Workforce shortages in the aged care sector and the role migration can play in helping to ease them will take centre stage at the final public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry tomorrow.
Committee Chair, Maria Vamvakinou MP, said ‘Australia is an ageing society experiencing ever-increasing demands on its aged care sector. The committee has received evidence that the aged care sector is facing acute workforce shortages in meeting these demands—a shortfall measured in the tens of thousands of workers over the coming years.
‘While we must train more Australians to fill these roles, this takes time and may not fully meet the labour demands of the sector. Migration must play a role in providing skilled and compassionate workers to care for our parents and grandparents in their old age’.
The committee will hear from aged care providers, industry peak bodies, specialists in migration law and the aged care sector, and Australia’s largest skills assessment provider, VETASSESS, who will discuss a recent project they have been involved in for the provision of skilled aged care workers from overseas.
‘The committee is interested to hear directly from industry insiders on the workforce challenges the sector is experiencing and how they think migration can help alleviate these’, Ms Vamvakinou said.
Additionally, in-line with another key focus area of the inquiry—migration into regional Australia—the committee will speak with a regional development body and a regional small business on the challenges and opportunities they face in bringing migrants into the regions.
The committee will also hear from the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) and their regulatory role in both protecting migrants who require immigration advice and in ensuring the integrity of the migration advice industry.
Lastly, the committee will hear evidence from an international education services and language testing provider on the role of language testing and the experience of international students in our migration system and from a refugee advocate on the experiences of those coming via the humanitarian program.
The full hearing program is available on the Committee’s website.
Hearing details
Wednesday, 27 September 2023 – 9am to 4.40pm – Videoconference
