Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

You know it. I am also surprised at the rather odd assertion that the introduction of the trade skills training visa will take skills away from regional Australia in the longer term. To ensure regional employers and their communities continue to benefit from the investment in the training of overseas apprentices, the government has ensured that there is a range of visa options for the apprentice to settle in regional areas. Once an overseas apprentice has successfully completed their apprenticeship, they will be able to apply for one of the existing regional migration visas without having to go offshore—for example, the skilled independent regional visa or the temporary business long stay visa. These measures ensure that these skills remain in the areas where they are most needed.

If we are to sustain regional Australia and if we are to sustain apprenticeship programs in regional Australia, we need to fill the gaps. Where there are gaps we need to fill them. If there are people from overseas eager to fill those gaps, we should invite them in the same way that we invite university students to come and be trained at their expense. The trade skills training visa was developed in response to representations from regional industry which is unable to fill apprenticeship vacancies.

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