Australia is projected to face a shortfall of 250,000 skilled workers in finance, technology, and business (FTB) roles by 2030, as workforce demand surges and the education system struggles to keep pace.
Despite the growing need for skilled professionals, Australia’s education and training systems are not producing enough graduates to meet industry demands in finance, technology, and business.
The country is expected to require 3.5 million FTB workers by 2030, an increase of 450,000 from current levels.
This is according to a report by the Future Skills Organisation, a Jobs and Skills Council funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
“Australia is projected to face a major shortage of FTB workers by 2030. Demand for FTB skilled professionals is expected to grow much faster than the overall workforce, while supply is not keeping pace.
“By 2030, Australia is expected to need 3.5 million FTB roles, nearly 450,000 more than today.
It added, “Education and training pipelines are not generating sufficient graduates to meet emerging demand.”
But supply is growing too slowly, just 1.0% annually, compared to 2.2% of demand. The report forecasts a gap of 108,000 workers within FTB industries and nearly 250,000 across the economy.
Key supply channels aren’t delivering. IT and accounting degrees have high dropout rates and are heavily reliant on international students. VET completions have improved but remain inconsistent.
The finance sector faces the sharpest impact, with no workforce growth projected over the next five years and a potential shortfall of 64,000 workers across all finance occupations.
Beyond numbers, a skills mismatch is widening the gap. Even available workers often lack the specific skills employers need, a challenge the report says will make shortages even harder to solve.
The report calls for a national effort involving government, education providers, and industry to expand local talent pipelines, improve training, and strengthen skilled migration pathways or risk economic drag from a persistent skills crisis.
In June 2025, the Government introduced changes to raise skilled visa income thresholds, increase the minimum wage, and adjust employer costs. While aimed at improving labour standards, these measures may make it harder to attract skilled migrants, potentially worsening the talent shortage in finance, tech, and business already highlighted by the Future Skills Organisation.