Government gives green light to mega project skills shortage solution

The Minister for Education Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Chris Evans recently announced that the 31 recommendations put forward by the Resourcing the Future: National Resource Sector Employment Taskforce Report (Report) be accepted in principle by the Federal Government.

Of key interest to proponents of mega resource projects was the acceptance in principle of a recommendation to introduce a special form of Labour Agreement called an Enterprise Migration Agreement (EMA).  A Labour Agreement is a legal contract between the Australian Government and an employer that allows the employer to bring in skilled overseas workers to Australia on either a temporary or permanent visa.  In some situations a Labour Agreement is the only option available to an employer who wants to access employer-sponsored migration programs.  Labour Agreements are often used when the skills an employer needs are not on the relevant list of approved occupations but a genuine shortage