Language tests should change: Libs

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday March 31, 2011

Kirsty Needham

ENGLISH language tests were being used as a trade barrier to restrict temporary workers coming into Australia, the opposition immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, said yesterday.English skills were important for workplace safety and social cohesion, but the English testing program had to be geared to vocational skills and not a "one-size-fits-all" test that applied to both a German PhD student and a Brazilian abattoir worker, he said.The level of English tested should also take into account the intended length of stay, and was not as vital for a three-month contract, he said.Mr Morrison said increased temporary labour migration ��� with greater conditions applied ��� would better meet economic skills shortages than the large informal overseas workforce provided by the working holiday and student visa program.He said the community needed to examine putting more conditions on skilled visa holders, such as requiring them to "live in a particular location and perform a particular occupation as a condition of your stay ... with no guarantee of a further stay".He also called for more liberal access to temporary 457 visas for tradespeople.The ACTU president, Ged Kearney, said Mr Morrison had contradicted himself by pointing out 600,000 Australians were out of work, and said they should be given employment opportunities "rather than relying on the quick fix of temporary migration".Ms Kearney said 457 visas should not be used to undercut wages and working conditions.

© 2011 Sydney Morning Herald

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