The Federal Opposition is strengthening its "Australia First" rhetoric by re-committing to tougher restrictions on the use of temporary skilled migrants, drawing accusations of hypocrisy from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Key points: Brendan O'Connor says use of temporary work visas needs to be reviewed to assist unemployed Australians

Brendan O'Connor says use of temporary work visas needs to be reviewed to assist unemployed Australians Pauline Hanson says Labor is "taking its cues" from One Nation

Pauline Hanson says Labor is "taking its cues" from One Nation O'Connor refutes claim, says Labor believes in "non-discriminatory immigration policy"

But Labor rejected a claim by Pauline Hanson that it has found inspiration in One Nation's policies.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has already called for the Government to focus on policies that put Australia first, to help the 700,000 people who are unemployed and 1.1 million who are under-employed.

Opposition employment spokesman Brendan O'Connor said that meant the use of temporary work visas needed to be reviewed.

"Our obligation is to employ people here with the skills, and if they don't have the skills our medium and long-term ambition must be to train locals with those skills, not solely or predominantly rely upon temporary work visas," Mr O'Connor told AM.

He rejected a suggestion by Senator Hanson that Labor was now "taking its cues" from One Nation.

"We firstly believe in a non-discriminatory immigration policy, so that is a very distinct view compared to that of One Nation, we don't certainly ascribe to their view," Mr O'Connor said.

"In regard to temporary workers, we're worried about the exploitation of those workers.

"We're worried about good employers doing the right thing missing out, and we're worried that local workers who are out of the job market are missing out of opportunities.

"I think that's an entirely different proposition than the one that's being put forward by Senator Hanson."

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In essentially the same policy it took to the last election, Labor wants every business applying to use a 457 visa for a temporary skilled migrant to first advertise locally for at least four weeks.

It also wants to force a business to do that every four months if it is looking for new staff, instead of the current 12-month window.

"Over time, some employers, the minority, but a significant number are not looking any longer locally, they're looking overseas," Mr O'Connor said.

"We need to make sure we're very clear on the use of temporary work visas — that they are there to supplement the Australian workforce, not to replace the Australian workforce."

Brendan O'Connor said Labor would also consult about the future of unskilled workers on temporary work visas. ( ABC News: Marco Catalano )

The number of temporary skilled workers in Australia has fallen since 2013, but Mr O'Connor said 651 occupations were still eligible for the visa, and they were often on the list for too long.

"We have nurses and childhood educators and bricklayers and carpenters on the shortlist and yet there are bricklayers and carpenters that are unemployed," he said.

Labor would also impose local training requirements on businesses which apply to use a "significant" number of temporary workers, and put new conditions on 457 visa holders who are working in licenced occupations like plumbing.

Shorten 'the father of the 457 visas', Ciobo says

Mr Turnbull has accused Mr Shorten of being a "rank opportunist' and a "hypocrite" given his record as employment minister.

"Nobody has been better than granting 457 visas than him," he said.

"Mr Shorten's hypocrisy on the subject of foreign workers is breathtaking.

"The highest number of 457 visas was granted when he was the employment minister.

"In terms of the construction sector, he granted twice as many 457 visas when he was minister as are being granted at the moment."

Trade Minister Steve Ciobo accused Mr Shorten of being "the father of the 457 visas".

"We have seen today Bill Shorten threaten the very future of services exports from this country with this ridiculous, hypocritical position Labor has adopted in relation to 457 visas," he said.

"This is a fundamental part of Australia's services exports in the future and the Labor party is threatening that."

But Nationals MP George Christensen called for no further 457 visas to be issued in central and north Queensland.

"The unemployment rate throughout central and north Queensland is higher than the national average," he said. "In some instances, much higher."

"As such, there is no need for the issuance of any further 457 foreign worker visas in our region."

'We need to be investing in jobseekers in this country first'

Mr O'Connor said Labor would also consult about the future of unskilled workers, like backpackers or students, who arrive in Australia on temporary work visas.

He said other countries had already moved to reduce or cap the number of similar visas they issued, and Labor wanted to find ways to stop vulnerable workers being exploited.

"My preference as the shadow employment minister and as the former minister for immigration is not to need a cap, but to make sure that the use of labour is based on legitimate demand," he said.

"So I think that we need to get the parameters of this right, we need to be investing in prospective jobseekers in this country first."