Jobs & Money Detail
Auto workers to head for Oz
Workers from Peugeot’s Ryton plant who face mass redundancies will still be in high demand in Oz as the country’s booming economy suffers from a continuing skills shortage in the automotive sector
Skilled British auto workers, like those from Ryton and the previously closed MG Rover, are particularly in demand in the state of Victoria, where three major automotive companies design and manufacture vehicles and components.
Oonagh Baerveldt, spokesperson for the Australian Visa Bureau, said, "Right now Australia is accepting one international migrant every four minutes and 47 seconds, and they show no signs of slowing down. She added, "Their ageing population and growing economy means they are marketing to attract skilled people like hairdressers, pastry chefs and workers in the automotive sector."
Melbourne, Victoria's state capital, could offer British automotive workers, like the hundreds made redundant in Longbridge, an opportunity to utilise their skills again. Holden, which is a General Motors company, Ford and Toyota all have engine plants in Victoria. There are also supply chain companies associated with those plants looking for skilled workers. "A lot of workers in the Midlands area retrained in other careers following last year's redundancies, but the option remains for some of them to work again in the automotive sector in Australia," commented Baerveldt.
Engineers and those working as automotive electricians, fitters, fabricators, machinists, tool makers, motor mechanics, panel beaters, sheet metal workers, vehicle painters, welders, electrical and mechanical engineers, air conditioning mechanics and plant engineers are all in demand in Australia.
The country's skilled migrant preference list, known as the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) was updated last month to include 16 further occupations. Of the 81 occupations listed, over half are tradespeople. Under Australia's point style system of immigration, workers and trades people on Australia's skills shortage list are given additional points and priority processing through the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA). "Workers with six years relevant experience and who have worked in one of Australia's Skilled Occupations would be eligible for emigration," said Baerveldt. "A recent report out of Australia noted that diesel fitters are in a position to earn upwards of AUS$150,000 (£62,500) a year. That salary provides a fantastic quality of life in Australia."
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