Working in Australia

Skill shortage salary guide

Australian Job Shortages

The MODL (Migration Occupations in Demand List) details Australia’s occupation shortages. The Department of Employment and Work place relations identifies the occupations and specialties that have an ongoing national shortage. This is reviewed every six months.

For planning and budgeting purposes it always helps to have an idea of what you might be earning in a new job, so alongside the shortage lists we have included indications of some salaries* to help with this (all in AUD).



Occupation Salary / Average Weekly Wage
Professionals  
Accountant $68,000 – 85,000 / $1000 week
Anaesthetist $89,000 - $110,000 / $1726 week
Chemical Engineer $1726 / week
Civil Engineer $50,000 - $100,000 / $1250 week
Computing Professional
- specialising in CISSP $35,000 - $180,000
- specialising in E-commerce Security $35,000 - $180,000
- specialising in Network Security $35,000 - $180,000
- specialising in SAP $35,000 - $180,000
- specialising in SIEBEL $35,000 - $180,000
Dental Specialist $36,000 - $55,000 / $900 / week
Dentist $40,000 - $100,000 / $1199 / week
Dermatologist $1726 / week
Emergency Medicine Specialist $1726 / week
General Medical Practitioner $1500 / week
Hospital Pharmacist $1000 / week
Medical Diagnostic Radiographer $1150 / week
Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum) Watch this space!
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist $1726 / week
Occupational Therapist $40,500 - $114,500 / $942 week
Ophthalmologist Watch this space!
Paediatrician $1726 / week
Pathologist $1726 / week
Petroleum Engineer Watch this space!
Physiotherapist $40,500 - $114,500 / $942 wk
Podiatrist $750 / week
Psychiatrist $1726 / week
Radiologist $1726 / week
Registered Mental Health Nurse $1000 / week
Registered Midwife $1077 / week
Registered Nurse $950 / week
Retail Pharmacist $1110 / week
Specialist Medical Practitioners (not elsewhere classified) $1726 / week
Specialist Physician $1726 / week
Speech Pathologist $760 / week
Sonographer $1150 / week
Surgeon $1726 / week
   
Associate Professionals  
Chef (excluding Commis Chef) $700 / week
   
Trades Persons

 

Automotive Electrician $36,000 - $54,000 / $785 week
Baker $600 / week
Boat Builder and Repairer $770 / week
Bricklayer $722 / week
Cabinetmaker $700 / week
Carpenter $720 / week
Carpenter and Joiner $720 / week
Cook $470 / week
Drainer $800 / week
Electrical Powerline Tradesperson $1000 / week
Electrician (Special Class) $840 +/ week
Electronic Equipment Tradesperson Watch this space!
Fibrous Plasterer $750 / week
Fitter Flat Glass Tradesperson Watch this space!
Floor Finisher $690 / week
Furniture Upholsterer $650 / week
Gas Fitter Watch this space!
General Electrician $70,000 - $110,000 / $840 week
General Electronic Instrument-Tradesperson Watch this space!
General Plumber $800 / week
Hairdresser $535 / week
Joiner $720 / week
Lift Mechanic Watch this space!
Mechanical Services and Air-conditioning Plumber $700 / week
Metal Fabricator (Boilermaker) $780 / week
Metal Machinist (First Class) $800 / week
Motor Mechanic $700 / week
Panel Beater $740 / week
Pastry Cook $600 / week
Pressure Welder $780 / week
Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Mechanic $700 / week
Roof plumber $800 / week
Roof Slater and Tiler $900 / week
Solid Plasterer $930 / week
Sheetmetal Worker (First Class) $700 / week
Stonemason $800 / week
Toolmaker $900 / week
Vehicle Body Maker $592 / week
Vehicle Painter $750 / week
Wall and Floor Tiler $800 / week
Welder (first class) $60,000 - $95,000

* Salary information from: Wage net website, Hays Salary Survey 2006, My Career Salary Survey

More information

Skill shortages in Australia