Australia's Opposition approves terms of China-Australia FTA

Australia's Opposition on Wednesday agreed with the government on terms which would allow the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) to go ahead.

Following a meeting between Labor senator Penny Wong and the government's Trade Minister, Andrew Robb, Labor's caucus room approved the deal on Wednesday morning, which now includes a number of small changes to Australia's Migration Act.

Under Labor's requests, the government will require businesses to apply labor market testing to all new work agreements. Previously, the government indicated it would apply mandatory market testing to work worth in excess of 110 million U.S. dollars.

The Opposition has indicated that it gives Australian workers the first right to secure jobs before they are offered to overseas workers.

Also included in the agreement, workers coming into Australia who require the temporary work visa known as 457 will now be required to be licensed in Australia for the specific work they have been brought in for.

Lastly, Labor requested that wages paid to workers gaining entry Australia because of the trade deal would be regulated so that the undercutting Australian wages would not occur.

Labor had previously threatened to block the deal over its concerns that the agreement would negatively affect Australian jobs and worker's rights.