Australia is desperately short of tour guides – and the government is changing regulations to make it easier for overseas guides to work Down Under.
The category of Tour Guides has been added to the latest Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) Occupation Shortage List (OSL), a move recognising the severe shortage in these positions across the country.
The OSL is a list of occupations in high demand and is used to determine eligibility for skilled migration visas, enabling foreign workers with specific skills to fill labour shortages in various industries.
The shortage of tour guides, which was exacerbated by the Covid pandemic, has seen a lack of skilled workers in Australia, especially for multilingual guides.
“Tour guides are critical to delivering high-quality experiences to international visitors, and the demand for skilled guides is growing,” said Peter Shelley, managing director of the Australian Tourism Export Council.
ATEC said the gradual return of international visitors, especially from key markets like Europe, China and India, has driven the need for qualified and knowledgeable tour guides.
“The demand underscores the importance of training and upskilling workers in this field to ensure quality experiences for inbound tourists,” said Shelley.
