Home Affairs “conscious of fixing” small business visa delays, as some applications stretch to 16 months
Home Affairs is working to make the skilled visa application process easier for small businesses, according to a department representative.
Today’s sponsored employee visa program is complex, costly, and time-consuming for small businesses to use, a Department of Home Affairs official says, as the government champions reforms to the migration system it claims will better serve SMEs.
Speaking at the CommBank SmallBizWeek conference in Melbourne on Wednesday, Chris Montgomery, an industry and regional outreach officer for the department’s skilled visa program, said approximately 25% of the temporary worker visa program is utilised by small businesses.
But smaller businesses face significant challenges when recruiting international talent, he said, particularly while persistent domestic labour shortages are stretching employers thin.
Sign up to continue
You've reached your article limit. Create a free account, or login to continue. Get our free newsletters in your inbox and extended article access by submitting your email.
