Question On Notice No. 530 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 10 May 2022 by Mr V.A. Catania
Question Directed to the: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education and Training
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I refer to
Immigration’s subclass 190 visa applications and the requirement for applicants
to be proficient in English if applying for a Western Australian Skilled
Migration Occupation List (WASMOL) Managerial role, and I ask:
(a) Why is there the requirement to sit two (2) English Language tests – one for the initial application (as an expression of interest) through Immigration and then a further test if residing and working in Western Australia;
(b) Why does the Immigration website state subclass 190 applicants only need to be “competent” in English to apply for a subclass 190 visa in all states in Australia, other than Western Australia, where they need to be “proficient”;
(c) What are the numbers of applicants:
(i) passing English as competent;
(ii) passing as proficient; and
(iii) passing English as competent, then failing as proficient;
(d) Why is Western Australia’s State Migration English Language requirement for 190 subclass visa applicants set much higher than all other states in Australia; and
(e) How is this requirement encouraging applicants to apply for a visa to work and reside in Western Australia given many businesses are suffering with a shortage of workers?
Answered on 16 June 2022
(a) There is no requirement for applicants to sit two English Language tests.
(b) The Commonwealth Government sets the “competent” English requirement for the subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa.
States and territories are able to determine higher English requirements to manage their State Nominated Migration Programs. Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory have set higher English requirements for specific occupations.
Western Australia requires a ‘proficient’ English level for those occupations under the ANZSCO (Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) Major Occupation Group 1 (for Managers) or Group 2 (for Professionals).
Candidates who hold a passport from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada and New Zealand are not required to provide an English proficiency test.
(c) (i) - (iii) The Department of Training and Workforce Development does not administer English tests for the purpose of the State Nominated Migration Program.
(d) Refer to the answer provided for (b).
(e) As part of the Commonwealth visa application process, State nominated applicants must provide a positive skills assessment issued by an authorised skills assessing authority to demonstrate they are skilled in their nominated occupation. Western Australia’s requirement for ‘proficient’ English for Managers and Professionals has been aligned with the English language proficiency levels required by most skills assessing authorities for these occupations.
Migrants who do not speak English as a first language also have improved settlement and employment outcomes when they have a higher level of English language proficiency.