Western Australia will require more Australian work visa holders to fill skills gaps
January 07 2010 by Liam Clifford
Skills shortage in Western Australia means the region needs more Australian work visa holders to keep up with the economic recovery.
Small
and medium sized businesses in Western Australia are underprepared for
the skills shortages they may face later in the year, according to the
Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC).
The SBDC says most firms in the region either have not yet seen a rise
in the demand for skilled workers or do not believe there will be a
rise in demand later in the year. However, it predicts that as the
economy recovers, skills shortages will become a major problem and
firms will need to hire Australian work visa holders to fill these
emerging gaps.
The oil, gas, iron ore, gold and uranium sectors are all set for a
major boost in activity later in 2010, in the light of major mining
investment in the region. As a result of this, mining firms are
expected to once again feel the need to attract foreigners to move to
Australia and work in the mining industry.
The acting managing director of the SBDC, Jacky Finlayson, said, “it
appears that many small business operators are unaware of the
likelihood that skills shortages will soon be a major issue for WA once
again.”
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