The power of Australia's skilled migration system must be unlocked to give skilled migrants a bigger part in reducing a looming talent crunch in the nation's minerals industry.
The Minerals Council of Australia has outlined a range of reforms to skilled migration policy and programs including fast-tracking permanent residency for in-demand global talent, cutting processing delays and accelerating licensing in a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration's Inquiry into the value of skilled migration to Australia.
MCA CEO Tania Constable said Australian mining was facing a severe skills shortage which threatens our ability to take advantage of growing global demand for critical minerals essential to daily life, the energy transition and defence and bulk commodities such as iron ore and coal.
'Mining is facing a workforce crunch as demand for talent intensifies while nearly half of mining engineers are expected to retire within the next decade, yet hundreds of foreign engineers living in Australia are forced to drive Ubers or accept other work below their level of expertise for a living,' Ms Constable said.
'Employing Australians will always be the first priority of the minerals industry. The industry provides more than 290,000 direct jobs and also creates jobs through supply chains and related industries - totalling around 1.25 million jobs in direct and indirect jobs across the country - with projections indicating up to 35,400 jobs are to be added by 2028.'
Skilled workers are also delivered through the vocational education and training system which supplies job-ready talent through apprenticeships, traineeships, and targeted upskilling programs.
Apprentices and trainees made up around 4.4 per cent of the mining workforce for the last 15 years, with almost 11,000 mining apprentices and trainees in training.
'At the same time, skilled migration fills urgent workforce needs, complements domestic training and supports long-term growth,' Ms Constable said.
'Without skilled migration, mining labour shortages especially in critical and hard to fill specialised roles would put project timelines, export earnings, and the broader national economy at risk.'
Skilled workers are already in high demand for infrastructure projects, such as technology and low-emissions energy, the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, defence, advanced manufacturing, AI and cybersecurity.
Meanwhile, Australian mining cannot find enough people to fill critical roles including mining, geotechnical and processing engineers, metallurgists, geologists, electricians, mine surveyors, diesel fitters and drillers.
'While Australia's skilled migration intake is intended to align with industry needs, responsiveness is weakened by slow updates, credential barriers, and settlement constraints,' Ms Constable said.
'Australia's mining, clean energy and technology sectors are all frustrated and impeded by these weaknesses, as their demand for specialised skills is growing faster than migration pathways can adapt.'
Although skilled migrants comprise just 1.24 per cent of the Australian minerals workforce, their contribution is critical.
Since June 2020, numbers have more than doubled, rising 122 per cent from 1,700 in 2020 to 3,880 in 2025. With an average remuneration of $149,600 - the highest of any industry - these roles underscore the economic value of skilled migration.
The MCA's submission outlines several recommendations to improve our skilled migration approach, including:
- Restoring responsiveness and streamlining pathways by aligning intake with verified industry needs and fast-tracking permanent residency routes to attract and retain global talent
- Eliminating structural barriers by cutting processing delays, simplifying requirements and modernising administration
- Empowering states and territories through flexible regional compacts and embedding clear residency, family, and settlement supports
- Activating regional compacts that give states and territories flexible nomination quotas directly tied to verified local shortages and settlement capacity
- Mobilising existing migrant talent by accelerating credential recognition and introducing targeted industry incentives for work experience placements and structured mentoring
- Accelerating licensure and credential assessment through codesign with professional regulators
- Create frictionless, accelerated permanent residency routes for skills essential to national strategic priorities, including those required for the critical minerals, the clean energy transition and net zero targets, such as STEM, advanced manufacturing, and specific trades.
'The lesson for Australia is clear: a more agile and targeted skilled migration system will secure the skills that drive innovation, lift productivity and reinforce the nation's position in the global economy, particularly in mining where leadership is critical to long-term prosperity,' Ms Constable said.
