A blowout in visa processing times in Australia has left about a million prospective workers stuck in limbo, worsening the acute staff shortages that have crippled businesses and dampened economic sentiment.
Strict border controls for two years and an exodus of holiday workers and foreign students have left corporate Australia struggling to fill jobs and keep their businesses going.
The delays are largely due to resource shortages at immigration offices and a huge backlog of applications that were left unattended for two years as the pandemic forced the government to seal the borders. “The Government acknowledges the importance of immigration and visitors in addressing current labor shortages and stimulating economic activity,” a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs told Reuters.
But with more than 600,000 temporary visa holders leaving the country since the pandemic, a lot more needs to be done to fill the large gaps in the health, construction and hospitality industries.“The former Government devalued immigration, with the visa application backlog increasing to nearly 1,000,000 on their watch,” Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said in a statement in July.
“In our local trading area alone there are 300 positions vacant for similar positions,” said Kristy Bannister, who manages Bay Ten Espresso.
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