The Hon Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, met with over 30 members of the Global Adelaide network on Wednesday 28 June 2023. The meeting included representatives across many industry sectors in South Australia – construction, housing, building, horticulture, food, primary industries, motor trades, aged care, disability care, primary producers, freight, transport, forest products, entrepreneurship, distinguished talent, property, defence, business, restaurant, hotels and catering – and Regional Development Organisations, who all expressed challenges in finding appropriately skilled and experienced local staff. The discussion shed light on the pressing issues surrounding skilled migration and its impact on the local labour market. Representatives from various sectors voiced concerns about skills recognition, the wage threshold increase, occupation lists, and regional workforce shortages. The meeting highlighted the need for collaboration between government bodies, industry associations, and employers to address these challenges and ensure the sustainable growth of the South Australian economy.
The importance of diversity in the labour market and the role of skilled migration in achieving population growth is significant in South Australia. The inadequacies of occupation lists and the lack of recognition for technical skills is another area of concern. The Minister acknowledged the need for skills recognition and finding ways to bridge the gap between international experience and qualifications, with local expectations. This is seen as a critical building block for the future of the skilled visa regime and is one of the key challenges in migration reform. Continued discussions with industry groups and invested parties is needed to ensure semi skilled and skilled occupations nominated can align better with industry needs and the global competition for skills. Although Jobs and Skills Australia will play a significant role in this, there is a need to collaboration with regions to ensure that this perspective is considered.
The aged care and disability sector brought attention to specific challenges in their industries, with escalation in demand anticipated over the coming years. The Minister expressed interest in measuring the effectiveness of the Aged Care Labour Agreement and emphasised the need for a collaborative approach to finding solutions. Concerns were raised about the reduction in student visa hours, affecting the disability sector’s service delivery, and the need to strike a balance between education and work opportunities for international students was discussed.
There are many challenges faced by small businesses, particularly in regional areas, in accessing skilled migration due to red tape, risk and cost barriers. Exploring industry sponsorship was posed as a potential solution, as was further education that targets raising awareness of the programs available, particularly with international student work rights changing. The need to enrich regional communities by enabling skilled migration and addressing regional wage disparities was highlighted.
Several sectors, including construction, freight, and forestry, expressed concerns about workforce shortages. They called for more ‘tools in the toolbox’, such as changing training requirements and improving skills recognition, to address these shortages.
The industry meeting, hosted by Global Adelaide at Thomson Geer, shed light on the challenges and opportunities related to skilled migration in Adelaide and South Australia’s labour market. It highlighted the need for skills recognition, occupation list reforms, regional workforce development, and collaboration between government bodies, industry associations, and employers. The Minister acknowledged the importance of attracting the right talent in a timely fashion to drive economic growth, sustain industry and encourage entrepreneurship. He stressed the need for cooperative federalism to address infrastructure issues, social cohesion, and community engagement. By addressing these issues collectively, Adelaide can attract and retain skilled workers, promote economic growth, and ensure a prosperous future for the South Australian economy.