Australia Has Increased the Minimum Pay for Skilled Migrant Workers

MELBOURNE, Australia - May 26, 2023 - PRLog -- As part of a reform of what the government calls a flawed migration system, Australia will break a decade-long freeze on the minimum wage for skilled migrant workers.

On Thursday, Australia will end a decade-long cap on the minimum wage for skilled migrant workers as part of a reform of what the government calls a faulty migration system that fosters exploitation and values recruiting low-paid staff above addressing critical skill shortages.

"What has evolved is a system in which it is growing simpler for migrants to relocate to Australia for the purpose of a low-paid job while becoming more difficult for migrants with skills that we urgently need," said Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil.

"We allowed low-wage migration programmes to go on in the shadows, which is one of the reasons that there is a lot of exploitation in Australia."

Australia has historically had one of the highest rates of immigration among the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries. However, migrant work, which used to be permanent, has become increasingly transient.

Since 2013, a previous government has fixed the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold at 53,900 Australian dollars ($35,600). O'Neil stated that a new minimum salary of AU$70,000 ($46,300) will be implemented on July 1.

According to a government statement made on Thursday, "around the year 90% of all full-time employment in Australia are being rewarded more than the present TSMIT, weakening Australia's skilled migration system."

In November, O'Neil commissioned an assessment of Australia's migration programme, which discovered 1.8 million temporary migrants among a national population of 26 million.

As the country grapples with skills and labour shortages, the government upped its permanent immigration intake to 195,000 – a 35,000 increase — for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

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