Submission to the review of the points test discussion paper
Click here to download the full submission.
Recommendation 1: That the Federal Government remove and grandfather the professional year, regional study, specialist education and credential community language (CCL) criteria for pointstested visas.
Recommendation 2: That the Federal Government revise community language, work experience, age, and English language criteria so that they are fit-for-purpose and are better able to assess ongoing and future contributions to the Australian community.
Recommendation 3: That the Federal Government urgently review the administration of the tests used to assess English language proficiency for points-tested visas.
Recommendation 4: That the Federal Government standardise the validity of English proficiency tests across skilled migration, educational, and professional licensing contexts, with provisions to only require migrants to retake the test if higher proficiency levels are required for certain purposes.
Recommendation 5: That the Federal Government fund research to assess the real-world impacts of assigning greater weight to the skills and characteristics of secondary applicants, to help determine which attributes contribute most effectively to promoting gender equality.
Recommendation 6: That the Federal Government establish a national jobs-matching register to provide real-time data on current and emerging skills needs across different regions and sectors.
Recommendation 7: That the Federal Government consolidate the skilled occupation lists into a single, evidence-based list that provides clear and consistent pathways to permanent residency.
Recommendation 8: That the Federal Government review and monitor the points system during its first two years of reform, followed by robust reviews every four years, to systematically refine the factors that contribute to favourable settlement and labour market outcomes.
Recommendation 9: That the Federal Government implement transitional arrangements to mitigate potential adverse impacts on migrant workers. These arrangements should include clear and targeted communication of changes, a phase-in period for existing applicants, grandfathering of criteria slated for removal, and the establishment of a feedback mechanism to address any unintended consequences for migrants.
