Changes in Australia's visa system may affect Asian tech talent

Big companies will look to increase their use of on-demand, temporary talent, reports Tech in Asia

The controversial changes to Australia’s 457 visa category have drawn criticism from many of the country’s leading entrepreneurs and leaders in the startup industry. The Australian government abolished the system today in favor of two separate visas, a two-year and a four-year visa. Both have more stringent requirements including better English proficiency and previous work experience. The change also cut 200 jobs that foreign workers could have applied for, impacting critical tech roles like web developers.

This could have a strong impact on Australian startups looking to import talent and Asian job seekers looking for opportunities in the country.

Currently, Asian countries are the largest holders of 457 visas. India has the highest number of applicants, with a total of 6,260 applicants (or 26.6 percent of total applicants) according to the latest quarterly report from the Australian government. China, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, and Nepal are all in the top 10 countries with the highest number of 457 applicants.

Expert360 co-founder and CEO Bridget Loudon said it was safe to say that many of Australia’s leading startups might be forced to move their headquarters to the US or Europe.

“The talent gap in Australia is a major concern for businesses and this move simply creates more uncertainty for skilled workers who might have considered bringing their talent to Australia.”

According to Bridget, “While top global talent is in the making in our schools and training programs, there are still shortfalls that sponsored workers have helped fill, particularly in the technology sector.”

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This is an excerpt from the article published on Tech In Asia. You can read the full article here.