• 71% of Australian business leaders plan to hire international talent on a permanent basis in 2022 and 61% are planning to recruit internationals on a c­­­­ontract basis.
  • 60% say there're expecting to lose local talent to international opportunities this year.
  • 73% say they’re likely to hire international talent to relocate and work in Australia, and 68% are likely to hire international talent to work remotely.
  • 40% say they are planning to increase the initially planned starting salary for new recruits from overseas.

Sydney, 22 February 2022 - With the Australian skills deficit at critical levels and job vacancies at a record high[1], more than 70% of Australian business leaders plan to hire international talent on a permanent basis in 2022 to sustain their talent pipeline, according to new research from specialised talent solutions provider Robert Half.

Following the recent confirmation that the re-opening of international borders will take place on February 21st, Australian businesses will need to quickly finetune their attraction and retention strategies in order to compete for international talent against the backdrop of a global talent crunch and a borderless war for talent.

International talent hiring plans

As borders reopen, there is high demand for international talent in the Australian market to offset rising skills gaps – especially in the fast-growing tech space. According to Robert Half research, over two-thirds (71%) of Australian business leaders plan to hire international talent on a permanent basis in 2022, either because or in anticipation of an inability to find the skills locally. Meanwhile, the majority (61%) of Australian business leaders are also planning to hire international talent on a contract basis.

Hiring talent from other countries is most pronounced in the tech sector with 82% of Australian CIOs planning to hire permanent IT talent from overseas and 75% contract IT talent from overseas. This compares to 68% and 65% respectively for CFOs’ plans to look internationally to hire financial talent.

With recruiting from overseas now considered an essential part of the hiring strategy for many organisations, employers are seeking to offer and implement robust offshoring and relocation packages as a means of securing strong international talent. Almost three in four (73%) business leaders (and 84% of CIOs specifically), say they’re likely to hire international talent to relocate and work in Australia. Contrastingly, many employers are embracing the remote workforce with 68% of Australian business leaders saying they are also likely to hire international talent to work remotely, rising to 77% among CIOs. 

With the opening of Australia borders, 60% Australian employers expect to lose local talent to international opportunities this year, offsetting the reintroduction of skilled international talent. 

Where are Australia’s skills deficits?

The Robert Half survey asked CIOs and CTOs in Australia what skills they rely on international talent for most because they can’t find the talent locally.

IT security/Cyber-security

63%

IT management

46%

Infrastructure & engineering

42%

Technical support & operations

41%

Data/Database management

35%

Independent survey commissioned by Robert Half among 100 CIOs/CTOs in Australia.

The Robert Half survey asked CFOs in Australia what skills they rely on international talent for most because they can’t find the talent locally.

Financial management

49%

Financial/Business analysis

48%

Accounting

44%

Treasury

39%

Internal audit

36%

Independent survey commissioned by Robert Half among 100 CFOs in Australia.

 

Strategies to attract international talent

While Australia has always been an attractive career destination, employers realise they need to take action to attract and secure top international talent in 2022 and are considering several initiatives.

Four in 10 (40%) employers in Australia plan to increase the initially planned starting salary for new recruits from overseas. At the same time, 38% are prepared to entice international talent with more paid leave, while 37% will offer an upgrade to their job title. Additionally, 34% are willing to loosen job requirements to attract international talent while 31% will focus on offering professional development opportunities and career pathing.

“With international borders set to reopen on February 21st, businesses will need to act quickly to establish and implement a global talent acquisition program. Hiring internationally, however, adds another layer of complexity and exposes employers to stiff global competition - all of whom are facing similar pressures to secure niche skills” says David Jones, Senior Managing Director Robert Half Asia Pacific in announcing Robert Half’s latest survey results.  

“In order to compete on the global playing field, Australian companies need to match the industry standards of the markets they’re seeking to recruit from, or risk being eclipsed by local competition. While focusing on competitive salaries is important, companies also need to home in on the motivations behind why professionals choose to relocate and offer tailored incentives to support their move. Candidates are not only evaluating the job against their career path but also whether it is worth disrupting their life for, so a compelling employer brand proposition is a vital component of candidate decision making.”

“There is no doubt the current war for talent is placing pressure on Australian companies to focus on recruiting from overseas, but it is also evident that companies need to strengthen internal talent pipelines and be able to attract and retain local skills to develop a truly agile tech-first workforce. Organisations must be mindful of the fact that while international skilled migration will help mitigate skills shortages, we will also start to see talent leave Australia again as border restrictions ease around the world, particularly in the Asia Pacific region,” concludes Jones.      

 

[1] ABS, Labour Force, 2022

MEDIA CONTACT

Lynn Reviers
Senior Communications Manager, Asia Pacific
E: lynn.reviers@roberthalf.com.au