Skills shortages in Australia and Ireland: working holidays and migration work both ways

A partnership has been formed between NexVentur and the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce to address skills shortages in both Ireland and Australia. We take a closer look at the jobs landscape and outlook for both countries.

Pre Covid, around 15,000 people moved from Ireland to Australia each year. Some were just temporary, popping across on the Working Holiday Visas available to under 35s to get a taste of life and job experience Down Under, while others intended to stay longer or pursue the route of permanent residency.

Working in Australia post the pandemic

Then Covid struck. Australia’s stringent lockdown measures might have curbed the spread of the virus, however, it has left people wary of travelling to Australia for a job. In an interview with 9News, Deloitte partner Fiona Webb said “Our pandemic-era border policies created a lingering level of uncertainty among potential skilled migrants.”

Similarly, Australia Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor told 9News: “Insofar as skilled migration is concerned, we know how important that is to employers. It is not a binary choice.” He added that the government was working with state and territory counterparts around the country to determine the way forward in the labour market.

The 10 most in-demand jobs in Australia

Australia’s jobs summit on 1st and 2nd September 2022 examines the challenges of filling jobs across the sectors. Here are the top 10 most in-demand jobs that will need to be filled in the short to medium term, as identified by the Australian Government:

• Construction managers
• Civil engineering professionals
• Early childhood teachers
• Registered nurses
• ICT (information and communications technology) business and systems analysts
• Software and applications programmers
• Electricians
• Chefs
• Child carers
• Age and disability carers

Good news for Australia is that Immigration levels have started rising slowly post-pandemic and, while they’re not what they were, things are looking up.

The Great Reconsideration – Ireland’s Jobs Market Challenge

While Australia raises the alert on its skills shortages, Ireland is looking to fill some big holes as industries grow post pandemic. From hospitality to finance, the lowest paid workers to the highest paid, employers across the sectors are complaining of staff shortages. With unemployment at less than 5 percent, the job market is tight. It’s an employees’ market! Internationally the buzz has been about the “Great Resignation” as employees in their droves reconsidered their life objectives during Covid and dropped out of employment completely. However, as the Irish Times reports, this is not something that overwhelmed Ireland. In fact, the abiding trend has been that, during the pandemic, employees reevaluated their careers and, on returning to work, many changed jobs or shifted to another sector entirely, coining the phrase “The Great Reconsideration”.

Ireland’s most in-demand jobs

It is well documented that the pandemic propelled most companies into a digital mindset, with many innovative solutions being created to address the closure of bricks-and-mortar spaces and employees working from home. Online shopping has exploded. Coupled with a need for IT skills in growing specialties such as cloud computing, gaming, data analytics and artificial intelligence, it’s not surprising that digital and computing skills are in hot demand.

“Society is ageing and that will lead to more jobs in pharma and med tech,” says Tony Donohoe chairman of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN). “Together, ICT, pharma and finance are predicted to create 75,000 new jobs in Ireland over coming years.”

Here’s a list of the big skills demands that are set to grow as we head towards 2025, from the Irish Times:

• ICT (Information and Computing Technology)
• Digital Marketing
• Pharmaceuticals
• Finance
• Climate Change
• Tourism and Hospitality
• Languages
• International Business Skills such as International Selling & Marketing, Supply Chain Management and Logistics

Working Holiday Visas for Australia and Ireland

The partnership between NexVentur and the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce has been formed to address both countries’ skills needs. As they look for solutions outside their borders, one opportunity is the reciprocal Working Holiday Visa arrangement between them for 18-35 year olds. Irish people can work and travel in Australia for up to 12 months, with options to extend if they meet certain criteria. In Ireland the visa allows Australian citizens to engage in casual or temporary work for up to 12 months.  Apply through the Embassy of Ireland. More permanent work for Australians in Ireland would be through work sponsorships, which NexVentur facilitates.

Career progression and perks

“In order to attract top talent internationally, employers are offering increasingly attractive packages that include relocation assistance, car hire, accommodation assistance, childcare assistance and flights home for the holidays,” says Kenny Feeney, co-founder and director of NexVentur, which offers an end-to end recruitment and relocation service between Ireland and the UK and Australia, for migrants and expats returning home.

Irish people returning to Ireland

NexVentur currently has more than 700 Irish candidates heading off to Australia before the end of the year. Assisting them with finding employment before they leave home is a primary objective for the agency.

“Our all-encompassing relocation service also helps people make the move with confidence and ensures they arrive in their new country stress free and ready to hit the ground running,” says Kenny.

Many Irish intend extending their Working Holiday Visas for a second or third year (currently not an option for Australians in Ireland). For those coming home, the Returning Migrants Programme is a joint venture between NexVentur and the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce aimed at assisting Irish professionals in Australia transition back to Ireland. With the assistance of NexVentur, a large number will return home a year or two later, refreshed, brimming with life experience and having gained valuable professional skills and experience and often additional education and training from their Australian employers, ready to re-integrate into the Irish job market and provide employers with added value from their Australian experience.

For more information or to book a free consultation with NexVentur’s Recruitment and Relocation specialists, email hello@nexventur.com or fill in the form below.

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How NexVentur can help you:

As recruitment and relocation specialists, NexVentur can assist you in finding the right job plus we’ll help get you there. Our services include:

• Recruitment in Ireland and Australia
• Arranging your visas
• Assisting with professional registrations
• Flights with extra baggage, priority boarding and lounge access
• Setting up your overseas bank account
• Setting up your PPS or Australian Tax File Number (TFN)
• Money transfer
• Mortgages
• Assisting with move logistics
• Relocation advice – all members of our team have relocated at least once in our lives, so we know how it feels and the challenges you face.