The Employee Mobility Institute unveils new Immigration Advisory Group

Talent mobility sector body The Employee Mobility Institute (TEMi) has established a new advisory group for immigration to create a “trusted conduit” between industry and government and support the work of workforce management professionals.

The Employee Mobility Institute (TEMi), the industry body representing the talent mobility sector, has launched a new Immigration Advisory Group (IAG) to provide coordinated Australasian-led talent mobility industry voice on immigration matters.

It will ensure, TEMi said in a statement, that the sector remains informed and well-positioned to respond to policy changes impacting the movement of talent across borders.

As businesses compete globally for skilled talent, the body continued, immigration frameworks are playing an increasingly critical role in enabling workforce strategies and accelerating business outcomes. The formation of the IAG, it said, will bridge the communication gap between talent mobility professionals, industry partners and government, ensuring the collective voice of the mobility sector is both unified and influential.

TEMi founder Deborah de Cerff said: “TEMi has played an important role in facilitating constructive policy dialogue across the global workforce management community for over a decade, fostering industry collaboration through its roundtables, forums and events.”

“The formation of the IAG, operating under TEMi to ensure neutrality, will create a trusted conduit between industry and government, enabling knowledge exchange and collective advocacy on the issues that matter most to the sector as a whole.”

“This initiative will give workforce management professionals greater access to timely, trusted immigration insights and more opportunity to shape advocacy efforts, enhancing productivity and making moving talent across borders easier and more effective.”

The Department of Home Affairs is set to be a key stakeholder for the IAG, with its director of business, industry and regional outreach, Servet Brennan, noting that the department looks forward to engaging with the IAG to add value to the wider talent mobility community.

As part of its work, the IAG will facilitate structured forums for sharing insights, identifying industry-wide immigration pain points and shaping advocacy priorities, and monitor and interpret emerging immigration policies to inform the sector.

It will be chaired by TEMi and governed by terms of reference to ensure integrity and supported by a panel of senior talent mobility practitioners and immigration partners from across the sector.

Jamie Lingham, CEO of Absolute Immigration and an immigration practitioner for over 24 years, has been appointed as immigration liaison officer.

“Immigration is a fundamental pillar in the broader mobility landscape, but without a coordinated approach, we have been seeing missed opportunities, inconsistent messaging and fragmented feedback,” Lingham said.

“Opening a proactive dialogue where industry and government can provide opinions and share ideas will significantly benefit both sides, as well as the industry as a whole.”

“The IAG will reinforce industry-wide collaboration, support collective advocacy and enhance information dissemination. This will help highlight the positive impact that a robust immigration program can deliver to Australia, especially during a time where negative immigration stories are increasingly dominating the narrative.”