A state in Australia is after UK workers and wants to tempt them Down Under with a promise of a surf and sunshine lifestyle, high wages and a low cost of living. The Western Australia delegation will be travelling UK and Ireland this month in an effort to recruit almost 31,000 workers.
Police and Defence Industry Minister Paul Papalia is leading a group of industry figures aiming to steal British professionals to help fill vacancies across multiple professions, including teachers, nurses, doctors and police officers. Skilled mechanics, builders, plumbers and dentists are also needed, as well as people working in the hospitality and mining sectors.
Minister Papalia said: “We are here to steal your workers by offering them a better life in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Western Australia is a fantastic place to live and work. Our wages are higher and our cost of living is lower. Our health system is world class. You will be taken care of.
“Most of Perth’s population lives a short drive from the beach, where parking is free. There are no tolls on our roads. We don’t have anything close to what would be considered a traffic jam by UK standards. And if you don’t want to drive, public transport is also capped. The most you’ll ever pay for a one-way ticket anywhere is £2.86. That’s all it will cost you to get a train from the airport to the city centre.
“And we have free buses in our entertainment precincts and business district. Perth is a beautiful, clean and vibrant city, with food, bars, pubs and restaurants to cater to all tastes. If you’re into sports, you’ll love Perth. Our stadium was voted the best in the world. The culinary scene is world class, the small bars plentiful, we have pubs and live music and theatre of all sorts."
Average wages in the State are among the highest in Australia, with nurses able to earn 58% more there than in the UK. Some workers in the care industry could more than double their salary while blue-collar trades can also see similar increases in their earning capacity.
Once the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement signed between the two countries comes into force this year, it will provide a simplified pathway for UK citizens to work in Australia, with mutual recognition of qualifications for skilled workers and much greater benefits for the working holiday maker visa.
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Minister Papalia said: “If you’re into the great outdoors, WA is the place to be. Our state represents roughly one-third of the continent, much of it untouched, and all of it framed by the most beautiful beaches in the world. From the wine regions and forests of the southwest, to coral reefs in the north, and the vast untamed Kimberley region up the top, we have it all. And so can you. Many of our ancestors were sent from the UK to Australia as convicts. Now, it would be a crime not to make the move.”
The delegation, wich arriives on February 25, will hold skills events and attend job fairs in London, Edinburgh, Bristol and Dublin in an attempt to spread their message across as much of the country as possible. There will also be separate skills sessions involving the WA Police Force as it looks to take UK officers over to Australia.
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