Ambassador Innes-Brown says Australia keen on hiring more Filipinos

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown paid a courtesy call on Senator Raffy Tulfo and discussed labor cooperation, education, defense ties, and expanding investments.

During the meeting, the two officials tackled the situation of an estimated 400,000 Filipinos currently living or working in Australia, many of whom are nurses, skilled workers, and healthcare professionals.

Ambassador Innes-Brown lauded the strong performance of Filipino workers and acknowledged their significant contribution to the Australian economy, noting that Australia continues to need more skilled labor and prefers to hire

more Filipinos.

Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committees on Migrant Workers and Public Services for his part, thanked the ambassador for what he described as the “excellent treatment” of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Australia, saying his office has not received reports of abuse or mistreatment by Australian employers.

The ambassador also shared that more Filipinos are enrolling in master’s and doctorate scholarship programs at Australian universities. He said scholars are allowed to work while studying and may bring their families with them—an initiative welcomed by Tulfo.

In addition, Innes-Brown discussed Australian government programs aimed at ensuring that Filipino scholars can immediately apply their specialized training upon returning to the Philippines. These include targeted agricultural and technical courses designed to directly benefit local communities.

On defense and maritime cooperation, the ambassador underscored that the Philippines remains a priority partner for Australia, particularly in expanding military training exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard.

Tulfo also expressed gratitude for Australia’s donation of drones to the PCG, saying these will significantly enhance maritime patrols and territorial monitoring in the West Philippine Sea, while supporting efforts to promote regional stability.

The ambassador further cited the expansion of Australian investments in the Philippines in infrastructure, education, trade, renewable energy, and agriculture, which are expected to generate around 45,000 jobs nationwide.

Tulfo thanked Innes-Brown for the visit and reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with the Australian government to further strengthen the longstanding partnership between the Philippines and Australia.

-Paraluman News