Unions irate at push to water down English language tests for 457 visa holders

Unions have slammed a push to water down or remove the English language testing requirements for temporary overseas workers brought to Australia on 457 visas, saying basic language skills are essential for maintaining workplace safety standards.

The minimum language requirements, first introduced by the Howard Government in 2007 before being strengthened under Labor, have come under fire from overseas investors keen to import workers for major projects.

The Electrical Trades Union said the testing had never been about politics or restricting appropriately skilled workers, but was about maintaining workplace safety standards.

“Worksite inductions, danger tags, safe work method statements and health and safety briefings are all in English, so ensuring any worker entering one of these projects is proficient in the English language is essential,” ETU national secretary Allen Hicks said.

“For workers, especially skilled tradespeople who are often engaged in more dangerous environments, clearly understanding English is absolutely vital to facilitate proper safety measures that mitigate the risk of accidents, injuries or preventable deaths.”

Mr Hicks rubbished a push by overseas investors and local business, including the Australia China Business Council, to lobby groups to water down the language skill requirements, saying it would have a direct impact on worker safety.

“Claims by these groups — all of which have ulterior motives for wanting increased access to cheap, compliant overseas labour — that English language testing is about politics, rather than safety, are completely fraudulent,” he said.

“Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison need to understand that bowing to business pressure on this issue will lead to reduced safety standards, increased accidents, and inevitably workplace deaths.

“The fact that this testing was first implemented by the Coalition in 2007 confirms that this testing has never been about politics, but was instead about addressing a serious shortcoming in the old system.”