Employer sponsorship in South Australia shaped by 2026 occupation shortages

Author: Sally Webster – Principal Legal Advisor

South Australia (SA) continues to face skills shortages across a broad range of industries, affecting employers in both metropolitan and regional areas. Analysis published by Jobs and Skills Australia in the 2026 Occupation Shortage List at the ANZSCO six-digit level provides a consistent national benchmark for assessing workforce demand.

The assessment identifies 289 occupations in shortage in SA, drawn from a national assessment of 916 occupations across three classifications: “Shortage”, “Regional shortage” and “Metro shortage”. For South Australian employers, this confirms that domestic recruitment alone is no longer sufficient. Employer sponsorship remains an important mechanism for maintaining service delivery and supporting workforce planning.

Where skills shortages exist in South Australia

A total of 289 occupations are identified as being in shortage in SA, made up of:

• 263 occupations classified as Shortage
• 25 occupations classified as Regional shortage
• 1 occupation classified as Metro shortage

This confirms that skills shortages affect a wide range of roles across the state.

Skill level distribution of shortage occupations

Skills shortages in SA are concentrated in higher-skilled roles:

• Skill Level 1: 48.1 per cent (139 occupations)
• Skill Level 3: 30.8 per cent (89 occupations)
• Skill Levels 2 and 4: 21.1 per cent combined

This distribution shows that demand is strongest for professional, technical and licensed occupations rather than entry-level roles.

Shortage occupations by ANZSCO major group

By ANZSCO major group, shortages are primarily found in:

• Professionals: 138 occupations (approximately 48 per cent)
• Technicians and Trades Workers: 96 occupations (approximately 33 per cent)

This distribution highlights that SA’s recruitment challenges are centred on professional and trade-qualified roles that underpin essential services, infrastructure delivery and business operations, rather than lower-skilled or entry-level positions.

Key sectors under sustained pressure in South Australia

Health and aged care

Skills shortages are most pronounced across essential health roles, including:

• 17 nursing occupations, covering Registered Nurse specialisations and Nurse Practitioners
• 4 allied health occupations, including Physiotherapists and related roles

Demand for health services continues to exceed workforce supply, particularly in aged care, disability services and regional health settings. Employer sponsorship remains critical to maintaining service delivery across these sectors.

Engineering, construction and technical trades

Shortages extend across both professional and trade-qualified roles, including:

• 29 engineering occupations across multiple disciplines
• 25 construction and technical trade occupations, including electricians, fitters, mechanics, plumbers and carpenters

With these roles also facing national shortages, interstate recruitment alone has not met demand. Planned overseas recruitment is increasingly necessary to support infrastructure delivery and business continuity.

Education and training

Ongoing shortages remain evident across 9 occupations in SA, including:

• Early Childhood Teachers
• Primary and Secondary School Teachers
• Special Education Teachers
• Vocational Education and Training teachers

These shortages continue to place pressure on schools and training providers, particularly outside metropolitan Adelaide where recruitment options are more limited.

Hospitality and tourism

Hospitality shortages in SA are narrower in scope, with 3 occupations identified as being in shortage. These shortages are most pronounced in regional areas and include:

• Chefs
• Cooks
• Pastrycooks

Regional hospitality operators are most affected, where limited local labour pools and seasonal demand intensify recruitment challenges. This reinforces the relevance of regional migration pathways and, where applicable, designated area migration agreements.

Implications of skills shortages for South Australian employers

For employers recruiting in occupations identified as being in shortage in SA, the shortage data highlights three important considerations.

1. Recruitment challenges are systemic, not business-specific

The analysis confirms that local labour supply is not keeping pace with demand across many skilled roles in SA. These workforce constraints are recognised at a government level and reflect broader labour market conditions, rather than shortcomings in individual recruitment efforts.

2. Evidence strengthens employer sponsored visa applications

When pursuing employer sponsored visas such as the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) or Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186), applications are more compelling where employers can demonstrate that:

• The position is formally recognised as being in shortage in SA; and
• Reasonable attempts to recruit locally have been made without success.

Using recognised shortage data alongside recruitment records helps support labour market testing and sponsorship requirements.

3. Sponsorship works best as part of workforce planning

Given the persistence and scale of skills shortages in SA, employer sponsorship is most effective when incorporated into medium-term workforce planning. Treating sponsorship as a proactive workforce strategy, rather than a last-minute solution, supports continuity, reduces operational risk and improves long-term recruitment outcomes.

Practical actions for South Australian employers using shortage data

South Australian employers can use the Occupation Shortage List as a practical tool to strengthen sponsorship decisions and workforce planning. The following steps translate shortage data into action.

1. Align critical vacancies with recognised shortage occupations

Review your workforce needs and identify roles that align with occupations formally recognised as being in shortage in SA. Priority should be given to positions that are difficult to fill, have high turnover, or have remained vacant for extended periods.

Mapping vacancies to shortage occupations helps clarify which roles are suitable candidates for employer sponsorship.

2. Build stronger recruitment records to support sponsorship

For roles identified as being in shortage, ensure recruitment processes generate clear evidence to support visa applications. This includes:

• Retaining records of job advertising, applicant numbers and reasons candidates were not suitable
• Documenting operational impacts such as delayed projects, unfilled shifts, service limitations or increased workload pressures

This information supports sponsorship requirements, including labour market testing where applicable.

3. Assess regional pathways where regional shortage applies

Where an occupation is identified as a regional shortage in SA, employers should assess whether regional concessions may apply. Depending on business location and role, this may include:

• State or regional occupation lists
• The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494)
• Designated Area Migration Agreements, where relevant

Regional pathways can sometimes offer broader occupation coverage or concessions that improve the attractiveness of roles to skilled overseas workers.

4. Use shortage evidence to support internal decision-making

Human resources teams are often aware of ongoing recruitment challenges, but securing approval for sponsorship can require broader organisational support. Referencing occupations formally identified as being in shortage in SA provides objective evidence that can assist discussions with senior management or boards.

Clear, data-backed justification helps position employer sponsorship as a business-critical workforce strategy rather than a discretionary option.

The key takeaway for South Australian employers

Skills shortages in SA are persistent and concentrated in roles that are critical to service delivery and business continuity. For many employers, relying on local recruitment alone is no longer sufficient, making employer sponsorship an important component of workforce planning.

Using recognised shortage data to inform recruitment and sponsorship decisions allows SA employers to:

• Secure essential skills across health, engineering, trades and education roles
• Maintain operational capacity and project timelines in the face of ongoing vacancies
• Provide stable, long-term employment pathways for skilled overseas workers in SA

How Absolute Immigration supports SA employers

Navigating skills shortages and employer sponsorship in SA can be complex, particularly where roles remain difficult to fill despite sustained local recruitment.

Absolute Immigration works with employers to translate workforce pressures into clear, compliant migration strategies. Our support includes:

• Identifying eligible occupations: based on current SA shortage data and your workforce needs
• Advising on visa pathways: recommending suitable options, including subclass 482, 494, 186 and relevant regional pathways
• Preparing sponsorship applications: developing strong submissions that demonstrate genuine labour market need
• Workforce planning support: integrating skilled migration into medium-term workforce planning alongside local recruitment efforts
• Regional pathway assessment: assisting regional SA employers to assess access to DAMAs and other concession-based options where applicable
• End-to-end case management: managing sponsorship and visa processes for skilled overseas workers from start to finish

For SA employers, we provide practical guidance to secure critical skills and support workforce stability. Contact our team at aisupport@absoluteimmigration.com to discuss your employer sponsorship options.