08 October 2007

Lack of oil and gas experts a 'major concern' for Australian immigration

An international report has revealed that production of oil and natural gas in Australia will be restricted by the severe shortage of qualified engineers and project managers. Mining companies are competing for the limited pool of skilled workers and offering very competitive salaries for engineers with Australian Visas.

The Cambridge Energy Research Associates in Massachusetts conducted a survey of more than 400 projects around the world. The report revealed that the industry will have ten to 15 per cent less engineers than required by 2010.

"There's a shortage of skills at all levels in Australia, particularly the oil and gas industry," Beach Petroleum managing director Reg Nelson told the Advertiser newspaper. "There's a lost generation largely because the oil price was too low for 20 years.

"So there's been a lack of investment in infrastructure, exploration and especially in people. It takes five years to get someone through university and another five years to gain experience. It's a major concern and a limiting factor in getting some projects off the ground."

The booming mining industry is causing job shortages in many other sectors of the economy as people flock to Western Australia and leave widespread job vacancies.

Australia needs skilled engineers: Anyone applying for an Australian visa should begin by completing the Australian Visa Bureau's online Australian visa application to see if they meet the Australian visa requirements.