Peoplebank gains Labour Agreement

Peoplebank gains Labour Agreement for ‘priority’ ICT contractors

Peoplebank Australia (PBA), Australia’s largest ICT skills recruiter, today announces it has signed an On-Hire Labour Agreement with the Federal Government.  The agreement gives Peoplebank a streamlined process for sourcing international contractors for projects that meet the criteria of the Temporary Business 457 visa program.
Under the terms of the Agreement, Peoplebank will have the ability to source, secure and then on-hire overseas contractors to  enterprise and government clients for specified projects in areas of identified skills shortages. Peoplebank will retain responsibility for the immigration processes required for these contractors, while, in return, the Federal Government will expedite Peoplebank’s visa applications for the contractors.

Peter Acheson, COO of Peoplebank comments: “The new process benefits our enterprise clients and contractors alike.”

“For enterprises, Peoplebank’s Labour Agreement means we can search the broadest global pool of ICT candidates for specific projects – knowing that, where the right person is sourced internationally, our expedited visa process could see that person at work in Australia within a few weeks.”

“The Labour Agreement also helps us attract quality candidates, as they aren’t being hired by an employer for one project: but by Peoplebank who will actively seek out ongoing projects for them, while making them available to businesses for short or fixed terms.

“Furthermore, it means we can give Australian businesses the additional security of moving nominated contractors currently on Working Holiday Visas  (417) holders to a longer term visa (457).”

Access to global contractors will be of particular benefit to Australian businesses in the current economy, he adds.

“The downturn has given rise to a real depth of available ICT talent internationally – while, by contrast, the Australian Computer Society predicts will our ICT skills shortage will reach 14,500 full-time-equivalents by 2010 .“

“At this point in time, Peoplebank can access the largest-ever pool of ICT workers to find contractors with in-demand skills and expertise. With our Labour Agreement, we can expedite the process of bringing these contractors in – thereby providing business with the confidence to proceed with new-technology projects.

“And while business’ immediate gain will be their strengthened ICT capabilities, we envisage that the flow-on benefit will be to help strengthen Australia’s ICT skills base,” says Acheson.

Peoplebank’s Labour Agreement also benefits skilled and qualified foreign contractors, some of whom have been brought to Australia by global enterprises, and many of whom have a choice of roles around the world. This includes contractors such as Anne-Clair Kung, a native of France who will be one of Peoplebank’s first contractors under the new Agreement.  Ms Kung, who is already working in Australia on a Web 2.0 project, credits having Peoplebank ‘on her side’ as key to her ability to stay in Australia.

“I wouldn’t have known where to start with the Immigration forms, but Peoplebank’s immigration advisors have been guiding me throughout the process. It makes me feel that I am in the right hands – and that I’d made the right decision,” says Ms Kung.

As part of its On-Hire Labour Agreement, Peoplebank has committed budget to training and development programs that will develop ICT skills base. This will include providing training, IT scholarships and other initiatives that help address Australia’s ICT skills shortages. The company is developing its IT training investment strategy and will announce an approved expenditure plan in coming months.