Mission to sell WA as ideal sea change

• Eight day mission to the United Kingdom and Ireland to promote Western Australia as an ideal place to work and live
• Workers from a range of industries at all levels are needed to fill almost 31,000 job vacancies advertised across the State
• Targeted multiplatform advertising to support worker recruitment

Police and Defence Industry Minister Paul Papalia will lead a mission to the United Kingdom and Ireland later this month, selling the State's higher wages, lower cost of living, and surf and sunshine lifestyle to workers.

Kicking off on Saturday 25 February in London, the mission aims to build a pipeline of workers that will help fill almost 31,000 job vacancies across Western Australia.

The mission delegation will promote an international sea change to workers from across a range of industries at all levels of expertise, including teachers, police officers, nurses, midwives, doctors, dentists, mechanics, builders, plumbers, and those with experience in the mining and hospitality sectors.

WA salaries are often more than 50 per cent higher than the average English salary for the same occupation.

Compared to the UK and Ireland, WA boasts significant lifestyle advantages including a lower cost of living. Perth alone offers around 3,200 hours of sunshine annually.

Across eight days, the delegation will sell the benefits of a move to WA at events in four major cities - London, Edinburgh, Bristol and Dublin.

Representatives from the Western Australian Police Force (WAPOL) will hold information sessions for UK and Irish police officers looking to make the move to WA.

Minister Papalia and WAPOL will be joined on the mission by representatives from the WA Government, the Australian Hotel Association and Motor Trade Association.

To complement the mission, advertising across multiple platforms will be rolled out in the UK and Ireland over the next month. This includes existing campaigns tailored to specific professions, such as the 'Build a life in WA' campaign to attract construction and manufacturing workers, WAPOL's 'Let's Join Forces', WA Health's 'Belong', the Department of Education's 'Teach in WA', and Tourism WA's campaign aimed at working holiday makers.

The secure, quality jobs and lifestyle offered by WA will also be promoted through a $300,000 campaign under the 'Western Australia - It's Like No Other' branding.

As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:

"Since I visited the UK and Ireland last year, our message has been clear - Western Australia is a safe and exciting place to live, study, visit and do business.

"We have seen economic growth that has defied global trends and continued to create quality, well-paying jobs.

"Right now, we have almost 31,000 job vacancies across the State in many different industries, at all levels of expertise.

"To fill these vacancies, we know that we need more people to call Western Australia home."

As stated by Police and Defence Industry Minister Paul Papalia:

"Safety, stability and sunshine - Western Australia has a lot to offer UK and Irish workers.

"As a proud Western Australian, I am looking forward to leading a mission that will be loudly and proudly promoting what makes our State a great place to work and live.

"Across eight days and four cities we will be spreading the word to UK and Irish workers that now is the time to move and be part of Western Australia's bright future."

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