Oz MP brands new bill favouring domestic workers over foreign 'most racist legislation' ever seen

An Australian politician has labelled a bill cracking down on the skilled foreign worker visa scheme the most 'racist' he has seen ever.

The fate of a new bill that will be cracking down on the skilled foreign worker visa scheme will find enough support from the independent MPs for the measures.

According to the Age, the bill has been labelled as 'the most racist piece of legislation' he had ever seen by Liberal MP Don Randall.

The bill includes new rules to ensure Australians get priority for jobs and would force employers wishing to hire foreign workers under the 457 visa programme to prove they had tried and failed to recruit suitable local employees first, the report said.

Given the Coalition will vote against the bill, the Gillard government needs support from five of the seven crossbenchers to secure its passage in the lower house before Parliament rises for the election.

Key independent Rob Oakeshott has signalled he will vote against the new law as the government has failed to substantiate its claims of widespread rorting of the 457 visa scheme, the report said.

According to the report, Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor said the legislation was something that Australian workers have wanted and arose from evidence the scheme was being misused.