The 'Market Rates' Of 457 Visas Can Fix Australia's Gap Of 56,000 Hospitality Workers - Austrade

Milanese chef Davide Albertoni was sponsored by the owner of Il Baretto trattoria in Sydney’s Surry Hills. Picture: James Croucher Source: News Corp Australia

The federal government department responsible for tourism has backed industry demands to “increase the flexibility” of 457 work visas and backpacker visas — including a review of the English fluency requirement.

It warns that the hospitality sector faces a shortage of 56,000 workers next year, unless more foreign staff can be hired in regional areas.

Austrade has told the Productivity Commission that

employers also want to pay foreign workers “market rates” below the existing $53,900 minimum salary for 457 visa workers.

“Providing more flexible arrangements to access overseas labour to address shortages will help to provide a stronger tourism workforce that will help the Australian tourism industry become more competitive, encourage greater investment, and support regional development,” Austrade has told the commission’s inquiry into labour mobility.

Backpackers make up 7 per cent of Australia’s tourism workforce, Austrade reveals in its submission. And 10 per cent of the 457 visas approved last financial year were for the accommodation and food sector, including 3040 foreign cooks, 1900 restaurant managers and 1090 chefs.

The owner of Il Baretto trattoria in Sydney’s Surry Hills, Gabriella Fedeli, sponsored Milanese chef Davide Albertoni to work on a 457 visa last year.

“It was extremely hard and extremely expensive, and you need a good solicitor to do the paperwork,” she said. “It is difficult to find people that are qualified.”

A spokesman for Assistant Minister for Immigration Michaelia Cash said yesterday employers could hire someone from overseas on a 457 visa only if they could prove they could not find an Australian to do the same job.

She said the government “requires a level of ability in English language necessary for an applicant to perform effectively in their nominated occupation”.

Austrade has told the Productivity Commission that Australian tourism workers have been reluctant to relocate to regional areas due to insecure work, undesirable hours and housing shortages.

“International workers, on the other hand, offer greater flexibility for the tourism industry and are more likely to move to regions to source work,” it says.

Source: The Australian - 21 March 2014