Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday pledged more than 250,000 jobs would be created over the next two years, but employers across the region are struggling to fill jobs already vacant.
Bridgestone Shepparton Solar City Tyres founder Kevin Saxton has been searching for employees for months.
He went for a drive around the city two weeks ago and was blown away by how many places were looking for workers.
“I have never seen so many signs asking for workers in Shepparton before, just in that small area,” Mr Saxton said.
He said he'd spoken to other employers across the region who'd had the same response, and Mr Saxton said it was immensely frustrating being unable to find willing workers.
He's since found help after posting job ads more broadly online after a long wait advertising elsewhere around the region.
Gathercoles general manager David Cunningham said the company's Tatura abattoir was looking for 20 to 30 employees, and finding workers was an issue across the state.
The number of people not working in Shepparton has steadily dropped since the end of last year's COVID-19 lockdowns, and is now much lower than before the pandemic began.
More than 6100 people were on NewStart and sickness allowances in Shepparton in December 2019, but by the end of March 2021 just 3097 people were on JobKeeper, which formerly combined those on NewStart and those on sickness allowances.
Tuesday's Federal budget predicted international borders would reopen to migration in the middle of 2022, which Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum had called for to help fill the jobs void.
Mr Frydenberg said he wanted pre-pandemic migration levels restored as soon as possible.
“The borders will reopen when it’s safe to do so, and when they do, net overseas migration will increase, including skilled workers,” Mr Frydenberg told The Age on Monday.
“I believe in a generous, sustainable immigration program that reflects the best of who we are, which is an open, tolerant, diverse country.”
However, for employers like Mr Saxton, migration opening the door to new workers is unlikely to ease the pain over the next six months.
Workplaces all across regional Australia have been hit by a shortage of workers, with 66,200 jobs available in regional towns and cities across the country, according to the Regional Australia Institute.
RAI chief executive Liz Ritchie says this is the largest number since records began, surpassing the demand during the mining construction boom a decade ago.
“Regional job vacancies now account for nearly one third of all vacancies across the country. The last time the labour market was this strong was during the mining construction boom in 2011-2012,” Ms Ritchie said.
“Back then, the overall economic situation was defined by the country’s two-speed economy, with job ads narrowly based in the resource-rich states and industries.
“By contrast, the current strength in the regional labour market is broadly based across all states and territories and occupations, with the greatest demand being for professionals and skilled tradespeople,” Ms Ritchie said.
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