Does it surprise you to know that the Australian employment market is now more reliant on overseas talent than it was five years ago?
According to recent findings, global professionals bring fresh expertise, filling the gaps that local markets struggle to meet.
In October 2024, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that between August 2023 and August 2024, 1 million people arrived in Australia under permanent skilled visas, temporary skilled visas, and temporary work visas. That’s about 12% of the 14.4 million people employed.
The Australian Business Journal, June 11, 2025, shared some interesting findings by Robert Half, which were published on the 20th of May 2025 from their online study conducted in November 2024.
Robert Half Study Results
- 72% of Australian employers have hired a skilled applicant from another country in the past two years*.
- 46% of employers have hired a skilled applicant from another country and would do so again
- 26% of employers have employed a skilled migrant but would not hire one again
- 23% of employers have not hired a skilled migrant but would consider it
- 5% of employers have not hired a skilled applicant from another country and would not consider it
According to Clinton Marks, Director at Robert Half, employers are leveraging overseas talent for three main reasons:
- They’re seeking a diverse perspective and a boost to innovation (45%)*.
- They want to harness the ability of skilled migrants to add value quickly (39%)*. And,
- They’re needing specialist expertise (39%)*.
Clinton Marks goes on to say, “International candidates often come with a range of diverse experiences. Their exposure to different markets, cultures and technologies can be insightful for Australian organisations. Logistics, for example, is a very different proposition in Europe vs Australia. In some ways, it can give businesses a window into the future. We are witnessing clients who have hired candidates temporarily and then decided to sponsor them long-term. It is a cost to consider if the longevity of the role is ambiguous, but if you can see value in an employee, it’s an investment that may enhance the quality of your workforce. In my experience, there is a greater cost associated with substandard team members.”
Clinton believes there are other important factors to consider. “In many cases, overseas talent is often more immediately available – this is particularly advantageous for contract and short-term roles which demand a level of speed,” he says. International candidates often come with a range of diverse experiences. Their exposure to different markets, cultures and technologies can be insightful for Australian organisations. Logistics, for example, is a very different proposition in Europe vs Australia. In some ways, it can give businesses a window into the future.”
While overseas hiring is an attractive option for businesses, it’s not without its complexities. As Clinton says, “Leveraging international talent demands careful navigation.” “Many employers find immigration processes complex, slow, and costly. The short-term costs can be a deterrent for many organisations. These costs may include government visa application fees, immigration legal advice or services, relocation assistance and sponsorship training levies. Other aspects for consideration include onboarding with cultural integration. Others have been plagued by skilled migrants arriving without recognised qualifications or substantial local experience.
How employers harness the value of skilled migrants
When employers were asked why they hired a skilled migrant or would consider doing so, they identified a lack of readily available staff as only part of the reason.
- 45% of employers sought a diverse perspective to boost innovation
- 39% of employers needed a worker who could quickly add value
- 39% of employers sought specialist expertise
- 38% of employers required global knowledge
- 34% of employers cited a lack of local talent
- 34% of employers required strong business acumen
- 34% of employers want to or are undertaking global expansion
However, cultural differences and a lack of knowledge of the local market were listed as the main reasons why employers would not be willing to hire international talent or would not do so again.
- 45% of employers cited language fluency as a problem
- 44% of employers were concerned about cultural differences
- 44% of employers needed local market knowledge
- 33% of employers said visa procedures were too complex
- 31% of employers cited government regulations as their reason not to hire skilled migrants
- 28% of employers believed skilled migrants were too expensive
Jobs and Skills Australia Results
Jobs and Skills Australia conducted their own research via their online tool called the Occupation Shortage List or OSL. The OSL tool, updated annually, provides an assessment of the Australian labour market, with results about occupation shortage for states and territories, regional and metropolitan areas.
Results published October 14 2024.
- 33% of all jobs are in shortage nationally, down from 36% in 2023.
- It appears some areas continue to have high shortages. They include the categories of Technicians and Traded Workers, and Professionals – that is, Health, Engineering, Teaching and Science roles.
- Some occupations employing large numbers remain in shortage too, with Aged or Disabled Carers, Primary School Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, Truck drivers, Electricians and Child Carers.
Results published June 12 2025
- The national fill rate rose by 1.1 percentage points to 69.7%, signalling reduced difficulty in filling roles.
- Applicant numbers per vacancy were steady over the quarter but were much higher than a year ago.
- Metro (71.6%) and regional (64.3%) fill rates improved, but metro areas continue to outperform regional areas.
- While improving, Skill Level 3 occupations remain hard to fill, with a fill rate of just 55.5%, well below other skill levels.
- Health professionals dominate the most undersupplied unit groups.
What Does This Mean For You?
Australian Employers are relying heavily on global talent as a welcome relief to the workforce and skills shortages in their organisations, and many businesses are seeing how overseas talent can offer a sustainable solution to skills shortages. There’s no doubt that filling specialised roles can be arduous in the current market.
Australian employers’ reliance on skilled overseas talent to bridge local skills gaps has remained consistent with levels from three years ago, even in the face of persistent skills shortages. However, local businesses need to address short-term needs without putting the domestic talent pipelines at risk.
According to Clinton Marks, “The most effective skill shortage solutions combine global recruitment with local workforce development.”
*Source: The study was developed by Robert Half and was conducted online in November 2024, by an independent research company of 500 hiring managers and 1,000 full-time office workers in finance, accounting, business support, and IT and technology. Respondents are drawn from a sample of SMEs, and large private, publicly-listed and public sector organisations across Australia. This survey is part of the international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management and trends in the workplace.
Next Steps
Considering the ongoing labour market shortages in Australia, Visaroos encourages all skilled migrants to review the list and explore possibilities fortemporary sponsorship under the Skills in Demand subclass 482 (Core Skills Stream) visa and/or for a permanent visa option under the Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186 (Direct Entry) visa.
You can access the Skills Occupation List under each visa option:
Skills in Demand Visa (subclass 482) Core Skills Stream: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/skills-in-demand-visa-subclass-482/core-skills-stream
Relevant List: https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2024L01620/latest/text
Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) Direct Entry stream:
Relevant list: https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2024L01618/latest/text
If you’d like to discuss your migration journey and visa options
Contact via: enquire@visaroos.com
Dario Ishiyama – Principal Registered Migration Agent, Visaroos
MARN: 1800462