Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

The Enterprise Migration Agreement template which is a legal contract is currently being developed in conjunction with the Department's legal area. The Enterprise Migration Agreements Submission Guidelines published early September 2011 (copy attached) provide comprehensive information on requirements for the program. The final template will reflect these guidelines. The Department expects the template to be finalised in coming months in time for the first Enterprise Migration Agreement to be given effect.

Enterprise Migration Agreements will be available to all State/Territory government approved resource projects with a capital expenditure of more than two billion Australian dollars and a peak workforce of more than 1500 workers during the construction phase.

The Department continues to actively liaise with a number of large scale resource companies that are interested in making a submission for an Enterprise Migration Agreement. To date, one formal submission to access an Enterprise Migration Agreement has been received. For commercial reasons, the Department does not consider it appropriate to disclose the company's details until such a time as the submission is approved.