The survey is concerned with the recruitment of skilled foreign workers under the Australian Government’s 457 visa scheme and how companies are preparing to deal with impending skills shortages.
457 visas cover long-stay temporary workers rather than permanent arrivals. However individuals on 457 visas and their dependents become part of the overall immigration total once they have resided in Australia for 12 months. A significant proportion of workers (and their dependents) recruited under 457 visa arrangements also subsequently apply for, and are granted, permanent residency.