As part of its contribution to the current shortage, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) site lists more than 7000 potentially skilled migrants, including 290 energy-related professionals and tradespeople.

A skills matching database within the site, focused on employer needs, is also part of the department’s assistance to helping the sector get over the need for skilled workers, DIMIA first assistant secretary, migration and temporary entry division, Abul Rizvi said.

After the breakfast, West Perth-based general manager of DT Workforce, Lincoln Padberg, said he was not previously aware of the site and would test it this week.

Rizvi had provided “food for thought” on how to quickly obtain short-term contract workers, Padberg said.

Other DIMIA initiatives outlined by Rizvi included placing department officers with key industry bodies to guage those sectors’ needs, allowing on-line visa applications and seminars for employers on how to import skilled workers.

International skills recruitment events and the creation of a sponsored trade skills visa – an apprenticeship equivalent of an overseas student visa – are also part of the initiatives.

But parts of DIMIA’s operations were criticised by some of the energy sector and human resource business members at the breakfast.

“Why do migration officers change every three months, not allowing us to develop a working relationship?” an attendee said.

DIMIA West Australian state director Jose Alvarez said this was a result of the state branch expanding from 132 to more than 300 staff because of recent immigration challenges.

Delays of up to three weeks in obtaining clearance for medicals for visa applications was being tackled with an electonic system of transmission being established in Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan, Alvarez said.