The employment market in Australia relies to a certain extent on workers from overseas to fill any shortages in skills among the local labour force. Programs like the federal government’s SkillSelect work by identifying any areas where there are shortages and then helping hopeful migrants with the right skills to fast-track their application. As migration agents in Australia, we are aware that IT skills are in particular demand at the moment.
Helping people achieve their Aussie dream
The SkillSelect system is mutually beneficial for both employers and migrants. It gives employers access to the skilled workers they need and may have trouble finding otherwise, while at the same time helping a number of qualified people achieve their goal of living and working in Australia.
The list of in-demand skills is updated each year and migrants who wish to participate must first register an expression of interest with SkillSelect, and then submit a visa application for a skilled migration visa. Once this has been submitted, they may then be invited to submit an application for an Australian visa, depending on the information contained in the expression of interest.
IT workers in demand
IT skills were high on the list of in-demand occupations last year and it looks like the trend is set to continue this year.
Recent government figures show that programmers and network professionals will make up more than a quarter of the migration intake in the federal government’s SkillSelect program in 2016-17. This is good news for potential migrants with the right IT skills who are keen to make the move to Australia permanently. Current Australian residents who are considering their career options may also be interested to know the areas that are in demand.
Migrants hoping to come to Australia permanently through the SkillSelect program will need a minimum of 65 points to be eligible.
The most sought-after IT skills
The Australian job market is ever changing and there is more demand for some specific IT skill sets than for others. According to the figures from the federal government, the most in-demand IT occupations for 2016-17 are:
- Systems analysts
- Software programmers
- Application programmers
Potential migrants who have skills and qualifications in these areas may be able to expedite their application.
Why are IT skills so sought after?
IT skills are in high demand across the globe. There are a number of reasons for this, but the main factor is the digitisation and mobile optimisation of businesses.
As consumers expect more in terms of mobile accessibility and digital capabilities from their product and service providers, these businesses rely more and more on skilled workers to update them so they can meet these expectations.
The demand for these skills means that employers are getting more competitive in a bid to attract the skilled employees they need. This is encouraging news for IT workers both within Australia and outside Australia. As technology evolves, there is a good chance that IT skills will remain in demand in the future.
Any potential migrants hoping to come to Australia on a skilled worker visa or as part of the SkillSelect program should speak to a migration agent for personalised advice.
