REGIONAL CITIES NSW SEEK SKILL SOLUTION

Regional Cities New South Wales (RCNSW) is calling on both sides of politics to support a bespoke solution to address regional skill shortages across the state.

“The current skills crisis is biting hard in regional New South Wales (NSW), and it is having a severe impact on regional productivity and growth” Cr Mathew Dickerson Chair of RCNSW and Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council said.

Data from the National Skills Commission shows that 67 per cent of regional employers reported difficulties recruiting.* 

“We need to act urgently and think outside the box to address the current skills shortage, particularly in regional areas where we face a greater challenge attracting and employing the right level of skills” Cr Dickerson explained.

According to the Regional Australia Institute, regional job vacancies across the country continue to experience strong growth, with just over 81,000 jobs advertised in December 2022, or nearly a 100 per cent increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.

RCNSW is advocating that skilled migrants and their families are a welcome solution to addressing issues such as Australia's ageing population, improving labour force participation and productivity, and helping businesses source skills that are difficult to develop at short notice.

“RCNSW would like to work with the incoming NSW Government to attract a larger share of skilled migrants to regional NSW, and we believe that NSW's nominations for allocation of skilled migrants needs to carefully consider the workforce needs of regional areas across NSW” Cr Dickerson said.

RCNSW would also like to work with the NSW Government to create a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) specifically for regional NSW to facilitate localised labour agreements.

A DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a regional, state or territory authority that aims to provide that region with access to more overseas workers than the standard skilled migration program can deliver.

“Urgent action is required to support regional businesses to address the current skills crisis and overcome the enduring economic challenges of our regions” Cr Dickerson concluded.

*as at June 2022