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Australia is set to introduce stricter visa requirements for skilled overseas workers in a move which could affect thousands of Britons.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced this week plans to abolish the 457 visa programme, which is used to hire foreign workers in the restaurant, IT and medical industries.

The Australian PM hopes scrapping the visas will help prioritise its own nationals for jobs.

The visa programme is largely used by Indian, British and Chinese nationals, totaling about 170,000 people and their families.

About 20 per cent, 34,000, are British nationals living in Australia.

The scheme has been criticised by some for being too accessible to foreign nationals, having been originally designed to fill gaps in the skilled market.

Mr Turnbull, echoing the policy of US President Donald Trump, hailed the policy as “putting Australians first”.

He said: “We are an immigration nation, but the fact remains Australian workers must have priority for Australian jobs.

“We'll no longer allow 457 visas to be passports to jobs that could and should go to Australians."

A new temporary visa will replace the programme and last between two or four years, which Mr Turnbull said will “better target” skilled workers.

More than 200 jobs will be removed from an existing list of about 650 eligible professions.

The measures will be introduced immediately, but those already holding 457 visas will be exempt from any changes.

Some businesses and workers have criticised scrapping the visas.

Benjamin Williams, who was about to be sponsored for a 457 visa, told the BBC: "I'm absolutely devastated and don't know what to do or where to go from here.

“How can the government make such massive changes in one afternoon?"