Migration rebound slowed by Australians leaving the country since borders reopened

That is one finding of a Deloitte Access Economics employment forecast, to be released on Monday, which adds to calls ahead of the jobs and skills summit to improve pathways to permanency for skilled migrants.

Separate to the Deloitte report, the government released the top 10 in demand professions for Australia over the next five years, based on the skills priority list, data on job vacancies and projected growth in employment.

Construction managers, civil engineering professionals, early childhood teachers, registered nurses, ICT and system analysts and software and application programmers top the list, with electricians, chefs, child carers and aged and disabled carers rounding it out.

While business and unions agree on the need for an increase, unions are pushing a range of conditions including a dramatic increase in the pay floor for foreign workers from $53,000 a year to $90,000 a year, to ensure they are not used to undercut local wages and are filling genuine shortages.

With a massive backlog in visa processing, Australia is prioritising applications from offshore permanent migrants, causing further delays for those on temporary visas already in Australia.

Universities Australia also wants microcredentials to be formally accredited, and student loans to be extended to people studying shorter courses.