‘Mate Speak English, You'Re in Australia Now’

Abstract

Amid the fanfare of 'stopping the boats' and cracking down on international student rorts, a quiet revolution has been brewing in skilled migration to Australia. The last decade has seen the introduction or increase in English language requirements to obtain a broad range of permanent skilled visas and, in trades-related fields, the temporary skilled 457 visa. These moves have been variously justified on the bases that enhanced English language ability is necessary to ensure occupational health and safety ('OH and S') standards are met, to facilitate skills transfers to Australian workers, to improve migrants' labour market participation and to guard against exploitative working conditions for migrant workers who may not be familiar with their labour rights or know how to readily access legal or union assistance.

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