While construction activity and employment remain sluggish in the USA, UK and Europe, the economy in AUSTRALIA is recovering strongly and unemployment has once again fallen nationally to 5.1% and to 4.1% in Western Australia.

A nationwide skill shortage is once again looming with the availability of local labour drying up rapidly. Australia currently has 357 major projects in various stages of development valued at over A$338 billion. Eighty projects worth over A$100 billion are currently in construction and estimated to employ 22,500 workers during the construction phase.

The vast majority of Australia’s current and future projects lie in just two states, Western Australia (WA) and Queensland (QLD). WA projects account for 87% of current investment and its capital city (Perth) is home to major Oil & Gas and Mining companies, consultants and contractors. Currently many positions are located in Perth but as projects move into construction phase the vast majority of jobs will be site based with most workers working on a FIFO basis (fly-in-fly-out) on weekly, fortnightly or monthly rotation back to their families in Perth or inter-state.

A small selection of these projects, people sought and the companies recruiting them are listed below.

Although recruiters note that demand is building for a variety of projects across Australia, a widespread need of overseas workers is not yet required and clients are reluctant to review overseas applications. However, with projects in Queensland and Western Australia now competing for the same skills, the situation is beginning to change. During the last boom there was a plentiful supply of inexpensive 457 business-sponsored work visas readily available to employ overseas workers but with the last change of government came pressure from the unions, resulting in a shift in migration policy making it much more expensive and difficult to employ non residents.

Some occupations, such as petroleum geologists, subsea and pipeline specialists are very scarce in the local Australian market and companies have been actively recruiting them from overseas. The cost to employ such specialists is expensive but employers have no option but to do so.

As the labour market tightens across all sectors including Oil & Gas, Mining, Engineering and Construction and with an imminent general election, it is quite likely that these policies may again change and open up the labour market once more to overseas workers.

Anyone seriously considering working in Australia should concentrate their efforts on obtaining a residency visa themselves rather than relying on a company to sponsor them. Visa’s can be applied for by visiting the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website http://www.immi.gov.au or by contacting a reputable immigration consultant.

Project and Location	Personnel Required	Recruiter
APLNG, QLD	Cross Country Pipeline Engineer	Energy HR
BP Gas Compression Facility, WA	Senior Project Manager	Energy HR
Dampier Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline, WA	Pipeline Project Engineers – 2 to 10 years experience. Senior Project Manager – 10+ years experience	Energy HR
Fiona Stanley Hospital, WA	Senior Contracts Administrators, Senior Project Managers, Project Engineers, Building Services Engineers & Project Managers, HVAC & Fire Engineer.	Energy HR
George Fisher Underground Mine – Mt Isa, QLD	Senior Project Manager	Energy HR
Gorgon Project, WA	Marine Supervisors, Marine Construction Manager, Environmental Engineer, Planner, HSS Advisors	TECSIDE
Gorgon Project, WA	Accommodation Villages construction requires Senior Contracts Administrator, Chief Estimator, Planner / Scheduler, Quality Manager, Cost Controller	Energy HR
Hope Downs Iron Ore Project, WA	Accommodation Villages construction requires Senior Contracts Administrator, Chief Estimator Planner / Scheduler, Quality Manager, Cost Controller	Energy HR
Marandoo (Iron Ore), WA	Mechanical Engineers, Project Controls Manager, Civil Engineers, and Estimators	Lycopodium Minerals
Mount Keith Operations Expansion (Nickel). WA	Mechanical Engineers, Project Controls Manager, Civil Engineers, and Estimators	Lycopodium Minerals
Pluto Project, WA	Site Contracts Engineers, Maintenance Manager, Quality Manager	TECSIDE
Ravensthorpe (Nickel). WA	Mechanical Engineers, Project Controls Manager, Civil Engineers, and Estimators	Lycopodium Minerals
Ravensthorpe (Nickel). WA	First Quantum Minerals has begun recruiting the Operating workforce to re-commission the Ravensthorpe Nickel. A 9 month manning schedule to recruit a 600+ workforce across all mining disciplines. Current recruitment includes: Plant manager, Mine manager, Engineering superintendents, Process superintendents, Maintenance and process supervisors, Maintenance staff.	First Quantum Minerals
Renison Mine – Tasmania	Underground Project Manager Senior Mining Engineer – Underground	Energy HR
Western Australian Iron Ore Rapid Growth Project 5 (RGP5)	Construction Manager, Electrical Designers	TECSIDE
Wheatstone LNG Project, WA	Planner	TECSIDE
Yandi Iron Ore Mine Extension, WA	Accommodation Villages construction requires Senior Contracts Administrator, Chief Estimator Planner / Scheduler, Quality Manager, Cost Controller	Energy HR

All these job opportunities and more can be found on Australia’s leading Engineering and Technical Job Board. Engineering Jobs Australia http://www.engineeringjobs.net.au