Newsletter 186

Nurses, tradies and teachers in, red tape for employers out: A better migration agreement for South Australia 

The Albanese-led Labor Government in South Australia is facilitating improved access to skilled workers for local businesses, aiming for fairness and efficiency. A new migration agreement has been announced in partnership with the Malinauskas Labor Government. This initiative serves multiple sectors, including education and healthcare in regional areas, as well as the burgeoning technology industry in urban centers.

This collaboration will allocate up to 2000 positions for employers in regional South Australia, addressing shortages in essential roles like care workers, nurses, and teachers. Meanwhile, in Adelaide, the focus is on simplifying the process for businesses to recruit tech talent, thereby fostering growth, innovation, and job creation within the local economy.

To further support employers, bureaucratic hurdles are being reduced, including an increase in the number of job categories covered by the agreement. This expansion now includes professions such as bricklayers and other construction workers.

Recognizing the importance of ensuring migrant workers’ safety and fair treatment, both governments commit to ongoing collaboration. Through genuine tripartite cooperation, they aim to negotiate future agreements in 2024 and 2025, aligning with the interests of South Australians. These agreements are slated to commence from July 2025, with a focus on optimizing the migration system for the benefit of the local community.

State and Territory Nominations 2023-24 Program Year

From 1 July 2023 to 31 March 2024 

Visa Subclass	ACT	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA
Subclass 190	489	1,772	245	704	933	514	2,548	1,479
Subclass 491	418	1,198	311	532	869	392	507	774

NSW Pathway 1: Revised Nomination Criteria for Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491) 

Improving Prospects for Regional Skilled Migration

The Skilled Work Regional visa (Subclass 491) in New South Wales has adjusted Pathway 1, lowering the previous 12-month employment duration requirement to just 6 months. This modification seeks to widen the pool of eligible candidates and encourage skilled migration to regional zones, thereby bolstering local economies and communities.

Source: https://www.nsw.gov.au/visas-and-migration/skilled-visas/skilled-work-regional-visa-subclass-491

Migration Tasmania: Latest Updates on Processing Times and Nomination Allocation 

Processing Update: The earliest outstanding nomination application was submitted on March 15, 2024.

Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190):

• Nominations: 514 spots filled out of 600 available.
• Pending Nomination Applications: 29.
• Pending Invitations: 19.
• Registrations of Interest: 472.

Skilled Work Regional Visa (subclass 491):

• Nominations: 392 places utilized out of 600 allocated.
• Pending Nomination Applications: 48.
• Pending Invitations: 22.
• Registrations of Interest: 579.

Source: https://www.migration.tas.gov.au/news/processing_times_and_allocation_usage\

Cyber-attacks a daily occurrence for Australian Law Firms

AUCloud’s Security Operations Centre (SOC) recently thwarted a significant cyber attack targeting a well-known law firm. The attack, identified as a sophisticated ‘SEO Poisoning’ cyber-attack, aimed at compromising the firm’s data and infrastructure systems. As cybercrime emerges as a primary concern for Australian law firms according to recent research, implementing robust mechanisms for protection, detection, and response is imperative, as crucial as the legal expertise that forms the foundation of their practice.

AUCloud disclosed that it successfully prevented the major cyber security breach directed at the firm by employing targeted measures against SEO Poisoning. This tactic, utilized by cybercriminals, involves manipulating search engine results to lead users to malicious websites.

Employee retention now ‘critical’ strategic move for firms

Amid the challenges posed by talent shortages, shifting workforce dynamics, and escalating turnover costs, job seekers are increasingly prioritizing workplaces that offer not just competitive pay but also flexibility, sustainable work practices, inclusive environments, and opportunities for personal and professional development.

Consequently, law firms are expanding their benefits packages to attract and retain top talent, with a heightened focus on incorporating employee feedback to enhance retention strategies continuously.

Nevertheless, the demand for talent remains high in 2024, with premier lawyers still in high demand and difficult to recruit. Consequently, firms have resorted to financial incentives such as loyalty bonuses to retain staff, alongside substantial salary increases for entry-level law positions. Additionally, there’s been a surge in people and culture-oriented initiatives, like flexible work arrangements and cultural alignment efforts, despite most lawyers preferring salary increases over perks.