Australia is continuing to look offshore for solutions to the deepening skills crisis, with new figures showing the controversial 457 visa program for temporary skilled migrants grew by almost a quarter last year.
Figures released by the Immigration Department yesterday showed the number of primary 457 applicants jumped from 46,680 in 2006-07 to 58,050 in 2007-08 -- about 24 per cent.
A total of 110,570 temporary work visas were issued to workers and their dependents, an increase of 27 per cent.
Alan Collett alan-at-gomatilda-dot-com Registered Migration Agent Number 0102534 Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia http://www.gomatilda.com and http://www.collettandco.co.uk Offices in Southampton - England; Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Geelong - Australia
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