The ALRC (Australia Law Reform Commission) is set to hold a consultation in regard of whether to urge increasing the maximum age limitation for skilled migrants. As of the current age limitation criteria, the applicants who are more than 50 years of age can’t apply for visa.

The maximum age limitation for the skilled migrants coincides with the Australia’s Age Discrimination Act that has raised the fears that it may be illegal. It has also been noticed that the older age people are less efficient and will contribute less to the country, so if nation were to increase the maximum age limitation, it will not get anything in return of this!

The older workers would be able to work for less time before taking retirements and ultimately will be a burden on Australian provinces.

The ALRC has already released its first issues paper titled Grey Areas on May 1, 2012 and it is currently busy in conducting its second consultation. It has explored evidences from the number of contributors on October 24, 2012.

Simon Biggs, who is a professor at University of Melbourne, revealed some important facts of his research that the old-aged immigrants are highly efficient and more productive than Australian citizens (of the same age). As such migrants are better qualified and bring skills in the country.

He further advised the consultation need to do more to eliminate the upper age limitation. Besides, he also pointed out that the US and EU doesn’t follow any age limitation-barrier for those who migrate to the nation under the skilled migrant’s category. He then said that we are certainly far behind of them for having less number of older workers.

Chief Executive of COTA, Ian Yates, believes that age limitation must not be taken as a compulsory criteria, it should be removed. He continued that any limitation on the ground of age must not be followed and should be removed.

Meanwhile, the state government of South Australia is in favor of increasing the maximum age limitation for skilled migrants. It believes that older migrants tend to produce more even for a longer period.