Critical skills shortage in 2023 - Australia’s demand for skilled migrants
/The end of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions has left Australia with a critical skills shortage across many industries and occupations. The inaugural Jobs and Skills Report released by the recently established government agency known as Jobs and Skills Australia, has highlighted the list of new and existing occupations that are facing severe shortages in 2023. It also provides us with an insight into the types of skilled migrants Australia currently needs most.
Below we will outline some of the key occupations that are in high demand and some of the potential visa options for those who have the relevant skills in these occupations.
What is the Jobs and Skills Report?
The Jobs and Skills Report is an analysis of Australia’s current skills and workforce needs and the emerging trends that are likely to shape these needs into the future. It is based on qualitative and quantitative data obtained from various sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and Jobs and Skills Australia. The report lists the top 20 occupations in demand by state or territory and can help shape government policy in relation to skilled migration and skilled occupation lists.
Skills and occupations that are currently in demand
In 2023, the top 5 occupations in shortage based on national job advertisements were Registered Nurses, Software and Applications Programmers, Aged and Disabled Carers, Construction Managers and Early Childhood Educators. There were an additional 66 occupations added to the skills shortage list compared to 2022. This increased the proportion of occupations in shortage in the overall Skills Priority List from 31% in 2022 to 36% in 2023. The majority of these new occupations were in high-skilled professional occupations. Here are some of the highlights of the occupations in demand:
Health Professionals, Technicians and Trades Workers as well as Community and Personal Service Workers made up the majority of the top 20 occupations in demand
Occupations where there was a persistent national shortage over the past few years include Registered Nurses, Aged and Disabled Carers, Child Care Workers, Motor Mechanics, Electricians, General Practitioners, Hairdressers and Chefs
Occupations characterised by a gender imbalance were more likely to suffer from a skills shortage. For example, male dominated occupations such as Machinery Operators and Drivers and Labourers, as well as occupations where females make up the majority of the workforce such as Registered Nurses and Early Education occupations were amongst those occupations that were found to be in shortage
Skills shortages were often characterised by a lack of qualified applicants for each advertised position, a lack of suitable applicants per job and challenges in retaining workers in certain occupations.
Regional areas suffered from acute shortages in highly skilled occupations such as GPs, Registered Nurses and Engineers as well as other occupations such as Child Care Workers
Ways to satisfy the demand for skilled workers
There are two main strategies to address this shortage of skilled workers in Australia.
The first is to develop and train Australian citizens and permanent residents to fill some of these shortages. However, this approach may take some time as there can be a lag time before these workers reach the skill level required to adequately fill the job vacancies in Australia.
The second approach is to recruit skilled migrants from overseas on either temporary or permanent visas. These skilled workers are expected to already have the necessary skills, experience and required training to quickly fill roles in demand in the Australian workforce.
The recently announced changes by the Department of Home Affairs to the employer sponsored visa programs such as the Subclass 482 visa and the Subclass 186 visa is aimed at addressing the national skills shortage.
Potential visa options for skilled migrants
If you have the skills and experience in one of the occupations in demand, there are a number of possible visa options that may be available to you. Those who have an Australian employer willing to sponsor or nominate them, may consider either the Subclass 482 Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa or the Subclass 186 Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS) visa. As mentioned above, there will be some new arrangements for these visas from 25 November 2023.
To fill vacant short term positions of between 3 to 6 months, overseas workers and their prospective Australian employers may choose to opt for the Subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa.
A more direct and permanent pathway to consider for overseas workers who do not have a prospective employer or prefer not to be tied to a particular employer would be one of the points tested skilled visas such as the Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, the Subclass 190 State Nominated visa or the Subclass 491 Regional Provisional visa.
Immigration advice for applicants and employers
The team at Titan Migration can provide you with helpful advice and professional guidance on the most appropriate visa for your situation. If you're an employer looking to recruit overseas workers or if you are a prospective employee considering different options to apply for a visa to work in Australia, you can book a consultation with us to better understand the process and requirements.
Talk to a Registered Migration Agent today!
Peter Chang
Registered Migration Agent
Titan Migration
About Peter Chang
Peter Chang is a registered migration agent and the co-founder of Titan Migration, a consultancy specialising in providing Australian immigration advice and visa assistance services. He is a NSW Justice of the Peace and has previously worked in the Commonwealth and NSW Public Service.
