 August 2012.

Since that time, the Labor Government has estimated around $150 billion of major resource projects have been delayed or cancelled.

Somewhat overshadowed by the Gillard-Rudd leadership spill in late June, then minister for immigration Michael O’Connor introduced sweeping and restrictive changes to the 457 visa scheme.

The changes were introduced regardless of his predecessor Chris Bowen’s declaration to the same 2012 AREEA Migration Forum that the program was a well-targeted and responsive measure to help meet Australia’s economic needs.

Despite AREEA’s strong warnings that the amendments were radical, regressive and represented a dangerous move towards a smaller, less globally engaged Australia, the Senate pushed them through with insufficient parliamentary debate.

Although the severe skills shortages that characterised the industry 12 months ago have tapered slightly, with $268 billion of projects committed or under construction, resource employers will continue to rely on skilled migrants to fulfil a small but important role in Australia’s resource industry.

But has the reintroduction of onerous labour market testing, stricter English language requirements and other changes to the 457 visa program seen its reputation as a workable and economically viable business solution become redundant?

This question and more will be explored in detail at the 2013 Migration Forums in Brisbane and Perth beginning next week, as ministers from both sides of federal politics pitch the reasons why their party’s migration policy is best equipped to meet the needs of employers, contribute to business confidence and keep Australia’s resource industry strong.

Key speakers and topics include:

• Address from Minister for Resources and Energy Gary Gray (Perth)
• Address from Shadow Minister for Immigration Scott Morrison (Brisbane)
• Address from Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration Senator Michaela Cash (Perth)
• What employers need to know about skilled migration changes – an in-depth presentation by AREEA Migration Manager Jules Pedrosa (Brisbane & Perth)
• Compliance with Employer Sanctions Legislation – presentation by vSure Australia CEO Mark Webster (Perth)
• More than temporary: Australia’s 457 visa program – presentation by CEO Carla Wilshire (Brisbane & Perth)
• Cultural integration of 457 workers – presentations by Cross Cultural Director Margaret Bornhorst (Brisbane) and Sirva Relocations Consultant Diana Lewin (Perth)
• The Migration Institute of Australia’s take on skilled migration – presentation by MIA National President Angela Chan

When he spoke to AREEA Migration Forum delegates one year ago, shadow minister Morrison promised that a Coalition Government would focus on a ‘liberalised 457 visa program, removing the industrial barriers put in place by Labor and the unions’.

No doubt resource employers will be waiting for a similar announcement next week.

Don’t miss out – register your attendance today.