Regional areas dealing with worker shortages are hoping there will be no delays in bringing skilled migrants into Australia as concerns are raised about the new Omicron variant.
Key points:
- The national Security Committee will meet today to consider if they will still allow fully vaccinated temporary migrants and international students to enter Australia from Wednesday
- Regional businesses who have been struggling to find staff say they need migrants to fill vacancies
- Business owners say they may need to cut back trading hours or production if they can’t find more staff
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the National Security Committee would meet this afternoon to consider the decision to allow fully vaccinated temporary migrants and international students to enter Australia from December 1.
Regional businesses owners said the pandemic has made it harder to find workers, especially without being able to get skilled migrants.
Laurie Whelan, owner of Sourdough Bakery and Café, said he is so short staffed that they are unable to bake bread two days a week for the first time ever.
“In 15 years in the industry this is completely unprecedented that we’re not able to get the qualified and skilled staff that we need,” he said.
Fears the federal government will keep the border shut to skilled migrants has Mr Whelan worried there is no relief in sight.
The bakery owner has gone from having around seven staff available for two baker roles to just one.
“Going into the Christmas period, with public holidays … we’re going to have days where we’ll just have to be closed,” he said.
Businesses forced to poach staff
Worker shortages are being felt across a number of industries, including in construction which is also grappling with a shortage of timber as well.
Manufacturer Alpine Truss in Wangaratta has been struggling to get more staff and said it needs at least another 30 employees as it faces its busiest period in 20 years.
Managing director George Prothero said getting staff is their biggest issue.
“We’re losing people every week at the moment. We’ve lost ten in the last two weeks to other businesses in the region,” he said.
Mr Prothero said they were having trouble finding local people to fill positions and “would be in all sorts of trouble” if they could not bring in workers from overseas soon.
“Not only for my industry but every other industry in the region,” he said.
“We’re finding that people from overseas are really keen to work, they turn up.”
