Hiring foreign workers with the help of automated tech

Changing employment trends, visa holders at work since 2020

The impact of COVID was felt across all industries and workforces, including Australian visa holders. Following a decline in visa holders working with foundU clients in Q1 2020, there has been a steady rise. Based on a sample of 137 clients employing over 12,000 staff we can see a changing trend emerging.

In early 2020, 20% of the employed workforce held a visa. By Q4 2022 nearly a quarter of employees held a visa (24% of the active workforce). Over three years this grew by 4pp or 16%.

Companies have increased the number of active employees over the 3 years. 37% of this growth was from visa holders, while 21% from non-visa holders. As employment trends change its important to note the additional complexity businesses face when employing visa holders.

Migrant arrivals increase but still below pre-COVID levels

Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal a 171% growth in the number of migrant arrivals in 2022 compared to 2021. It's important to note that not all migrants are eligible to work and depend on their specific visa conditions. Overall migration has not yet returned to pre-COVID levels. Review the full report here.

The skills priority report from the National Skills Commission provides a detailed view on occupations in shortage. Read the findings here.

The challenges for businesses remain largely the same. Filling roles with the right people and in time. There isn’t a one size fits all or one simple thing a business can do. With many factors at play its important to be flexible and progressive. Embracing new technology, processes, and ways to recruit could be the key for some.

Important things to consider when employing visa holders

The added complexity of employing visa holders can be daunting for some. Reducing the available candidate pool further. It's important to consider the role and finding the right person regardless of their visa status.

Many foundU clients are experiencing growth in the number of staff they employ. Effectively countering the overall trends seen Australia currently.

Legislation and liability cannot be overlooked – however this shouldn’t become a barrier. Here are three common scenarios we get asked about regularly.

"We are seeing an increasing number of customers using foundU to manage their foreign workforce. Over the years we have continually developed the platform with automation in mind to help our customers with payroll complexity. Without a robust system in place it’s easy to lose track, simply checking the visa status when employing a new person isn’t enough. Today, we are seeing customers employ two or more part time visa holders to cover a previously full time role. Innovation in recruitment practises allow businesses to compete in a changing market. Flexible configuration, reporting and a single source of data make this easy."

Renee Roussety, COO, foundU

Managing a dynamic workforce with foundU

From onboarding though to scheduling, foundU supports businesses employing visa holders.

• Capture accurate data when your recruiting new staff.
• One click VEVO checks (no costs or volume limits).
• Automatically run visa checks every 21 days.
• See an individual’s visa conditions.
• Update the individual employee record.
• Set limits to working hours, expiration dates and more.
• Use this data when arranging shifts.
• See real time hours worked at anytime.
• Run reports to see staff visa expiration.
• Better planning with accurate data.
• Learn more about our visa checking features.

foundU by design automates payroll, reduces admin and removes obstacles. If you would like more information on how foundU can support your business contact us today.