Consensus for overseas skills recognition reform means federal government now has a mandate to act 

The Activate Australia’s Skills campaign is pressing the federal government to move quickly on the consensus for overseas skills recognition reform achieved at the Economic Reform Roundtable. 

“With groups as diverse as the Australian Industry Group, the ACTU and ACOSS all agreeing that it’s time to fix our skills recognition system at the Economic Reform Roundtable, the federal government now has a mandate to act,” said Violet Roumeliotis AM, CEO of campaign convenor Settlement Services International. 

“Australia’s overseas skills recognition system is expensive, bureaucratic, difficult to navigate and suffers from a lack of transparency. 

“It prevents hundreds of thousands permanent migrants on skilled visas from working in the industries we brought them here for. 

“At the same time there are significant workforce shortages in industries like construction, teaching, health and more.  

“This mismatch impedes our productivity to the tune of $9 billion and is making it harder to reach the national goals we all seek to achieve – a future made in Australia and 1.2 million affordable homes are just two examples.  

“Australia needs a faster, fairer and streamlined overseas skills recognition system and we stand ready to work with the Treasurer, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and the Minister for Skills and Training to activate Australia’s skills,” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

The Activate Australia’s Skills campaign is calling for four practical solutions to reform skills recognition and boost national productivity: 

• Establish one national governance system for all overseas skills and qualifications recognition, including an Ombudsman with regulatory power to provide independent oversight and transparency. 

• Create a more joined-up system that links skills recognition for migration purposes with licensing and accreditation for employment purposes. 

• Provide financial support for individuals to remove cost barriers and an online portal with all the information so people know what they need to do. 

• Set up Migrant Employment Pathway Hubs, or career gateways, with skills recognition navigators to get qualified people working in their professions again.