Australian workers have a reputation for quality skills and experience which Beilby Rewards’ employers value and prefer.

Only 10% of respondents in last month’s Rewards survey said they are prepared to look overseas for potential new staff, with 60% saying they would search outside Australia only if they could not find a suitable local applicant. The remaining 30 per cent were adamant they had no interest in recruiting international personnel.

On the other hand, two thirds of Rewards members said their company employed many staff with international experience or qualifications.

So what motivates an Australian company to seek international personnel?

A mere 6% of Rewards members indicated they felt international recruits had more experience or skills than their Australian counterparts.

It seems 65% of employers would consider hiring overseas only if there was a shortage of qualified people locally and only 27% would look overseas in a bid to add fresh ideas and cultural diversity to their workplace.

Rewards members have grave concerns about the recognition or quality of international qualifications. All applicants applying to work and live in Australia must undergo a skills assessment that may indicate the necessity for further studies to ensure qualifications meet Australian standards. This is true of many industries including information technology, education, health and medicine, engineering and finance.

Obtaining an Australian working visa can be quite a difficult process. You may also need to organise English language study or relevant bridging courses to assist your new staff member in obtaining recognition in their professional field. There is also the possibility of relocation and housing costs and income support during training.

According to 30% of Rewards members, having a sound understanding and knowledge of the Australian industry is important and is another barrier to employing international personnel. Around 20% are concerned about cultural and work practice differences while the remaining 50% are discouraged from recruiting overseas due to a lack of understanding of qualifications obtained overseas.

With such entrenched parochialism in the job market, it is time to ask whether or not we are missing opportunities by not cherry picking from the best the world has to offer.