71% of Australian employers plan to scout international talent on permanent basis

HR leaders will need to act quickly in the face off stiff competition

71% of Australian employers plan to scout international talent on permanent basis

As Australia celebrates the reopening of its borders, HR leaders are gearing up to attract international talent to offset the rising skills shortage in its labour market.

According to research conducted by Robert Half, released today, over two-thirds (71%) of Australian employers are planning to hire international talent on a permanent basis and the majority (61%) are planning to hire global talent on a contract basis. This is most prominent in the tech and financial sectors; with 82% of Australian CIOs planning to hire permanent IT talent from overseas and 68% of CFOs looking to do the same.

Businesses will need to act quickly in the face of stiff competition as business leaders consider several initiatives to attract talent. Packages being prepared include, robust off-shoring and relocation offers, increases to starting salaries, more paid leave, upgrades to job titles, loosening of job requirements and professional development opportunities and career pathing.

David Jones, senior managing director for Robert Half Asia Pacific, added: “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. 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.”