15 September 2008

South Australia looking for Kiwi workers

The South Australian Government is launching a recruitment drive in Auckland next weekend in preparation for the massive mining industry expansion taking off in regional Australia, reports the NZ Herald.

The Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann, is heading to the NZ Herald Your Career Expo being held 27th – 28th September 2008.  Being an ex-patriot from New Zealand, Rann will be imploring more Kiwis to move to Australia and become part of the mining and technological boom. 

"We are going to need hundreds of thousands of new workers," he said. 

The South Australian Government is targeting New Zealand workers because they have a high level of skills, transferable cultural values, and do not require an Australian visa to live, work or holiday in Australia.

The state is now considered to have the fourth largest potential in the global minerals industry, and $25 billion worth of investment is already in the stages of planning.  BHP-Billiton is also developing the world’s largest mine in South Australia, Olympic Dam mine, which is situated 560 km north of Adelaide and will have $1 trillion worth in minerals including gold, uranium and copper.

The Premier has said electrical, mechanical, production and civil engineers, computer professionals, electricians, and mechanical and fabrication trades will be the priority to attract from New Zealand.  Others occupations on his shortage list will include nurses and midwives, community workers, builders, architects and chefs.

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The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people apply for an Australia visa.

Article by Jessica Bird, Australian Visa Bureau.