150 occupations facing shortage of workers in Australia

Minister Stuart Robert said these occupations were most commonly for technicians, trade workers, machinery operators, drivers and carers. Baristas and traffic controllers were also jobs in demand, he said.  

Robert said though the unemployment rate fell in July month-on-month, the numbers could be misleading and would probably “jump around” for the next few months. Last month, the unemployment rate dropped from 4.9% down to 4.6%, but that’s got a lot to do with a decrease in the participation rate, he said. 

He urged jobseekers to make use of the federal government’s JobTrainer scheme, adding that five of the 10 most popular JobTrainer courses were in the “key growth” care sector, including aged care, disability care and early childhood care. “Now is a great time to get a skill,” he said. 

The agricultural sector in the country is also facing an acute shortage of workers, prompting deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce to recently announce a new Agricultural Worker Visa which will look overseas to get the manpower necessary. 

“It will give regional Australia the workers they need to get produce to plate in Australia, as well as our export markets,” he said. 

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Australian farmers have been facing ongoing workforce shortages since the seasonal workers programmes ground to a halt as the pandemic forced the country to close its borders. 

The Agricultural Worker Visa system is expected to start no later than September 30, 2021, and will be open to skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers from a range of countries, according to new.com.au.