The ACS believes DIMIA should "substantially reduce" the number of foreign ICT students who proceed to become permanent residents upon completing their studies.
Following its meeting in Canberra, the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) told ZDNet Australia that it had a "very fruitful meeting" with the ACS, together with other commonwealth departments.
"The department receives information and views from many sources and appreciates the contributions from the ACS. We will continue to work with the ACS," a department spokesperson said.
The spokesperson refused to comment on whether it will consider the ACS as a "gatekeeper" for testing the ICT skills of 457 (temporary business long stay) visa applicants. The society is currently the accredited skills assessment body for permanent visa applications for IT professionals.
Between 2003 and January 2005, a total of 6,685 technology workers were granted 457 visas, he added.
ACS President Edward Mandla could not comment at press time.
Immigration -- what a load of artificial crap.
Can anyone please explain the logic of the following to me:
Why a company, based in an Australian city (say Darwin) can stand there and look one direction and see a great programmer 2,720 km away* and then turn around the opposite direction and see another average programmer 4,100 km away**.
The first programmer is: closer, has better communication skills, better technical skills, better background and is all-round better; yet costs the same wage to employ as the second, further away person.
(Alternatively you could be looking at two programmers with exactly the same skills and qualities, yet the closer one costs less to employ.)
Now, explain to me why this artificial government restriction forces me to employ the person who is further away and denies me the ability to employ the closer person???
- Sly
* Jakarta, Indonesia, is 2,720 km away from Darwin.
** Sydney, Australia, is 4,100 km away from Darwin.