The 457 visa programme has come under heavy fire of late, with multiple reports of the abuse of the programme and the exploitation of foreign workers through the sale of sponsorships. Here’s another side of the ugly tales we’ve been hearing.
ABC News: Chinese Restaurant’s Struggle to Find Chef Prompts Push for 457 Visa Reform
The article reports that a Chinese migrant made his trek to Australia for opportunities for a better life for his family. He opened a Chinese restaurant in South Australia, but because he has genuinely been unable to find a suitable chef, he has been forced twice now to close and is still struggling to keep things going.
He has searched, but being in a regional area, the applicants are far and few between; finding a chef who is skilled in cooking Chinese cuisine shrinks the potential pool. A recent 457 application he made was unfortunately, unsuccessful. At this point, he has so much personal investment as a sunk cost in the business.
Surely this is where the 457 programme comes to the rescue, but the heightened scrutiny 457 applications are receiving now, are perhaps damaging to genuinely struggling small business owners.
Stories like these are heartbreaking. It really put to shame those who have recklessly abused the system with no thought for the collateral damage caused.
