Australia's 2025 Occupation Shortage List (OSL) reveals that while labour market pressure has eased slightly, critical workforce shortages remain across healthcare, education, construction and skilled trades.
For employers planning workforce and migration strategy in 2025, these insights provide a clear signal: labour market conditions are stabilising, but the talent pipeline is still insufficient in nationally essential roles.
Key Takeaways from the 2025 OSL
- 29% of occupations are still in national shortage, down from 33% in 2024
- Health, construction, education and trade roles continue to face significant skills gaps
- Vacancy fill rates are improving, but employers still report difficulty securing experienced candidates
- Workforce diversity is emerging as a key solution; roles with higher participation from women, older workers and First Nations people show lower rates of shortage
Insight for employers: Diversity and skilled migration are no longer separate strategies; together they form the new workforce stability model for 2025 and beyond.
Why Shortages Persist - Despite More Applicants
Even in roles where more qualified candidates are entering the market, three structural issues remain:
- Not enough qualified candidates in health, education and construction
- Experience and employability gaps, particularly in high-skill professional roles
- Retention and pay pressures in care and service sectors driving turnover
These challenges mean that migration pathways, employer-sponsored visas and workforce retention plans continue to play a critical role, especially in regional and high-demand sectors.
What This Means for Workforce & Migration Strategy
For employers operating in shortage-listed industries, workforce planning should now focus on:
- Securing skilled migrant talent in roles where local supply cannot meet demand
- Using the Occupation Shortage List to justify sponsorship and visa pathways
- Combining diversity targets with workforce resilience planning
- Reviewing DAMA, Skilled Occupation Lists and regional visa options aligned with the 2025 OSL insight
Need strategic migration support?
Roam helps employers align visa sponsorship and workforce planning with the latest occupation shortage data.
Book a strategy discussion with our migration specialists to assess your workforce gaps.
Additional reading:
- OSL Key Findings Report showing the results and key indicators that underpin them.
- OSL Additional Insights setting out the implications of shortages and more nuanced labour market insights.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.