Australia is a country that’s especially attractive to would-be migrants from the UK. We already speak the language, and share much of the same culture and traditions – which means that those emigrating to Australia from the UK will have an easy time fitting in once they’ve arrived.
There are a number of different ways to obtain the right to settle in Australia. Of these, perhaps the most obvious is the skilled migrant visa. Prospective migrants demonstrate that they’ve the skills necessary to contribute to the Australian economy, and they’re granted citizenship in return.
Of course, the extent to which these skills match up will depend on the famous Australian ‘points-based’ system, which awards points to would-be migrants based on things like their age, experience, qualifications, and how in-demand the skills in question are in Australia.
For those of us looking for a route into the country, then, it’s worth considering which jobs in Australia are most in demand. If you’ve already been offered a job in the country, then your chances will be even better – so it’s worth investigating skill shortages before you even think about applying.
The good news is that the Australian job market is thriving – they’re creating more jobs than they can reasonably fill. According to a survey by Manpower Group, which asked more than 1,500 firms whether they’d had trouble filling vacancies over the past year, 38% replied that they had. Among the most common reasons cited were a lack of experience among the available applicants.
Let’s examine some of the most in-demand jobs in the country. If you’re considering a move down under over the course of the next few years, then any of these occupations might prove a worthwhile one.
Skilled Trades and Engineers
While the term ‘skilled trades’ is a rather broad one, these positions sit regularly at the top of surveys of the Australian labour market. If you’ve experience in plastering, carpentry or bricklaying, then there’s a chance that you’ll find work in Australia. In recent years, this demand has been driven by the emergence of infrastructure development projects near major population hubs like Victoria and New South Wales.
For similar reasons, the demand for qualified engineers has also steadily risen over the last few years. If you’re a qualified engineer, you’re far more likely to be granted a skilled migrant visa – and if you’ve already been offered a job, then this likelihood is still greater.
Management
Of course, a good chunk of the talent most in demand in Australia is decision-making talent. A good manager or executive can make the difference between a company thriving and floundering – which is part of the reason that executives at the top end of the spectrum command such eye-watering salaries. As Australia’s economy grows, the demand for international, experience executives will only rise. But this is also so of management further down the corporate hierarchy.
IT staff
Qualifications, experience and skill in IT will be hugely valuable in Australia, just as it is elsewhere in the world. As ever, the more specialised your expertise is, the likelier you’ll be to find work. Network engineers and IT specialists in growth areas like cloud computing will have an easier time securing work.
Accountants
Just as a country that’s growing needs workers to actually build its infrastructure, it also needs accountants to make sure that its finances are being directed in the right way. Thus, accountants are forever in demand – and experienced ones even more so. If you’re an accountant, you’ll find getting into Australia via the skilled migrant process relatively straightforward.
Doctors
As any population grows, so too will its demand for skilled medical practitioners. Nursing staff generally aren’t as sought-after as doctors, and general practitioners aren’t as in-demand as highly specialised surgeons and consultants. That said, all doctors – even the lowliest ones – are enormously qualified specialists by the standards of the general workforce. If you’ve got a PhD and any sort of experience making sick people well again, then the chances are you’ll sail through the skilled migrant process and be awarded Australian citizenship with the minimum fuss.
Drivers
Thus far we’ve mostly examined highly-skilled jobs – but there are some positions which can be filled without spending decades honing a craft. Australia is a large country, and shipping cargo across its length requires drivers. If you’re looking to see the sights of Australia, then you’ll be able to do so from behind the wheel of a truck.