Australian visa backlog keeping engineers out of country amid skills shortage

Wait time for 476 visa, for overseas graduates who want to work or study in Australia for up to 18 months, has blown out to 41 months

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing

Australia's vast visa backlog is trapping engineering graduates out of the country for up to four years, compounding the skills shortages and causing heartache, frustration and depression among applicants.

The engineering job vacancy rate has increased 97% in 12 months, something the main industry body, Engineers Australia, fears could have a catastrophic" impact, including by delaying major infrastructure projects relied upon for the nation's economic recovery.