Canberra forum rejects migration cuts, calls for long-term workforce plan
A Canberra multicultural group says Australia's migration crisis is actually a leadership crisis and demands a 10-year national workforce strategy.
Australia's major parties are competing to cut migration. A Canberra multicultural group disagrees, saying that blames the wrong problem.
The Canberra Multicultural Community Forum argues governments failed to invest in training Australians. Governments are now blaming migrants for shortages they created.
Forum chair Arif Haque said: "This is not a migration crisis. This is a leadership crisis."
The forum wants an independent body to develop a 10-year national workforce plan. The plan needs investment in universities, vocational training and apprenticeships.
The forum also wants faster recognition of overseas qualifications. This lets migrants already here use their skills.
The Coalition recently announced plans to cut net migration to 100,000 a year. It will slash temporary visa numbers by about 650,000 over four years.
But the forum warns migrants fill critical roles in hospitals, aged care and construction. Australia's real shortages are in housing, infrastructure and skilled labour.
- 100,000 per year
- Coalition net migration target
- About 650,000
- Temporary visa cut over four years
- 10 years
- Workforce plan timeframe
- Arif Haque
- Forum chair
Why it mattersAustralia's migration debate is missing the point. Short-term political fixes ignore the long-term planning needed.
AustraliaCanberra faces potential shortages in healthcare and aged care if migration is cut, while international students contribute $1.4 billion annually to the ACT economy.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
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