Push for visas to fill IT skills shortage

By Jennifer Foreshew

Looming IT skills shortage could be eased by changes to 457 visas and skilled migration policies, a report says.

The findings come from the Candle Skills Index forecast, which uses analysis by KPMG-Econtech based on Australian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Employment data.

The index shows that while the sector will grow by about 20,000 by 2015, demand will outstrip supply by an annual average of 2700 people.

The shortage will be driven by the retirement of thousands of experienced computing professionals in the next few years, and the recent drop in university applicants and acceptances in computing-related courses.

The skills shortage at September represented 3200 skilled professionals, the report said.

Candle executive general manager Linda Trevor said that in the next 12 months alone growing demand for computing professionals would jump by about 13,000. “Unless we see some (457 visa) changes, there is going to be a massive shortage — we have to get the people from somewhere,” Ms Trevor said.

The report estimated an average salary increase of 5 per cent to 10 per cent in the eastern states in the next 12 months.

It predicted this could be as high as 20 per cent in Western Australia, driven by the resources boom.

Advantage Resourcing global market intelligence director Robert Olivier said the tightening skills market would make it harder to find talent for projects such as the National Broadband Network, e-health initiatives and new IT banking platforms.

“It is going to certainly change the cost structure and may affect the ability to complete (projects) if the right people can’t be found.”

Mr Olivier said the mining and engineering sector was likely to start poaching people from related disciplines such as IT.

“It is going to leave the IT companies that want graduates too missing out, especially when you are offered $110,000 as a graduate to do something at a mining site as opposed to $50,000 in an office in Sydney.”

He said the 457 visa scheme should be reviewed to allow recruiters to find people and place them on contract with third parties.

The latest Advantage Job Index found IT vacancies climbed 4.68 per cent last month, with the overall market up 3.38 per cent.

The sector experienced a rise of 33.21 per cent for the year, which ranks it third behind engineering and mining, and advertising and media.

The Australian, December 7, 2010