Attracting Skilled Foreign Talent to Australia
If, 10 years ago, you had asked somebody from the Asia Pacific, Europe, or the UK which foreign country they would most like to move to for work, there’s a good chance that each person would have offered the same answer – the United States of America.
A recent report co-authored by Boston Consulting Group and The Network has turned this notion on its head. The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally shifted views on desirable work locations. Underscoring the shift in attitudes, two Middle Eastern cities (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) and two Asian cities (Tokyo and Singapore) now rank higher than New York on the list of specific work destinations.
The report cites that “Asia-Pacific countries, have done a better job of containing the virus, and this has helped them move up in the rankings. Indeed, two Asia-Pacific countries are among the top ten for the first time: Singapore, which has surged ten spots since 2018 and is now eighth, and New Zealand, which is now tenth. New Zealand has been a model of effective coronavirus management almost since the pandemic began and has other appealing characteristics.”
Australia was one of two countries (the other being Japan) which appeared in the previous top 10 rankings in 2018 which have seen the biggest improvement in their top 10 ranking in the 2020 report. Australia moved 4 places from 7th in 2018 to 3rd in 2020, and Japan moved 4 places from 10th in 2018 to 6th in 2020.
Movement in Desireable Places to Work 2014 to 2020
The timing of this report is critical. Governments worldwide are scrambling to re-open their international borders to kick start their economies following a prolonged period of shutdown. Key to driving economic growth is the ability for developed economies to attract talent – particularly skills which are in high demand arising from the impact of COVID-19 such as medical and information technology professionals, as well as business executive roles.
The Australian Government has recognised that the next war for talent will be unlike any other we have witnessed and has been engaging with the business community during the pandemic to design the new skilled talent immigration program.
To underscore the looming battle to attract skilled talent in short supply, an Australian Government Parliamentary committee released an interim report on 18 March 2021 which recommended exemptions to mandatory labour market testing (job advertisement) for roles to be filled by foreign nationals.
The interim report also recommended the Australian government reserve places on international flights and in quarantine for skilled migrants and for their pathways to permanent residency in Australia be made easier.
To learn more about how Australia is supporting business to attract and retain the skilled foreign talent it needs to drive growth, please register to attend the session being hosted by the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI).
Details of the webinar including online registration to attend the event can be found here.