17 January 2008

Australian immigration 'could be key to solving skills shortage'

Australia is finding it hard to recruit staff to particular roles. The skills shortage could result in a lot more people being persuaded by the attractions of Australian immigration, according to a recruitment agency. The skills shortage means Australian employers are interviewing candidates who are suitable for roles, as and when they are available, regardless of there being a vacancy or not.

Nick Deligiannis, director of Hays, said: "There are countless cases of businesses whose growth plans are very ambitious since the demand for their services has never been stronger. But finding the staff to facilitate this growth is a different story altogether." He added that while the skills shortage does not extend to all professions or levels, "there are many hotspots where demand for certain skills simply isn't matched by supply of suitable candidates".

Some of the hotspots that are suffering from a skills shortage are construction, accountancy, human resources and information technology. It is thought all of these could profit from people in the UK opting for Australian immigration. Hays is a global leader in specialist recruitment and has over 7,750 staff in 25 countries across the world.

Australia needs skilled workers: Anyone interested in Australian immigration should complete the Australia Visa Bureau's online assessment to see if they qualify for skilled migration to Australia.