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Australia is characterised as a migrant nation, and yet rhetoric rather than evidence-based research dominates current discussion about skilled migration. This paper reports on the scoping phase of a national industry-collaborative study that explores the issues associated with employing skilled migrants entering Australia on temporary 457 visas. It is well established that the Australian economy is currently almost unique amongst first world nations in entering an extended phase of growth fuelled by the developing nations' hunger for natural resources. How Australia should balance the current need for skilled migrants to sustain this growth, with the concerns for sustainable population growth, is the subject of vigorously contested public debate. This paper explores the current literature and details the key positions currently vocalised by the main stakeholders in the press and social media as a mechanism to argue for further research on the topic. The paper concludes with a summary of the current literature and stakeholder positions. This analysis indicates the complex ways that skilled migration impacts upon industry, communities and the migrant families themselves and provides a knowledge platform for our subsequent research study exploring the economic and social costs and benefits of skilled migrants on temporary 457 visas.

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Australia has entered another resources boom necessitating a demand for skilled workers. The increased use of 457 visa workers is one solution, but one that is subject to considerable debate. This project aims to investigate the costs and benefits to business, migrant families, and the Australian community of using temporary 457 workers in the Western Australian resources sector to influence Australian economic policy and practice. Specific research questions were: What are the benefits to business, communities and migrant families employing 457 workers? What are the costs to business, communities and migrant families employing 457 workers? What are the issues encountered by business, migrant families and communities when employing 457 workers? What support do business, migrant families and communities need when employing 457 workers? What are the implications of the study findings for policy and practice?

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