Australia is experiencing perhaps its greatest ever engineering skill shortage. This is despite the fact that governments have committed to numerous important infrastructure projects, which means there are and will be plenty of engineering jobs now and in the future. 

In response, engineering peak body Engineers Australia has issued something of a call to arms. Its report “Strengthening the engineering workforce in Australia” canvasses a range of challenges and outlines actions governments, industry and the tertiary sector can take to help fill those jobs and boost capacity across all facets of the profession. 

We previously looked at the value of increasing the participation of women as one possible solution to the skill shortage. A second significantly underutilised cohort identified in the report are overseas-born engineers who live within Australia. 

Access the best international talent with ease through our 482 visa sponsorship program. 

While more than half of Australia’s engineering workforce were born overseas, research in 2021 found these engineers are significantly more likely to be unemployed than those born here: “The research confirmed many overseas-born engineers struggle to find work in industry and the ones that do, are often in roles not commensurate with their skill or experience level.” 

So what are the barriers, and what can be done to make better use of this untapped talent pool? 

Seven barriers holding migrant engineers back 

In conducting their original research for Engineers Australia, independent consultancy Pollinate surveyed 817 migrant engineers. This included 775 skilled visa holders (95 per cent) and 42 humanitarian visa holders (five per cent). The most represented countries of origin were India (12 per cent) and the US (eight per cent). Smaller cohorts came from the Philippines, Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt, Nepal, Syria, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. 

The researchers also conducted in-depth interviews with a smaller sample of migrants holding different kinds of visas, along with migration agents, and recruiters and employers of engineers. Ultimately the study identified seven key barriers:

1. A lack of local knowledge and experience: “Specifically,” say the researchers, “this refers to knowledge around local standards and exposure to the company’s software and equipment, as well as local connections for varying processes.” 

2. Perceived cultural differences in soft skills: “There is a sense that cultural soft skills and language are (or can be) lost in translation, which requires an investment in time to overcome.” 

3. Visa or sponsorship working rights issues: “Navigating the world of visas and sponsorship is felt to be time-consuming and expensive. It is seen as complex, inconsistent, and ever-changing.” 

4. A lack of people who can ‘vouch’ for them locally: “The engineering profession is fairly small, and employers often choose to rely on feedback from their own networks rather than the candidate’s referees when hiring new employees.” 

5. Certification queries: “There is existing uncertainty around whether overseas certifications are relevant to engineering in Australia.” 

6. ‘Flight risk’ concerns: “Employers spoke of their uncertainty around migrant engineers’ commitment to staying in Australia.” 

7. Tendency to hire from personal “networks” for senior roles: “When looking to fill senior positions, companies are, in effect, recruiting networks.” 

How do we remove the barriers? 

One of the key issues identified by the report is that recruiters and employers have tended to see migrant engineers as disparate and dispersed. It recommends instead we come to view this group as a collective talent pool that can be readily accessed. 

Other recommendations included improving information sharing about employment pathways, developing opportunities for local knowledge, experience and networking, and assisting humanitarian visa holders with their credentials assessments. Basically, it’s about making sure these workers have access to credible, transparent information and to the opportunities they need to be able to participate, thrive and grow in the profession in Australia. 

The report doesn’t seek to resolve issues of conscious or unconscious bias, which it acknowledges is likely to shape hiring decisions in some circumstances. However, it is hoped that by taking these practical steps to increase migrants’ participation in the engineering workforce, it will help offset stereotypical mindsets and bias to instead demonstrate the value that they contribute. After all, the benefits of having more diverse teams have been well established. 

In a candidate short market, employers may also need to rethink some of their pre-conceptions about the ‘ideal candidate’ for the role and focus on potential. There is often a cost to the business when a vacancy is left unfilled, such as delays in project delivery, employee burnout and the risk of not being able to service future business opportunities, as just a few examples. 

Other pathways for international talent 

Written in 2021 amid international border closures at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the report focuses on migrants who are already based in Australia. However, there are other avenues for recruiting the best international talent. Bayside Group affiliate Balpara for example is right now recruiting for an electrical engineer, providing Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS). SBS agreements allow Australian businesses to engage overseas citizens for highly skilled occupations. 

For organisations who don’t want to go down this path, another alternative is the 482 visa, formerly known as the Temporary Skill Shortage visa. Bayside Group has a long history of providing on-hired international talent through our 482 visa sponsorship program. Through this program we have sourced and recruited over 600 experienced professionals from more than 45 countries to address specific skill gaps in Australia.