Visa changes about putting 'Australians first': What does it mean for those on a 457?
The Turnbull government made the sudden announcement to can the 457 working visa with Pauline Hanson and others quick to claim credit for the change.
In announcing the changes to much-maligned 457 skilled migration visa, Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull said it was about putting "Australians first".
"We will no longer allow 457 visas to be passports to jobs that could and should go to Australians," Turnbull said in the video posted to Facebook Tuesday afternoon.
That was music to the ears of some conservative politicians.
"The government will deny their tough talk on immigration and plan to ban 457 visas is because of One Nation but we all know the truth!" Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson tweeted following the announcement.
Ex-Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi also claimed a slight victory, tweeting "Pleased to see changes to the work visa system but wouldn't be happening without @AuConservatives reminding gov what it should be doing."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was quick to dismiss the changes as the PM worrying about his own employment.
"Make no mistake, the only job Malcolm Turnbull cares about saving is his own," he wrote.
At present there are 95,000 foreign workers in Australia on four-year 457 visas, with India, Britain and China being the top three provider nations according to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
Those workers will be allowed to stay and complete their term after Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said their arrangements would be "grandfathered" and allowed to live out their terms.
The new scheme will include a short-term working visa and a medium-term visa, lasting two and four years respectively.
Those looking to apply for the new four-year temporary work visas would face an "even tighter" test, Mr Dutton said.
According to the Border Force website, the visa changes will include a "more targeted occupation lists which better align with skill needs in the Australian labour market".
One of the main complaints about the current 457 system was that foreign workers were being used in many unskilled jobs that could have been filled by Australian workers.
The hospitality, restaurant and fast-food sector was found to be a notorious abuser of the system, with a plethora of businesses caught out using low-skilled migrants ahead of Australian labour.
Breaches were so bad the fast-food sector was excised from the 457 scheme in March.
As the prime minister stated, the changes are about putting "Australian workers first" and there were plenty of young and able Australians to flip burgers at McDonald's.
"Australian workers, particularly young Australians, must be given priority," Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said in March.
Another change to the scheme will include a "minimum market salary" that will ensure "overseas workers cannot be engaged to undercut Australian workers".
Foreign workers looking to apply for the new visas will face tougher English language requirements, have at least three years experience be under 45 and have their criminal records assessed.
Mr Turnbull pinned the 457 visa problem on Labor after they were introduced under the Howard government and ramped up under Labor, but Mr Shorten said that was in the past.
"There was a mining boom and course what that meant that that was sucking a lot of people into that industry... and there were skill shortages," he said.
"We've got one point one three million people who are underemployed not getting enough hours of work."
