Australia is stumbling with an acute skill shortage in the country. Many jobs are going unfilled as Australian employers are unable to find skilled workers with specialized skills. A report titled “The path to prosperity: Why the future of work is human” released by Deloitte says that nearly 243,200 jobs lay vacant in May 2019. This indicated an increase of 0.3% as compared to February 2019.
The Department of Employment, Skills, Small, and Family Business does regular research to recognize the skill shortages in Australia. The Department releases the skill shortage occupation at the national, state and regional levels.
The report suggests that the following occupations are facing skill shortage:
- Automotive Trades occupations like Motor Mechanics, Electricians, Vehicle painters
- Engineering occupations like civil, mechanical and electrical
- Engineering Trade occupations like mechanists, aircraft maintenance engineers, metal fitters
- Food Trades occupations like bakers, chefs, cooks, butchers etc.
- Health Professionals like speech therapists, optometrists, sonographers etc.
- Teachers
- Nurses
The Australian Skilled Occupation Lists is divided into:
- Medium and Long-Term Skill Shortage List
- Short Term Skill Shortage List
- Regional Occupation List
Though, the immigration department can only invite migrants on the basis of its occupational ceiling that provides a brief idea about which occupations are in demand and which are not. The occupational ceilings for the most popular jobs are:
Occupation Name
|
Occupation Ceiling
|
Registered Nurses
|
17,509
|
Software and Applications Programmers*
|
8748
|
Electricians
|
8624
|
Carpenters and Joiners
|
8536
|
Secondary School Teachers
|
8052
|
Metal Fitters and Mechanists
|
7007
|
Motor Mechanics
|
6399
|
Management consultant
|
5269
|
Plumbers
|
5060
|
Solicitors
|
4650
|
Sports Coaches, Instructors, and Officials
|
4071
|
Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers
|
3983
|
Civil Engineering Professionals
|
3772
|
General Practitioners and Resident Medical officers
|
3550
|
University Lecturers and Tutors
|
3407
|
As per the Deloitte report, Australia will struggle with a skill shortage in critical occupations. The skill shortage will differ by industry and be felt throughout the Australian economy. There will be more than 2 million requirements of education, health, professional services and govt. services workers in the near future.
