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WHS and HSE adviser recruitment for regional employers

Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help mines, contractors, manufacturers, processors, councils and agribusinesses hire work health and safety advisers, HSE coordinators and safety managers, from site-based advisers to people who run a whole safety system. Every search starts with the industry, the hazards and the regulator your sites answer to.

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Illustrative image: a worker with a clipboard briefs two colleagues in safety gear beside a regional processing site's office.

WHS and HSE hiring at a glance

A growing profession that works across many industries, under rules that change at state borders.

occupational and environmental health professionals employed
42,000
February 2026, up 2,600 in a year.1
job ads a month for the group
1,076
Three months to September 2026, up from 1,004 a year earlier.2
median full-time weekly earnings for the group
$2,284
May 2025, national.1
of WHS advisers worked in construction, the largest single industry
17.4%
August 2021; public administration and safety had 15.4% and mining 10.5%.3

What does a WHS adviser do, and which qualification do they hold?

Occupational and environmental health professionals develop, carry out and evaluate programs that monitor health and safety at work and compliance with the law, and help injured staff through workers' compensation and rehabilitation.1 For a WHS or HSE adviser that means risk assessments, inspections and audits, incident investigation, contractor management, training and keeping the safety management system current.

WHS officers are usually required to have a Certificate IV qualification or above and/or previous industry experience.4 Relevant national qualifications include the BSB41419 Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety and the BSB51319 Diploma of Work Health and Safety.5,6 In August 2021, occupational health and safety advisers' highest qualifications were spread widely: 18.7% postgraduate, 24.4% bachelor, 26.2% diploma and 18% certificate III or IV.1

Which licences, tickets and certifications apply to WHS advisers?

No state or territory licence is listed for WHS advisers or managers. What matters is qualifications, professional certification and, for anyone who does the work themselves, the high-risk work licences each state issues.

Licences, certifications and qualifications relevant to WHS and HSE advisers, with the body that issues or sets each. Checked 1 November 2026.

JurisdictionLicence, ticket or certificationWhen it applies
All states and territoriesNo occupational licence or registration is listed for WHS advisers or WHS managers3WHS advice and management itself
All states and territoriesHigh-risk work licence, issued by the state or territory WHS regulator and valid for five years7Doing high-risk work such as scaffolding, forklifts and some cranes; not needed to advise on it
All states and territoriesAIHS certification: Certified OHS Practitioner (operational roles such as HSE advisers), Certified OHS Professional (senior) and Chartered OHS Professional (executive)8Professional standing; applicants must be AIHS members
All states and territoriesBSB41419 Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety5National qualification
All states and territoriesBSB51319 Diploma of Work Health and Safety6National qualification for broader WHS roles

Which WHS law and regulator apply in each state?

An adviser works under their state's WHS law and answers to its regulator. Victoria is the main difference, and New South Wales and Queensland have separate regulators for mines.

WHS law and regulator by state and territory. Checked 1 November 2026.

State or territoryWHS lawRegulator
New South WalesModel WHS laws since 1 January 20129SafeWork NSW; the NSW Resources Regulator for mines and petroleum sites
VictoriaThe only jurisdiction that has not implemented the model WHS laws9WorkSafe Victoria
QueenslandModel WHS laws since 1 January 20129Workplace Health and Safety Queensland; Resources Safety and Health Queensland for mining, quarrying, petroleum, gas and explosives
Western AustraliaWork Health and Safety Act 2020, in operation since 31 March 20229WorkSafe WA
South AustraliaModel WHS laws since 1 January 20139SafeWork SA
TasmaniaModel WHS laws since 1 January 20139WorkSafe Tasmania
Northern TerritoryModel WHS laws since 1 January 20129NT WorkSafe
Australian Capital TerritoryModel WHS laws since 1 January 20129WorkSafe ACT

What does a WHS adviser earn?

Award minimum: award coverage depends on the employer's industry and the employee's duties and classification. An industry award may apply; otherwise an occupational award such as the Clerks Award, the Miscellaneous Award, or no award at all.4 Where the Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2020 covers the role, a Safety Officer is a Group G staff classification with a minimum of $1,357.10 a week, or $38.77 an hour on a 35-hour week, from 1 July 2026.10

Market median: full-time occupational and environmental health professionals earned $2,284 a week, or $57 an hour, in May 2025. The figure is national and includes environmental health officers as well as WHS advisers.1 We compare whole packages with you, including any allowances you offer.

Where are WHS advisers in demand?

Western Australia had the most job ads for occupational and environmental health professionals in the three months to September 2026, followed by Queensland and New South Wales.2 Queensland holds the largest share of the group's employment.1

Online job ads for occupational and environmental health professionals by state (three-month average to September 2026) and each state's share of the group's employment (February 2026).1,2

State or territoryJob ads a monthShare of employment
Western Australia275218.6%1
Queensland26328.7%
New South Wales23423.7%
Victoria17819.8%
South Australia745.3%
Northern Territory200.9%
Australian Capital Territory181.1%
Tasmania141.9%

Which WHS and HSE roles do we recruit?

Open a role for what to put in your brief.

Mining and resources HSE advisers

Advisers for open-cut and underground mines, processing plants and their contractors.

Regulator
Mines have their own regulators in New South Wales and Queensland.9
Award
Where the Black Coal Mining Industry Award covers the role, Safety Officer is a Group G staff classification.10
Industry
10.5% of WHS advisers worked in mining in August 2021.3
What to tell us
Commodity, open-cut or underground, the regulator, the roster and camp, and whether the role covers environment as well as safety.

Construction and civil safety advisers

Advisers for building, civil, infrastructure and maintenance contractors.

Industry
Construction employed 17.4% of WHS advisers in August 2021, more than any other industry.3
Licences on site
High-risk work licences come from the state regulator, not Safe Work Australia.7
Certification
Certified OHS Practitioner suits operational roles such as HSE adviser.8
What to tell us
Project type and value, the number of subcontractors, the principal contractor arrangements and the hours on site.

WHS managers and systems leads

People who run a safety management system across several sites.

Workforce
7,600 people worked as WHS managers in August 2021.3
Certification
Certified OHS Professional suits senior roles such as safety or HSE manager.8
Injury management
The occupation group includes helping injured staff through workers' compensation and rehabilitation.1
What to tell us
Sites and headcount, the system and certification you run, reporting lines and how much travel the role involves.

What to tell us about your WHS role

Start with the industry and the hazards, because a mining HSE adviser and a food manufacturing adviser are different hires. Tell us the state and regulator, the size of the workforce and contractors, whether the role is hands-on in the field or runs the system, and whether environment or injury management is part of it.

Then the arrangements: the base and sites, any roster or travel, the qualifications or certification you expect, and who the role reports to.

How we help you hire a WHS adviser

You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.

  1. Step 1

    Understand the role

    We talk with you about the industry, the hazards, the law and regulator your sites work under, the reporting line and the experience the role needs.

  2. Step 2

    Source and screen

    We talk with WHS and HSE professionals about the industries and sites they have worked in, the systems they have run, the incidents they have investigated, and their qualifications and certification.

  3. Step 3

    Introduce suitable people

    We introduce the candidates who best match your brief, so you decide who to interview.

  4. Step 4

    Coordinate the hire

    We coordinate the next steps and keep both sides informed through interviews and the offer. You employ the person directly.

Moving a WHS adviser across a state border

An adviser moving from Victoria, or into it, changes legal frameworks, because Victoria has not implemented the model WHS laws.9 We ask about that early and look for candidates who know your state's law or can show how they have adapted before.

For site roles, tell us whether the role is residential, FIFO or DIDO, its point of hire and its roster, and we explain those arrangements to candidates before they apply.

If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.

Are you a WHS or HSE professional looking for your next role?

Register with Hire Australia and tell us the industries you know, the states you have worked in, your qualifications and certification, the rosters you will consider and the regions you prefer. We welcome advisers, coordinators and managers.

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Talk to us about your next WHS hire

Tell us the industry, the sites and your start date.

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.

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A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Good to know.

Does a WHS adviser need a licence?

No occupational licence or registration is listed for WHS advisers or managers.3 High-risk work licences, issued by each state's regulator, are for people who do that work themselves.7 WHS officers are usually required to have a Certificate IV or above and/or industry experience.4 Hire Australia matches qualifications and experience to your role.

How much do WHS advisers earn?

Full-time occupational and environmental health professionals earned a national median of $57 an hour in May 2025, a group that includes environmental health officers.1 Award coverage depends on the industry and duties; where the Black Coal Mining Industry Award covers the role, a Safety Officer earns at least $38.77 an hour from 1 July 2026.10 Hire Australia compares whole packages with you.

Do WHS rules differ between states?

Yes. Victoria is the only jurisdiction that has not implemented the model WHS laws, Western Australia's own Act has applied since 31 March 2022, and New South Wales and Queensland have separate regulators for mines.9 High-risk work licences also come from each state's regulator.7 Hire Australia looks for advisers who know your state's rules.

Are WHS advisers in shortage?

No. Occupational Health and Safety Adviser is not rated in shortage for 2026, and neither is Environmental Health Officer.11 Job ads for the group still rose to 1,076 a month in the three months to September 2026, from 1,004 a year earlier.2 Hire Australia focuses the search on industry fit and site experience.

What does it cost to use Hire Australia?

Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. That applies to every WHS and HSE role Hire Australia recruits for, from site adviser to safety manager.

Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?

No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.

Sources (11)

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO occupation data, February 2026 (occupation descriptions, earnings, employment and state tables). Group medians: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, national. Group employment and state shares: February 2026. 6-digit figures and highest qualification: 2021 Census. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  2. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, 4-digit occupations by state and territory, September 2026. Online job ads, three-month moving average to September 2026 (released 21 October 2026), rounded. Counts ads, not jobs. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  3. Jobs and Skills Australia, OSCA occupation data, 2021 Census (Tables 1, 2 and 6). OSCA 2024 coding. Table 6, WHS Adviser and WHS Manager: "No registration or licensing requirements are listed for this occupation." Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  4. Fair Work Ombudsman, Award coverage for workplace health and safety officers (K600725). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  5. training.gov.au, BSB41419 Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  6. training.gov.au, BSB51319 Diploma of Work Health and Safety. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  7. Safe Work Australia, High risk work licences. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  8. Australian Institute of Health & Safety, Certification levels. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  9. Safe Work Australia, WHS regulators and workers' compensation authorities contact information. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  10. Fair Work Ombudsman, Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2020 [MA000001], Schedule B staff rates. Schedule B.2.1 rates from 1 July 2026; hourly on a 35-hour week. Group G includes Safety Officer. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
  11. Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (ANZSCO 2022 sheet). National ratings, ANZSCO 2022 coding, matching the job-ad and earnings groups on this page. "In shortage" means rated S or R. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑