Retailers expressed concern over the Opposition’s proposal to limit international students and increase visa costs, warning it could worsen workforce shortages across the sector.
“International students play a critical role in supporting part-time and casual roles, which are the backbone of dynamic trading environments like retail stores and restaurants,” Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer of the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said.
Brown noted that there are currently 25,600 retail job vacancies nationwide, with many businesses struggling to maintain service standards due to ongoing staff shortages.
Moreover, Brown said that international students do not only contribute to the sector as workers but as consumers as well.
“Curtailing the ability of international students to work in Australia would undermine years of effort to make our country a destination of choice for education and employment,” Brown said.
Lindsay Carroll, National Retail Association (NRA) Interim CEO, said that policymakers should consider the full impact of their proposals, ensuring to strike a balance between migration settings and addressing skills shortages.
“We understand the need for a balanced migration system, but limiting international student access will have ripple effects across the retail and hospitality workforce at a time when we simply can’t afford it,” Carroll said.
“Once we turn away international students, the recovery isn’t quick. Rebuilding those pipelines takes years, and in the meantime, our shops, restaurants and cafes suffer.”