Jobs & Money Detail
Australia's IT crowd
Hanna Lindon takes a look at the recruitment options currently on offer in Australia’s ICT industry.
It's a widely-acknowledged fact that a qualification in information or communications technologies (ICT) is one of the surest routes to a highly-paid career. If you have your sights set on emigrating to Australia, then an ICT qualification can also be your passport to a new life.
Figures released recently in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 survey revealed that the Australian ICT industry has been the hardest hit by Australia's current market skills shortages. Deloitte Technology and telecommunications industry group leader, Damien Tampling, said that the chronic shortage of talent is one of their greatest concerns. He expressed the view that the talent shortage will last for decades, and poses a major crisis for the Australian ICT industry. "Technology companies in particular, which rely heavily on top talent to drive innovation, will suffer from this global problem," Tampling said. "Over half the companies surveyed said they plan to expand their workforce by more than 25 per cent, with the vast majority wanting to grow organically. However, all agree that the biggest challenge to companies is finding, hiring and retaining qualified employees."
Although this talent shortage may be driving the Australian ICT industry towards an expansion crisis, it's certainly good news for emigrants. The lack of home-grown employees mean that many ICT companies are looking abroad to find qualified workers. "Offshoring used to be seen as cut-rate labour supply, but now it is a valuable source of talent that is not available back home," Tampling confirms. So, how can migrants tap into the web of employees looking for fresh new talent? One suggestion offered by ICT CEOs is to start off at a basic level – namely, by working on a help desk. Many companies have difficulty sourcing staff at this level, and a help desk position can be a foot in the door for somebody looking to get an Australian visa. "Help desk is often seen as an entry-level role, yet this is the face of the IT organisation and, as such, we need to make it more interesting for people who like variety and challenge in order to keep people in these critical roles," says Deloitte's head of IT infrastructure, Chris Mills-Vasas.
Improving People team leader Brad Cork also says that firms like his are desperate for help desk staff. He reveals that he has been struggling to find staff for the past two years. "I said to my team to go over to the local shopping centre, find anyone good at customer service and let me know!" he says. "We ended up hiring somebody from the local pharmacy." Being sponsored by a large company in need of staff is one of the easiest ways to secure your visa and to begin your career in the Australian ICT industry. Another excellent route into the industry is to study at an Australian institution.
Since 2001, successful Australia-educated overseas students with key ICT qualifications have been able to apply and be granted permanent visas under the Skilled Independent Overseas Student and Skilled Australian Sponsored Overseas Student visa categories. Students can also be granted a Graduate Skilled Temporary (subclass 497) visa while they are completing the requirements needed to lodge an application for the permanent visa.
Another direction issued to immigration decision makers in 2001 also makes it easier for ICT-qualified professionals to apply for and be granted visas. The direction, which remains in force, requires officials to give processing priority to all ICT professionals applying under the Temporary Business (Long Stay) visa and the Skilled Stream of the migration programme. To make it still easier for those with ICT qualifications, all ICT occupations are gazetted for the purposes of entry under the Temporary Business (Long Stay) visa. This means that employers can fill ICT positions without having to demonstrate that the occupation they are filling is a 'key' activity.
For more information on the routes into Australia for ICT professionals, visit Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Browse current jobs on Emigrate2
Register for your FREE emigration starter pack
Subscribe to Emigrate Australia. Read more ...