Aussie blasts migration visa list after exposing 'skilled' job that foreigners can apply for so they can live in the country: 'Farcical'

By SARAH BROOKES - SENIOR REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 02:04, 12 April 2026 | Updated: 02:04, 12 April 2026 An Aussie has slammed the country's migration program after it was revealed dog grooming is among the 'skilled' jobs foreigners can apply for to get a visa.   Sustainable Population Australia spokesman Michael Bayliss said the government's skilled migration jobs program lists nearly 700 occupations that have no genuine skills shortage. He said visas should not be granted where no genuine job shortage exists. 'The skilled migration list is a complete and utter cluster f***,' he said. 'The federal government has such a low opinion of your skillset that it is willing to look overseas for qualified dog groomers and zoo keepers.  'If this sounds farcical to you, it's because it is.' Mr Bayliss said it was time the skilled migration list was culled. 'For the past two decades, governments have been systematically slashing tertiary training within Australia,' he said. Sustainable Population Australia spokesman Michael Bayliss (pictured) said the government's skilled migration jobs program lists nearly 700 occupations with no genuine skills shortage The government continues to recruit foreign workers for everyday jobs Australians could do  from grooming dogs to saving swimmers (stock image) 'They then cry foul claiming we have no option but to gather skills from overseas.  'This is a case of politicians finding solutions for the problems they created in the first place.' The Home Affairs working visa skills list also includes actors, dancers, acupuncturists, antique dealers, beauty therapists, deer farmers and lifeguards.  Other listed occupations included real estate agents, caravan park managers, horse racing officials, marriage counsellors, funeral directors and flower growers.  SPA describes itself as an 'independent not-for-profit organisation seeking to protect the environment and our quality of life by ending population growth in Australia and globally'.  President Peter Strachan called on the government to require overseas applicants to be sponsored by an employer before being granted a skilled visa. He said the argument for population growth failed to grapple with an increasingly volatile global environment. 'At a time of increasing global uncertainty and rising risks associated with conflict, weather extremes, fractured trade logistics and the prospect of rising food insecurity, a policy of rapid population expansion would be foolish in the extreme,' he said. Lifeguards are listed on the Home Affairs website as skills in demand in Australia Last month, Australia set a new immigration record with almost half a million people arriving in the country last year, according to conservative think tank The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA). The IPA, which includes former prime minister Tony Abbott as an affiliate, published its analysis of the latest Overseas Arrivals and Departures database from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It found net permanent and long-term arrivals to the country totalled 494,540 in the 12 months to January 2026, the highest in recorded history. IPA senior fellow Dr Kevin You said the arrivals were people who had moved to Australia with a declared intention to stay for a year or longer. 'Records continue to be smashed with this government's promise to cut migration in absolute tatters,' he  said.  'The number of people coming to settle in Australia reached record highs, as the size of Australia's migrant population is growing larger than ever. 'The Albanese government has been unable or unwilling to genuinely reform our migration system.' Home Affairs data shows there were 2.98million temporary visa holders staying or residing in Australia on January 1. Home Affairs data shows there were nearly 3million temporary visa holders staying or residing in Australia on January 1 IPA noted this was the highest number on record, marking a 4.24 per cent growth from the previous year. While promising to reduce net figures, the government is focusing on a 185,000-place permanent migration program for 2025-26, tightening temporary visa pathways to manage housing and infrastructure strain.  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended the nation's migration rate while also claiming his government had significantly lowered the total number of people moving to Australia. 'When it comes to migration numbers, we have cut the net migration figures by over 40 per cent in a year,' he said. 'The number of people arriving now is lower than it was under the Coalition. 'The latest population statement released in early January confirmed that population growth is expected to slow to 1.3 per cent in the current financial year.' One Nation's federal party proposes deporting about 75,000 migrants currently residing in Australia on overstayed visas, capping visas to 130,000 a year, and banning migration from countries 'known to foster extremist ideologies'.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. 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