Home Australia PETER VAN ONSELEN: You won’t believe who Anthony Albanese lets into the country – and it’s not just dog handlers

PETER VAN ONSELEN: You won’t believe who Anthony Albanese lets into the country – and it’s not just dog handlers

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Sword kung fu experts to get green light, government's skilled jobs list says

You may be surprised to learn which jobs the Albanian government wants new immigrants to know how to do and which ones it decides to reject. The decisions seem very questionable.

Daily Mail Australia has scoured the Labor Party’s lists to discover its priorities when it comes to skilled migration. The findings are, to say the least, surprising.

For example, dog handlers are in, emergency services workers are out. And these are just two examples; There are many more that defy common sense.

Master Builders and the Opposition have been up in arms this week over revelations that yoga instructors will receive preferential treatment when it comes to skilled migration over trades such as painters, tilers and stonemasons.

The revelations come in the midst of a real estate crisis, with not enough properties available to meet the country’s needs.

Sword kung fu experts to get green light, government’s skilled jobs list says

If you live abroad and are a dog sitter, you will gain privileged status on the Albanese government's qualified immigration list.

If you live abroad and are a dog sitter, you will gain privileged status on the Albanese government’s qualified immigration list.

Jobs and Skills Australia has tried to justify its decision, but even the peak body for yoga instructors in Australia has questioned whether we need more coming to the country.

The opposition and the Master Builders Association are questioning the government’s priorities in including some trades on the “maybe” list, with accusations that limiting skilled migration in the construction sector is simply pandering to the union movement.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal there are many other questionable “do’s and don’ts” on Jobs and Skills Australia’s list.

The draft skills list, drawn up at the request of the Albanian government, classifies various jobs into three separate categories: those favored for the entry of skilled migrants, those on the maybe list (requiring further consultation) and those skilled professions rejected by complete.

The government says the list is about meeting employment needs, but we have seen before that when governments try to pick winners for medium and long-term national needs, they don’t always get it right.

Australia is willing to reject immigrants in the following job areas: emergency services workers, nursing managers, disability services officers, child or youth carers, and beef and sheep farmers.

The decision to turn away workers in these areas comes despite the Albanian government insisting on prioritizing many of these services for the Australian community.

Questionable jobs getting approval for migration to Australia also don’t just include yoga instructors. Wushu martial artists and dog handlers are also on the list.

Emergency workers play a key role in our community, but are turned away from the government's skilled migration list.

Emergency workers play a key role in our community, but are turned away from the government’s skilled migration list.

Jobs and Skills Australia says we need more yoga instructors despite the sector's peak body saying we don't

Jobs and Skills Australia says we need more yoga instructors despite the sector’s peak body saying we don’t

Wushu martial arts are a form of kung fu. Integrates Shaolin kung fu and tai chi. May include the use of swords. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, we have a shortage of these martial arts experts and need more to meet demand.

But apparently we don’t need emergency services or disability workers, youth carers, nurses or even medical scientists. Despite the investments being made in the National Disability Insurance Plan and the challenges of the aging population. Retirement village administrators are also rejected along with health service administrators.

The government likes to warn Australians about the impact of climate change on our environment, including an increase in extreme weather events that appear to only get worse. However, emergency services workers are being turned away from migrating.

Beyond the preference for more dog handlers, yoga instructors and wushu martial artists, Jobs and Skills Australia also gives the go-ahead for immigration entry to television journalists (I thought the sector was in free fall with abundant layoffs ?), artistic directors, retail buyers and arts administrators.

The baffling decisions don’t end there. While the list of possibles – subject to further consultation before approval is or is not given – includes a number of skilled trades that the construction sector is crying out for, other industries are also baffled why the needs are not being met in their areas.

Disability services officers are barred from entry on the government's preliminary skilled migration list.

Disability services officers are barred from entry on the government’s preliminary skilled migration list.

For example, clinical nursing directors are only on the “maybe” list, as are auditors, accountants, and management accountants. This is despite the current shortage of auditors and the increase in insolvencies.

Jobs and Skills Australia was created by the Albanese government, tasked with filling skills shortages across the economy. One of the professions also rejected in its draft list is that of economist.

Given some of the strange decisions highlighted above, along with the economic challenges Australia faces during this cost of living crisis, perhaps excluding economists is also a strange decision.

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