Plenty of Workers, Not Enough Skills: Why Australia Keeps Looking Overseas for Talent

News · 2026-09-30 · 4 min read

Australia's job market is slowing down a little. Even so, many employers still cannot find the staff they need. Australia has people looking for work. What it is missing are people with the right skills, in the right location, at the right moment.

For Indonesian workers interested in jobs in Australia for Indonesians, this is an important point to understand.

A survey shows how hard hiring has become

A new study from Remote gives a clear view of the problem. According to the study, 88% of Australian businesses say it has become harder to find qualified local workers over the past year. Around the world, the figure is 78%. Almost eight in ten Australian businesses (79%) say they failed to reach an important business goal simply because they could not find the right people.

The same worries are being raised in Parliament. An inquiry into skilled migration has heard that Australia struggles to attract and keep key technology workers. Examples include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and energy. Science and Technology Australia has also warned about pressure on the local STEM pipeline, as demand grows in AI, AUKUS, cyber, quantum and net zero.

Training takes too long for urgent jobs

Teaching more Australians these skills is very important. But it takes years for students to graduate and become job-ready. A company that needs a senior engineer or someone to lead cybersecurity this quarter cannot wait years. That is why smart employers now begin their workforce planning with the skills they need. They decide on the location later.

Which overseas roles are growing fastest

Remote's figures show that hiring habits are changing quickly. From July 2025 to July 2026, Australian demand for workers hired from other countries grew strongly:

senior software engineers: up 141%
game developers: up 100%
software engineers: up 86%
QA specialists: up 42%

The countries these workers come from are also changing. Hires from the Philippines went up 108%, hires from India rose 89%, and hires from the US increased 55%.

Hiring talent abroad versus sending jobs abroad

It is important to see the difference between two ideas. The first is hiring from overseas to find skills that are hard to get. The second is moving existing Australian jobs to another country, mostly to save money. Both involve employing people across borders. But they solve different problems. Hiring from around the world should not replace investment in Australian workers.

Good signs for workers who want to move

If you are thinking about moving to Australia, this research brings positive news: employers truly need specialist skills, and this need is not going away, even when the market is quieter. When employers cannot fill jobs locally, they search further away. This includes sponsoring skilled workers who can move to Australia and work on site.

Advice for employers

The research gives employers some practical points:

Think about the skill first, and the place second. Decide exactly what skill you need. Then choose whether to train someone, hire locally, sponsor a migrant or hire a remote worker.
Pick a pathway that suits the job. Some jobs need a person on site. Skilled migration can fill exactly these gaps.
Handle the extra complexity. Each new country has its own rules for employment law, tax, payroll and benefits. Systems that follow these rules are important.
Keep supporting local workers. Businesses should also train junior staff, invest in current employees and ask if a job could be filled through training or an internal move.

Australia must also grow its own talent

Hiring from overseas can fix an urgent shortage. But it is not a replacement for long-term investment. Schools, vocational training and professional learning need to match what industry will need in the future. Australia also needs clearer pathways for people starting their careers, and simpler ways for experienced workers to learn new skills.

Overseas hiring and skilled migration bring in skills for today. Local training prepares workers for tomorrow. Australia needs both of these.

Key message for Indonesian job seekers

A slower job market does not make shortages of specialist skills disappear. Headline job numbers also cannot show if job seekers have the right skills. The best workforce plans will focus on skills and use every available pathway, including skilled migration, while still investing in Australian workers.

Are you thinking about building your career in Australia? The demand for in-demand skills has rarely been this clear. Take time to explore your visa options. Prepare a clear English-language CV, and plan for IELTS or PTE early if your visa or employer needs an English test.

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