Author: Sally Webster – Principal Legal Advisor
Queensland continues to experience strong labour demand across key industries, while access to skilled workers remains constrained. Employers operating across both metropolitan and regional areas are reporting ongoing difficulty filling roles that are essential to service delivery, infrastructure and economic activity.
The Occupation Shortage List, published by Jobs and Skills Australia, provides a nationally consistent view of where labour supply is not meeting demand. From a national assessment of 916 occupations, 280 occupations are identified as being in shortage in Queensland, confirming that these challenges are systemic rather than temporary.
The extent of shortages across Queensland
The data shows that workforce shortages are spread broadly across the Queensland economy:
- 259 occupations classified as Shortage
- 20 occupations classified as Regional shortage
- 1 occupation classified as Metro shortage
This pattern demonstrates that recruitment pressure is not confined to individual locations or sectors, but affects employers statewide.
Skill intensity of shortage occupations
Queensland’s shortages are concentrated in roles that require formal qualifications, licensing or technical expertise:
- Skill Level 1: 135 occupations (48.2 per cent)
- Skill Level 3: 87 occupations (31.1 per cent)
- Skill Level 4: 31 occupations (11.1 per cent)
- Skill Level 2: 27 occupations (9.6 per cent)
This distribution reflects sustained demand for professional, trade and technically skilled workers rather than entry-level labour.
Occupational groups most affected
Analysis by ANZSCO major group highlights where shortages are most pronounced in Queensland:
- Professionals: 135 occupations
- Technicians and Trades Workers: 92 occupations
These groups underpin Queensland’s health system, infrastructure delivery, construction activity and service-based industries, making shortages particularly disruptive for employers.
Industries under the greatest workforce pressure in Queensland
Health, aged care and community services
Health-related roles account for a significant share of Queensland’s shortages.
- 26 occupations are identified as being in shortage across nursing, allied health and care services
- This includes Registered Nurse specialisations, Nurse Practitioners and allied health roles such as Physiotherapists
Demand is strongest across hospitals, aged care facilities, disability services and regional health settings, where workforce supply continues to lag behind service demand.
Engineering, construction and skilled trades
Queensland’s ongoing population growth and infrastructure investment continue to drive demand across professional and trade-qualified roles.
- 29 engineering occupations are identified as being in shortage across multiple disciplines
- 25 skilled trade occupations are in shortage, including electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics and fitters
Given that these roles are also in shortage nationally, interstate recruitment has limited effectiveness, increasing reliance on overseas recruitment strategies.
Education and training
Education providers across Queensland remain affected by workforce shortages.
- 9 education and training occupations are identified as being in shortage
- This includes Early Childhood Teachers, Primary and Secondary Teachers, Special Education Teachers and vocational educators
Recruitment challenges are most acute in regional and remote locations, where replacement options are limited.
Hospitality and tourism
Hospitality shortages in Queensland are smaller in number but highly concentrated in regional and tourism-driven areas.
- 3 hospitality occupations are identified as being in shortage
- These include Chefs, Cooks and Pastrycooks
Seasonal demand and regional labour constraints continue to intensify recruitment pressure in these roles.
Key workforce implications for Queensland employers
The Occupation Shortage List provides several important signals for employers managing recruitment in Queensland.
- Shortages reflect labour market structure
The scale and spread of shortages indicate that workforce constraints are embedded within the Queensland labour market. These conditions are formally recognised through national analysis and are not unique to individual businesses.
- Sponsorship is a practical response to sustained gaps
For occupations identified as being in shortage, employer sponsorship offers a compliant and structured way to address workforce needs. Applications supported by recognised shortage data are better placed under visas such as subclass 482, 494 and 186.
- Workforce planning reduces disruption
Employers that incorporate sponsorship into forward workforce planning are better positioned to manage turnover, protect service delivery and reduce operational risk in roles that remain difficult to fill.
Translating Queensland shortage data into recruitment strategy
Queensland employers can use the Occupation Shortage List as a decision-making tool when planning recruitment and sponsorship.
- Focus on roles affected by long-term supply limits
Priority should be given to positions that:
- Remain vacant despite repeated recruitment efforts
- Require licensed, regulated or specialised skills
- Are critical to compliance, service delivery or project timelines
Linking these roles to occupations formally recognised as being in shortage strengthens sponsorship decisions.
- Build stronger sponsorship evidence
Effective sponsorship relies on clear recruitment and operational records, including:
- Advertising history and applicant responses
- Reasons candidates were unsuitable or unavailable
- Business impacts such as reduced capacity or delayed delivery
This evidence supports labour market testing requirements where applicable.
- Use Queensland’s regional migration settings
Where occupations are identified as regional shortages, employers should assess access to:
- Subclass 494 regional sponsorship
- State nomination pathways aligned to regional demand
- Designated Area Migration Agreements, where applicable
These pathways can improve attraction and retention outcomes.
- Support internal decision-making with recognised data
Government-recognised shortage data assists employers to demonstrate that:
- Recruitment challenges are market-driven
- Sponsorship aligns with workforce priorities
- Skilled migration is a strategic workforce measure
What this means for Queensland employers
Using recognised shortage data enables Queensland employers to:
- Address persistent workforce gaps across growing and regional labour markets
- Maintain service delivery and infrastructure timelines
- Strengthen workforce resilience through planned sponsorship strategies
- Support sponsorship decisions with nationally recognised evidence
How Absolute Immigration supports Queensland employers
Absolute Immigration supports Queensland employers by:
- Identifying eligible occupations in your workforce using current shortage data
- Advising on appropriate sponsorship pathways, including subclass 482, 494 and 186
- Preparing strong sponsorship applications
- Intergating a skilled migration strategy into your workforce planning alongside local recruitment
- Assessing regional and DAMA pathways where applicable
- Managing end-to-end sponsorship and visa processes
For Queensland employers, Absolute Immigration provides clear, practical guidance to secure critical skills and support long-term workforce stability.
Contact our team at aisupport@absoluteimmigration.com to discuss employer sponsorship options tailored to your Queensland workforce needs.
