Originally Posted by
Knackers
From the article:
Airservices Australia boss Jason Harfield has insisted the Turnbull government’s scrapping of the 457 visa would have no impact on the safety of the air traffic control system.
During this week’s Senate estimates hearings, Mr Harfield said the changes would impact “just under 40, I think it’s 38” of about 1100 air traffic controllers and the figures included trainees who were not yet fully qualified.
“Some of them were originally on 457 visas but have converted across to a different type of visa,” Mr Harfield said.
“We are just working through them individually, but I can guarantee that there will be no impact to the safety or operations of the air traffic control system,” he said.
The comments came after Senator Nick Xenophon said concerns had been put to him that the changes created “serious implications for air traffic control in this country and that a number of experienced recruits had been told they would not be able to stay as air traffic controllers”.
Under the government’s visa shake-up, announced last month, dumped 457 visas will be replaced by a new type of temporary skill shortage visa.
Air traffic controllers are on the list of skilled occupations that were removed because of the changes.
Pressed by Senator Xenophon, Mr Harfield said there was “capacity in the rosters and we’ve done that assessment that we are able to continue to maintain service provision during that time as we work through all of this”.
The comments are likely to fuel debate about how the aviation sector will be affected by the 457 visa changes, which take effect from March next year.
Regional Express has claimed the changes to the visa program will lead to a reduction in air services as it cuts pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers from the list.
But Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said she had told Rex deputy chairman John Sharp there could be a review in the event of genuine shortages.
Best wishes for those 38/40 colleagues that took the leap, hope all ends up well for them and their families.
Last edited by Lssar; 31st May 2017 at 16:32.