The challenge to find staff continues to be the focus in the jobs market across Australia. There are critical shortages for qualified staff in all industries and job classifications. Backpackers are very slowly returning to Australia. We need them back in the market to ease some of the pressure particularly for the hospitality sector who are crying out for staff. The hospitality/tourism sectors are actively promoting that they are happy to train people with no experience. This has created a great opportunity for job seekers and students to get some paid work experience. The students are slower to return than had been anticipated. Lack of confidence in our border restrictions and other international travel constraints are still making students a little nervous or challenged to return. It will take time for students to commit to our universities with many now signing up and committed elsewhere. This has created a huge gap in our labour force.

Probably the biggest challenge facing our skills shortage currently is the very slow processing of skilled migrant visas. This process has blown out from a few months to over a year for many visa applications. The government has recently announced a directive to fast track several visa categories to help alleviate the problem. Migration numbers are targeted at 200,000 per year for the next five years. This high target may be a good plan but there needs to be a focus on skilled migration and an infrastructure plan to cope with such growth. Of course, the huge challenge of housing continues with no quick fix. Whilst industry sectors across all regions in Queensland are desperate for staff, potential employees are unable to take up roles and relocate where there is no accommodation available.

Some employers are taking the drastic measure of buying houses to accommodate staff. Local Government areas are constructing and obtaining accommodation where they can, although sourcing trades and materials remains a challenge.

We have some excellent opportunities available in regional Queensland and many of our clients are supplying accommodation. Other clients are hiring for attitude and training skills. This is proving to be a successful recruitment model in this market where sourcing any skills in the labour market is facing unprecedented times. With the perfect storm of both skills and housing shortages, there is no quick fix for either issue. Thinking outside the square, making hiring decisions quickly, being prepared to train and helping source accommodation are all criteria to be seriously considered if you want to secure the hiring of new team members. Remember there are great training initiatives available to employers to help train employees currently.

If you need some help to find people to fit in to your team for either temporary or permanent roles, please don’t hesitate to call me or our team.

We thank you for your continued support, we always appreciate working with you.