Skilled migration & the future of Local Government’s workforce

Councils in Australia are facing a growing challenge: finding qualified professionals to fill essential roles. At the same time, many skilled migrants are unable to work in their trained fields. Connecting these two realities could offer a practical path forward for long-term workforce sustainability. 

Local government is facing an escalating skills gap 

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) reports that around nine in ten councils are experiencing skills shortages. These shortages affect roles central to local government operations, including engineers, planners, and building surveyors. These professionals design infrastructure, manage assets, and oversee development approvals – services that directly shape the future of our communities. 

The challenge is particularly severe in regional and rural councils, where competition with larger metropolitan employers is high and access to qualified candidates is limited. The pipeline of new talent is shrinking, with many experienced professionals nearing retirement. The result is a workforce gap that risks delaying projects, increasing workloads, and limiting councils’ ability to deliver essential community outcomes. 

Migrant talent – an under-recognised opportunity 

Alongside this, there is a significant pool of skilled migrants and refugees already in Australia who are not working at a level that matches their qualifications. Research commissioned by Settlement Services International (SSI) found that more than 620,000 migrant workers are not able to fully use their skills, and that around 44% of migrants and refugees are working in roles below their skill level. 

This represents a missed opportunity for both the individuals and the councils that need their expertise. Many of these migrants are qualified engineers, planners, and technical specialists – the very professions in short supply across local government.  

The Deloitte Access Economics research, commissioned by SSI, estimated that if permanent migrants worked in jobs that matched their skills at the same rate as Australian-born workers, Australia’s economy could gain around $70 billion over ten years and create about 51,000 additional full-time jobs.

For councils, this points to a wealth of qualified, motivated professionals who are ready to contribute to infrastructure projects, urban planning initiatives, and essential services that support local communities. 

Barriers and the changing policy landscape 

Despite the clear upside, significant barriers remain. The current system for recognising overseas qualifications is often complex, costly, and slow. Skilled migrants can face a range of assessments and paperwork before being permitted to work in their profession.  

In the meantime, many move into unrelated jobs simply to pay the bills, while councils continue to advertise for the same roles these workers are trained to perform. 

To address this, the Activate Australia’s Skills campaign – convened by SSI – brings together a cross-sector alliance of unions, industry, and community organisations. The campaign calls for a simpler, more consistent national system for recognising overseas skills and qualifications, along with practical supports such as an online portal and “Migrant Employment Pathway Hubs” to help qualified migrants re-enter their professions. 

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) has formally endorsed this campaign. LGNSW highlights that at a time of skills shortages across every local government area, it is more important than ever to harness every skilled worker and reduce barriers preventing people with overseas qualifications from working at their full potential. This position encourages councils to see internationally trained professionals as a strategic opportunity rather than an administrative problem.  

The federal government is also signalling change. In October 2025, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke acknowledged that skills recognition has been a long-standing “wicked problem” and indicated that the government is considering ways to ensure more migrants arrive job-ready.  

This includes exploring offshore recognition of skills or top-up training before arrival, so that qualified professionals can transition into suitable roles far more quickly. 

Programs showing the benefits in practice 

While policy shifts continue, several initiatives already show how effective skilled-migration pathways can be when they are supported well. One of the best-known examples is CareerSeekers, a non-profit organisation that supports refugees and people seeking asylum into professional careers. 

CareerSeekers partners with employers to create paid internships for two main groups: 

• Mid-career professionals with overseas qualifications and experience who are seeking to re-establish their careers in Australia. 

• Full-time university students from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds who need local experience to complement their studies.

Many participants are engineers, ICT specialists, accountants, and other professionals who, once given an opportunity to gain local experience, go on to secure ongoing roles and progress quickly.  

For councils, programs like CareerSeekers offer a structured way to access this talent, with support in place for preparation, mentoring, and cultural integration. 

Practical actions for councils 

Councils can take several steps now to embed skilled migration in their workforce planning, rather than viewing it as a last-resort measure. 

1. Identify where shortages are most severe
   Focus on roles with persistent vacancies, such as engineering, urban and regional planning, building surveying, and environmental health. Align these lists with known migrant qualification profiles where possible. 
2. Review recruitment language and criteria
   Check position descriptions and job ads for unnecessary barriers. Consider including statements such as “overseas-trained professionals encouraged to apply” and ensure criteria focus on demonstrable skills and competencies, not only “local experience.”
3. Build partnerships with pathway programs
   Engage with organisations such as Settlement Services International and CareerSeekers to access job-ready candidates and receive guidance on onboarding and support.
4. Advocate for change 
   Use council experience and case studies to support advocacy through ALGA, and  states and territory associations, pushing for faster and fairer skills recognition and visa settings that align with local government workforce needs.
5. Develop integration and retention plans
   Once migrant professionals join the organisation, provide tailored induction, mentoring, and professional development. For regional councils, think beyond the job itself and plan for housing, community introductions, and family support to improve retention. 

 Shifting perception and building long-term capability 

Hiring skilled migrants works best when it is treated as a deliberate workforce strategy. Many migrant professionals bring high-level qualifications, strong work ethics, and experience gained in complex international environments. They often have a high level of motivation to rebuild their careers and contribute meaningfully to their new communities. 

When councils actively welcome this talent, the impact goes beyond filling vacancies. Each overseas-trained professional who joins a local government team adds capacity to deliver projects, supports local economic activity, and contributes to a more diverse and adaptive organisation.  

Their lived experience and different ways of thinking can improve problem-solving and innovation in areas such as infrastructure planning, community engagement, and service design. 

Key considerations moving forward 

Councils looking to expand their recruitment approach through skilled migration should also plan for a few practical considerations: 

• Credential alignment. Some roles will still require additional training or assessment to meet Australian registration or licensing standards. Councils can factor this into workforce planning and support staff through the process. 

• Retention in regional and rural areas. Attracting skilled migrants to regional councils is only the first step. Retention is more likely when councils provide support with housing, schooling information, community connections, and a clear sense of career progression. 

• Cultural readiness and inclusion. Teams benefit from diversity when the workplace culture is inclusive. Training for managers and staff, clear communication norms, and active support for cultural inclusion all help to make overseas-trained staff feel valued and able to perform at their best. 

• Balance with local talent pathways. Skilled migration is one part of a broader solution. Councils still need to invest in traineeships, graduate programs, and local training partnerships to grow future talent alongside recruiting from overseas-trained cohorts. 

Looking ahead 

We have a genuine opportunity to future-proof our local government workforce by embracing skilled migration as part of long-term planning. By re-thinking recruitment practices, partnering with specialist programs, and backing reforms that simplify skills recognition, councils can gain access to a large pool of capable professionals who are ready to contribute. 

This approach supports workforce resilience, improves service delivery, and builds more diverse and dynamic teams. Skilled migrants already living in Australia, or preparing to come here, offer a practical and timely way for councils to address persistent skill shortages and continue delivering for their communities.