Indian mine project in Australia ‘promises’ not to hire overseas workers

Sydney, Dec 6 (IANS) Indian conglomerate Adani Group has promised not to employ overseas skilled workers on Australia’s 457-category temporary visas for its mega coal mine project in Queensland state, local media reported on Tuesday.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who met Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani on Tuesday in Townsville, the project’s regional headquarters, said she received "an ironclad guarantee from Adani that there will be no 457 visas as part of the workforce for this major project", the Australian Associated Press reported.

Australian or overseas employers commonly use the 457 visa to sponsor skilled overseas workers to work in Australia temporarily.

The Carmichael mine in central Queensland, set to be Australia’s largest, will generate about 10,000 jobs over its lifespan of 50-60 years, according to the company.

The 16.5-billion-Australian-dollar ($12.3-billion) project includes a rail link stretching nearly 400 km to a bulk port facility and five regional towns providing support services, with construction rolling out next year.

"Our mining contractors, and the rail and port construction contractors, will be the major employers during the construction and operational stages," Adani Australia chief executive Jeyakumar Janakaraj said on Tuesday.

"This is a significant commitment by Adani to regional Queensland where the Carmichael mine and associated projects will generate 10,000 jobs directly and indirectly, and I am pleased that each of the regional centres will benefit from the Carmichael projects."

Palaszczuk said the mine will provide "generational" jobs for the region.