WA Migration Strategy to Address Skill Shortages

The Western Australia state government will join forces with the Chamber of Commerce and industry Australia (CCIWA) and Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA (CME) to develop a skilled migration strategy to address the state’s looming skills shortage.

Training and workforce development minister Peter Collier outlined the key areas the strategy would address including:

• Assessing existing migration policy and practices and looking at how this needs to change to better meet the needs of the state’s skill shortages

• Analysing the role temporary and permanent skilled migration plays in meeting skill shortages

• Identifying any barriers to WA being a destination of choice for skilled and business migrants

• Considering international students, business migration, interstate migration, a regional perspective, and the impact on social and hard infrastructure

This project is expected to be vital in alleviating the predicted future skill and labour shortages whilst maximising opportunities for Western Australians.

According to CCIWA, an additional 400,000 workers will be required in WA over the next 10 years. Over 26,000 of these workers would be needed in the resources sector alone.

The WA skilled migration strategy is expected to be released in June.

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