Recently released figures from Australia’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection, show that the number of temporary 457 visas granted in the state of Tasmania increased significantly during the first three quarters of 2015.
The latest data shows that employers in the state, which is currently facing a severe skilled worker shortage, are increasingly turning to foreign temporary workers to fill job vacancies. The stats show that the number of 457 visas issued to foreigners heading for Tasmania increased by 43 per cent between January and September 2015, when compared with the same period the previous year.
A third of the visas were granted by Tasmanian employers went to chefs or cooks, perhaps an unsurprising statistic given that the Tasmanian Hospitality Association warns that there is a current shortage of 150 chefs across the state.
Medical professionals are also in high demand across the state, as are a whole range of tradespeople.
A Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) allows businesses to bring workers from overseas for up to four years if they can prove that they can’t fill jobs with locals.