Tapping into the international talent pool to address the worker shortfall

To address the skills shortage, one expert has pointed to the untapped international talent pool, urging organisations to take a strategic approach to talent acquisition.

The talent shortage impacts a range of industries across the nation. To address this challenge, recent data revealed that some employers are increasingly using AI to fill roles more quickly.

Apart from technological levers, Sarah Thapa, founder and managing director at The Migration Agency, told HR Leader that employers often forget to tap into the international workforce to address skills shortages.

“The reality is there’s insufficient talent locally to meet demand … [The] international workforce is that additional supplemental kind of lever that a HR team can pull as and when there’s a shortfall, and they can tap into a wider talent market from overseas,” Thapa said.

“Migration is part of the solution, but it’s really about creating sustainable pipelines of talent.”

However, Thapa highlighted that critical talent in healthcare, aged care, and IT can be procured from the international talent pool.

“The next thing to look at [are the] new frontiers of talent … These can be in markets that organisations haven’t considered before, like the Philippines or India, and it’s possible to find really highly skilled workers in these markets,” she said.

Thapa emphasised that there are many international talent options available, urging companies to incorporate a global talent strategy into their HR and talent acquisition plans.

In light of Angus Taylor’s plans to cut migration, Thapa noted the importance for HR leaders to take care of their international staff.

“HR leaders have an important role to play to create confidence and stability in their workforce, and particularly with their visa holders … [They must] be prepared to answer questions, but also be prepared to provide reassurance as to what potential outcomes might be,” Thapa said.

“We need to temper any angst or concern amongst workers, make sure that we are really investing in the wellbeing of the international staff and providing them the reassurance and calm so that people are not becoming distracted by all this sort of political narrative.”