Australian human resource practitioner views & use of temporary skilled migration

Skilled migration has become a key element in Australia’s strategy to address major human capital trends and issues. These include an ageing workforce and significant skill shortages in key professional occupational groups (health, medicine, nursing, engineering, specific trades and technical occupations). The impacts these human capital trends have upon Australia’s economic sustainability and survival in a global economy is paramount. Historically, Australia has been a country dependent upon different forms of migration, however the last 10 years has seen a major shift in migration policy as Australia, along with other developed industrialised nations begin to experience the effects of an ageing population, declining fertility rates and global competition for highly skilled labour. This paper draws together recent policy initiatives and research on skilled migration in the Australian context and the implications this has for Australia’s future human capital development. Data from a survey of members of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) is presented. Human resource practitioners are at the very interface of labour supply and demand and the findings shed light upon employer sponsored temporary skilled migration activity in a range of industries and organisations in Australia.