$4m campaign to Go West

The Western Australian Government has announced a $4 million advertising campaign to encourage hospitality workers from the eastern states and even those across the Tasman, to move to Western Australia for work.

The targeted advertising campaign will also be designed to entice increased participation of under-represented groups in WA.

Premier Mark McGowan said, "Western Australia is in an enviable position, with a thriving economy and a low unemployment rate, amid a global pandemic. But there are challenges that come with this.

"Our strong economic position is putting significant pressure on the availability of skilled workers in WA.”

The initiative has been welcomed by the Australian Hotels Association (WA). The plan was announced in the week following the Skills Summit, a conference held to address the labour shortages which have challenged hotels, pubs, bars, taverns and restaurants across the state since the onset of the pandemic.

Australian Hotels Association (WA) CEO Bradley Woods said the organisation had advocated strongly for the interstate recruitment campaign as an immediate measure to alleviate skills shortages

“There has never been a better time for current or future hospitality workers to relocate to WA and a targeted campaign will highlight the many opportunities that we have in Perth and regional areas.”

“Now more than ever, WA has demonstrated it is the best place in Australia to live, so the idea of moving here to take up rewarding career opportunities is a proposition that essentially sells itself.”

The AHA WA also welcomed commitments from Premier McGowan to expand the Adult Apprentice Employer Incentive and his application to the Federal Government for an additional 5,000 onshore places under the State Nominated Migration Program.

“It is extremely encouraging to see the WA Government acting so quickly after the WA Skills Summit – this is an indication that they recognise the scale of the problem facing local businesses. We also look forward to investigating ways in which workers moving from interstate can access relocation assistance to further incentivise them to take up work in WA," said Mr Woods.

Premier McGown has also written to the Commonwealth requesting that the state-nominated migration program be expanded from 1100 to 5000 places.

That would allow existing visa holders to fill skilled positions including from an additional 134 occupation categories that were added last month.