The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is questioning the minister for immigration Chris Bowen's plans to reform the skilled migration programme.
Nick Proud, the HIA's executive director of industry workforce development, welcomed the plans on the whole, but raised the point that the amended points test could prevent valuable skilled construction workers from being accepted.
"As the unemployment rate shifts to lower levels into 2011, HIA urges the government to consider options for encouraging skilled migration," he said.
Mr Proud went on to say that the government should be careful that they do not "potentially limit the numbers where skills are in critical short supply".
He highlighted the latest HIA-Austral Bricks Trades Report, which indicated that nine out of twelve occupational areas including carpentry and bricklaying are in short supply.
The new test emphasises the importance of having a good grasp of the English language as well as possessing suitable work experience and a high level of qualifications.
Posted by Steve Douglas
