Australia considers 'AUKUS visa' to move skilled workers between countries to help submarine deal

An “AUKUS visa” is being considered to help plug workforce gaps and ensure a speedy delivery of the nuclear-powered submarine program.

Speaking at the Submarine Institute of Australia’s conference in Canberra on Tuesday, US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy said doubters of the security pact were “wrong” but work was needed to push the deal forward.

“We need to increase connectivity between systems, making it easier and faster for work to proceed,” she said.

“An AUKUS visa is one way to move this along.”

Under the AUKUS partnership, Australia has been promised at least three Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s, with a new class of nuclear-powered boats to be built for delivery in the 2040s.

Acknowledging the growing pressure on the US submarine industrial base to deliver more nuclear-powered boats, Ms Kennedy said Australian companies needed to get on board.

“What we need is more players who are ready, willing and able to participate,” she said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia was consulting with the US and UK to make it easier to move those working on the program between the three countries.

“We’ve got Australian industry personnel, those with trades, those with tertiary qualifications, who are again working in the US and UK,” he told reporters.

“So having an ease of movement of people across our three countries is going to be really important to deliver this.”

Mr Marles said there were “real challenges going forward” for AUKUS and said more work could be done in Australia to build industrial capability in companies.

“I think we’re aware of when we need to make up ground,” he said.

The defence minister reaffirmed AUKUS was “really happening” and would remain in place regardless of changes in governments, with fears a potential Trump administration could derail the partnership.