Marc Leadbeater said that his committee received a comprehensive briefing on the position at the Population Management Office last week.
‘The figures didn’t make for great reading – however, the extent of the issue is now clear and the focus is on tackling the backlog in a timely way,’ he said. ‘That will require an injection of resources.’
In the first quarter of this year, the volume of employment permit applications remained broadly consistent with recent years. Deputy Leadbeater said that pressure on the service ramped up in March following a policy change agreed by the States which saw short-term employment permits limited to three years for the first time since the regime was introduced. Home Affairs responded to concerns raised by industry in March by agreeing to a temporary extension policy for individuals reaching their short-term permit cap.
Increased demand for services saw the committee back the implementation of a support plan, put in place to relieve some immediate operational pressures, to improve customer service and support the processing of applications.
Deputy Leadbeater said that the committee acknowledged continuing concerns about processing times and was keen to provide reassurance that it was focused on ensuring stability in the service and tackling its backlog.
Now Home Affairs is focusing on broader population policy and potential changes to the population management regime, and is set to start engagement with other committees and industry groups.
You need to be logged in to comment.