Leighton wants skilled migration visa scheme widened

Aug 14, 2008

Australia's biggest project development group says the Federal Government's temporary skilled migration visa program should be extended to all classes of workers.

Leightons chief executive Wal King says the company has more than 500 employees on 457 visas.

He says the program is very effective in solving skills shortages.

But he says certain categories of workers, such as truck drivers, are not allowed to work in Australia under the scheme, even though they are desperately needed.

"The labour market should be completely opened up and by 457 programs right across the board, or certainly if not right across the board, down to areas that I would call semi-skilled such as truck drivers," he said.