Tehan said he was acutely aware of labour shortages plaguing parts of Europe and the government’s aim was to avoid similar problems in Australia once state and international border closures were eliminated.
Australia has had little to no migration over the past 18 months,heightening fears a resurgent economy will not have enough workers for key industries.
“We understand as we open up,we’re going to have to be very conscious of the need to provide the skills that we need to drive the reopening and make sure that we rebound as strongly as possible,” Tehan said.
“If we can’t have free exchange and movement of people between ourselves[Australia and Britain],then who can we have it with?”
Dan Tehan,Trade Minister
The new free-trade deal,which will probably come into force on July 1,2022,will increase the working holiday visa age limit from 30 to 35 and give Australians and Britons a total of three years to live and work in each other’s countries.
Tehan told London business figures that Australia would be “willing to do more” than what the new trade agreement will offer on mobility,“because if we can’t have free exchange and movement of people between ourselves,then who can we have it with?”