No inquiry needed to activate 620,000 skilled workers already in Australia 

16 December 2024

The Activate Australia’s Skills campaign has welcomed the Albanese government’s newly announced investigation into building a skilled and adaptable workforce but urged decision makers to consider more timely reforms to the skills recognition system that could quickly put over 600,000 workers back into their professions. 

On Friday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced plans for five Productivity Commission inquiries designed to boost Australia’s productivity, including augmenting the country’s skilled workforce – something that could be enabled by making it simpler and more affordable for overseas trained workers already in the country to have their skills and overseas qualifications recognised. 

“The labour market is incredibly tight, and we still have a third of all jobs experiencing skills shortages. That means we need action now as well as longer term plans,” Dane Moores Activate Australia’s Skills Campaign Director said. 

“While fixing overseas skills recognition is not a silver bullet for all of Australia’s productivity issues, it is something that can deliver a massive boost very quickly. 

“While this inquiry will be helpful to uncover a range of ways to lift productivity, we don’t need to wait for another review to tell us what we already know – that unfilled workforce shortages are hindering productivity and that there are qualified people already here who could help fill those shortages if their overseas-acquired skills were recognised.  

“Reducing the red tape and excessive costs involved with recognising overseas skills and qualifications is a quick win we could do now to see an immediate uplift in economic growth and productivity.  

“Fixing skills recognition will also be essential in addressing workforce shortages. Australia needs to build houses, reduce health waiting lists, and lower the cost of living across various sectors. 

“Construction companies can’t get the skilled workers. Healthcare costs keep going up. Costs would come down quicker if we matched the migrants already here with roles that fully used their skills and expertise. 

“The current system fails to translate the intent of our skilled migration program into labour market outcomes because of the inefficient, costly and frankly sometimes absurd bureaucratic hoops required to get overseas skills and expertise recognised.” 

The Activate Australia’s Skills campaign consists of more than 90 organisations calling on the federal government to implement key skills recognition reforms:  

• Establish one national governance system for all overseas skills and qualifications recognition, including an Ombudsman with regulatory power to provide independent oversight and transparency.  

• Create a seamless process with greater national consistency and reduced red tape. 

• Provide financial support for individuals to remove cost barriers and an online portal with all the information so people know what they need to do. 

• Set up Migrant Employment Pathway Hubs with skills recognition navigators to get qualified people working in their professions again.