WA PREMIER Colin Barnett says he supports relaxing the English language test for skilled overseas workers applying for employer-sponsored '457' temporary work visas.   

The premier said this would help get more skilled labour into WA to address a looming future skills' shortage.

``Western Australia gets about 20 per cent of the immigration into Australia so we do bat above our weight,'' he told ABC radio today.

``But why not relax the rules, why not allow more people to come in, let them get jobs, work in Australia, become Australians?

``That's the way this country was built.''

Mr Barnett said people who migrated to Australia adapted quickly, and if they worked, they would pick up English quickly.   

WA's Training and Workforce Development Minister Peter Collier recently met Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations Minister Chris Evans and Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen in Canberra to discuss workforce needs in WA.



Mr Collier said research by his department showed the state could face a shortage of up to 150,000 skilled workers by 2017, amid a sustained period of growth.

He said his discussions with Senator Evans and Mr Bowen included the need for greater flexibility with visas.

That included reviewing the new International English Language Test Score, which excluded many skilled workers from non-English speaking countries, Mr Collier said.   

Also discussed was the need to expand the type of skilled occupations that qualified for '457' employer-sponsored visas, greater use of working holiday maker and student visas, and incentives to increase the number of foreign students entering Australia.


Comments on this story

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     widow of Ballajura of Ballajura Posted at 2:52 PM March 16, 2011

         Do not relax the English test, I want to deal with people who can speak English and understand English. Big enough problem now with overseas nurses and doctors who do not have a good command of the English language.