The federal opposition has ruled out backing a new Pacific visa lottery scheme, labelling it as arbitrary and patronising to the Pacific community at home and abroad.
Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan said the Coalition supported the principle of a Pacific visa program, but argued the lottery scheme was a step too far.
"Australia's immigration policy should target young, highly skilled migrants who can make an economic contribution to our country and temporary migrants who make an economic contribution by addressing workforce shortages," he said."Migrants to this nation should be incentivised to come for work, not to access the full range of Social Security benefits and Medicare."
There were 40,000 workers in the Pacific vetted and ready to work in Australia last year, according to the federal government. Visa applicants would have to be aged between 18 and 45, with basic English language skills, a formal job offer with an employer in Australia, and pass health and character checks.
The countries included in the proposal were Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.The minister for International Development and the Pacific has been contacted for comment.
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