Recruitment across regional Western Australia
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers across regional Western Australia, from Mandurah, Bunbury and Albany to Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, the Pilbara and the Kimberley, hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people. We recruit for regional employers right across Australia, too.
Regional Western Australia at a glance
About one in five West Australians live outside Greater Perth,1 and in the survey year to August 2026 more than half of the regional employers who were recruiting or had recruited in the past month had difficulty recruiting.2
- of West Australians live outside Greater Perth
- 19.4%
- 591,617 people, 30 June 2025. Greater Perth includes Mandurah and much of Peel, so these figures exclude them.1
- of recruiting employers in regional WA had difficulty recruiting
- 55%
- Survey year to August 2026; against 46% in Greater Perth. Recruiting means recruiting or recruited in the past month (56% of regional employers).2
- of WA's mining jobs are at sites in the Pilbara
- 52%
- 70,651 of 134,590 full-time-equivalent mining jobs, 2024–25.3
- occupations are in shortage nationally or in regional areas
- 279 of 1,021
- 2026 ratings. 15 of them are short only in regional areas.4
Which industries drive each region of Western Australia?
Mining dominates the Pilbara and the Goldfields, agriculture leads the Wheatbelt and the Great Southern, and health care is a top employer almost everywhere.5 The South West and Peel are the most populous regions, with 206,297 and 175,310 people.6
Unemployment is as low as 1.0% in Ashburton, in the Pilbara's iron ore country, and 2.3% in Karratha, so for site roles we search well beyond the shire.7
Population at 30 June 2025,6 industries employing the most residents (August 2021),5 full-time-equivalent mining jobs at sites in each region in 2024–253 and smoothed unemployment by council area, June quarter 2026.7
| Region | Main council areas (population) | What drives it | Mining jobs at sites, 2024–25 | Unemployment (June quarter 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peel (Mandurah) | Mandurah 106,827; Serpentine-Jarrahdale 40,531; Murray 21,447 | Health care, mining, construction, retail. | 5,971 | Mandurah 3.9%; Murray 3.6% |
| South West (Bunbury) | Busselton 46,184; Bunbury 35,730; Harvey 32,208 | Health care, construction, retail, education, manufacturing, hospitality, mining. | 7,058 | Bunbury 5.0%; Busselton 2.3% |
| Great Southern (Albany) | Albany 42,308; Denmark 6,858; Plantagenet 5,793 | Agriculture, health care, retail, education. | 36 | Albany 3.1%; Katanning 5.5% |
| Wheatbelt (Northam) | Northam 12,758; Chittering 7,039; Narrogin 4,989 | Agriculture (about a quarter of employed residents), health care, education. | 3,041 | Northam 5.1%; Narrogin 4.3% |
| Mid West and Gascoyne (Geraldton) | Greater Geraldton 42,882; Carnarvon 5,655; Exmouth 3,670 | Health care, education, retail, agriculture and fishing, hospitality, mining. | Mid West 8,494; Gascoyne 603 | Greater Geraldton 3.7%; Carnarvon 6.8% |
| Goldfields–Esperance (Kalgoorlie) | Kalgoorlie-Boulder 31,268; Esperance 14,663 | Mining (almost a quarter of employed residents), health care, education. | 34,940 | Kalgoorlie-Boulder 2.5%; Esperance 2.5% |
| Pilbara (Karratha, Port Hedland) | Karratha 25,429; Port Hedland 17,743; East Pilbara 10,663 | Iron ore and LNG;8 mining employs a third of residents; construction, transport. | 70,651 | Karratha 2.3%; Port Hedland 3.5% |
| Kimberley (Broome, Kununurra) | Broome 19,193; Derby-West Kimberley 8,683; Wyndham-East Kimberley 8,441 | Health care, education, public administration; tourism and the Ord River irrigation area.9 | 1,524 | Broome 5.0%; Wyndham-East Kimberley 9.3% |
How hard is it to hire in regional Western Australia?
More than half of the regional WA employers who were recruiting or had recruited in the past month had difficulty recruiting (survey year to August 2026), a higher share than in Greater Perth or across Australia.2 Across WA, the most common reasons were a lack of suitable applicants, applicants lacking technical skills or experience, and working conditions or hours.2 Employers in the Great Southern and Wheatbelt also named the remote or regional location itself, as did the much smaller Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance and Broome samples in their latest surveys.2
That's why we ask about the town, the roster, housing and the support you can offer in the first conversation, and start with people who already live, study or train in the region.
Share of employers recruiting or who had recruited in the past month who had difficulty recruiting, survey year to August 2026. Regional samples are small.2
| Region | % with difficulty |
|---|---|
| Great Southern and Wheatbelt | 53% |
| South West | 42% |
| All of regional WA (Rest of WA) | 55% |
| Western Australia | 48% |
| Greater Perth (comparison) | 46% |
| Australia (comparison) | 44% |
Our regional Western Australia guides
Detailed guides to hiring in each region: the labour market, the roles in demand and how we help.
Albany and Great Southern
Regional recruitment specialist for Albany, Mount Barker, Denmark and Katanning employers. Health, trades, agribusiness and office staff.
Bunbury and South West
Regional recruitment specialist for Bunbury, Busselton, Collie and South West WA employers. Trade, health, engineering and office staff at any level.
Geraldton, Mid West and Gascoyne
Regional recruitment specialist for Geraldton, Carnarvon and Exmouth employers. Health, trades, engineering and office staff for the Mid West and Gascoyne.
Goldfields and Esperance
Regional recruitment specialist for Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Esperance and Goldfields employers. Mining trades, engineers, health and office staff.
Kimberley
Regional recruitment specialist for Broome, Kununurra, Derby and Halls Creek employers. Health, education, trade and professional staff for the Kimberley.
Peel and Mandurah
Regional recruitment specialist for Mandurah, Pinjarra, Waroona and Boddington employers. Trades, health, engineering and office staff for the Peel region.
Pilbara
Regional recruitment specialist for Karratha, Port Hedland and Newman employers. Mining trades, engineers and health staff for FIFO rosters or town roles.
Wheatbelt
Regional recruitment specialist for Northam, Narrogin, Merredin and Moora employers. Agribusiness, trades, health and council staff for the WA Wheatbelt.
Which roles do you recruit in regional Western Australia?
We recruit professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people. In regional WA that includes qualified trades such as heavy-duty diesel fitters, electricians and fabricators for mine sites, ports and workshops, and graduate and experienced engineers, geologists and technicians.
We also recruit health professionals, including registered nurses, allied health and health administration and management staff, and health support workers such as assistants in nursing and disability and aged-care support workers. Business, accounting and office roles round out most regional searches. See how we recruit for regional employers.
Hiring graduates in regional Western Australia
Regional WA trains many of its own graduates. Edith Cowan University teaches in Bunbury,10 Curtin's WA School of Mines is based in Kalgoorlie,11 UWA has a campus in Albany,12 Notre Dame trains nurses in Broome13 and Murdoch teaches nursing in Mandurah.14 The Geraldton Universities Centre supports local degrees in nursing, education, accounting and business.15 North Regional TAFE has 11 campuses across the Kimberley and Pilbara,16 and Central and South Regional TAFE cover the Mid West, Goldfields, Wheatbelt, South West and Great Southern.17,18
We talk with graduates about the work, the town, the roster and the support you offer.
How we help you hire in regional Western Australia
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
How do we handle FIFO, DIDO and relocation in regional Western Australia?
Distance shapes almost every regional WA hire. Karratha is 1,538 km from Perth and Broome 2,239 km,8,19 while Kalgoorlie is 595 km away.20 The Pilbara had 70,651 full-time-equivalent mining jobs in 2024–25,3 while the region had 62,170 residents at 30 June 2025.6 Closer to Perth, the South West reports trained workers leaving for fly-in fly-out roles in the Pilbara and Goldfields.21
Tell us the base town, any fly-in fly-out (FIFO) or drive-in drive-out (DIDO) roster and the departure point, and we build them into the search and talk them through with candidates during screening. Tell us, too, whether you can help with housing, a relocation allowance or a vehicle. We raise them early with every candidate who would be moving.
We start with people who live, study or train in the region, and we also talk with candidates returning home or planning a move to regional WA. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in regional Western Australia?
Register with Hire Australia and tell us the towns you're considering, the work you want, whether a FIFO or DIDO roster suits you and when you could start. Experienced people, graduates and people moving to WA are all welcome. We'll talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next regional Western Australia hire
Tell us the role, the base town or site, the roster, the salary range or award, any licences or tickets, any housing help and when you need someone to start. We recruit for regional employers anywhere in WA and across Australia.
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.
A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Good to know.
Which parts of regional Western Australia does Hire Australia recruit in?
All of them. Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist based in Brisbane, and we recruit for employers anywhere in regional WA, from Mandurah, Bunbury and Albany to Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Karratha and Broome. About one in five West Australians, 591,617 people, lived outside Greater Perth at 30 June 2025.1 We recruit across Australia too, so tell us the town and the role even if it has no guide yet.
Is it hard to hire staff in regional Western Australia?
Often. In the survey year to August 2026, 56% of employers outside Greater Perth were recruiting or had recruited in the past month, and 55% of them had difficulty recruiting, against 46% in Greater Perth.2 A lack of suitable applicants was a common reason, and several regions named the location itself. Hire Australia builds the town, the roster and any move into the search from the start.
Can Hire Australia help with FIFO or DIDO roles in Western Australia?
Yes. Rostered site work is common in WA's resource regions: the Pilbara alone had 70,651 full-time-equivalent mining jobs in 2024–25, and the Goldfields–Esperance region 34,940.3 Tell Hire Australia the site, the departure point and the roster, and we build them into the search. We talk through the roster, travel and accommodation with each candidate before we introduce them to you.
Do national awards cover every employer in Western Australia?
No. WA's state public sector and, since 1 January 2023, all local governments are in the state system. So are sole traders, other unincorporated entities and non-trading corporations, and partnerships unless a partner is a company with enough trading or financial activity.22 Pty Ltd businesses that sell goods or services are usually in the national system, under modern awards.23 Hire Australia asks which system, award or agreement covers your role so the pay we discuss with candidates is right.
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. Hire Australia uses the same terms for roles anywhere in regional Western Australia, from Esperance to Kununurra.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles in regional Western Australia. 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.
Can I register with Hire Australia while I'm deciding where in Western Australia to work?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us the towns or regions you're considering, your background, whether FIFO or DIDO rosters suit you and when you could start. Experienced people, graduates and people moving to WA are all welcome. We'll talk with you about roles and working patterns that fit your plans.
Sources (23)
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year (Population estimates and components by SA2, 2024 to 2025). Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: State and Regional Snapshot update, Western Australia. Released 22 September 2026. Data: 12 months to August 2026; WA weighted (1,412 employers); regional samples small, unweighted, interpret with caution. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Government of Western Australia, Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration, 2025 spatial and regional data file: mining employment by region and local government area. Files dated June 2026. Data: 2024-25 financial year average; full-time equivalent at mine sites, by site location. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (6-digit ANZSCO and OSCA). Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 ratings, OSCA 2024 sheet. National ratings; S = shortage, R = regional shortage. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile, Table G54 Industry of employment by age by sex, Local Government Areas. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021; employed residents by place of usual residence, summed over each region. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year (Population estimates and components by LGA, 2024 to 2025). Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, SALM Smoothed LGA Datafiles (ASGS 2025) - June quarter 2026. Data: June quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- WA Country Health Service, WA Country Health Service: Pilbara regional profile (distance from Perth table). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Infrastructure WA, State Infrastructure Strategy: WA’s regions, Kimberley region. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Edith Cowan University, ECU South West Campus (Bunbury). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Curtin University, Curtin Kalgoorlie campus (WA School of Mines). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- The University of Western Australia, UWA Albany. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- The University of Notre Dame Australia, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Broome Campus. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Murdoch University, Murdoch University Mandurah campus. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Geraldton Universities Centre, Geraldton Universities Centre. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- North Regional TAFE, North Regional TAFE: Campuses. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Central Regional TAFE, Central Regional TAFE: Campuses. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- South Regional TAFE, South Regional TAFE: Campuses. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- WA Country Health Service, WA Country Health Service: Kimberley regional profile (distance from Perth table). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- WA Country Health Service, WA Country Health Service: Goldfields regional profile (distance from Perth table). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Local Jobs Plan: South West Employment Region, Western Australia (July 2026). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, The Fair Work system: Western Australia (who is covered by the state system). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Government of Western Australia, Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety, Which system of employment laws applies. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑