Regardless of where you are in Australia, boundaries need to be established, roads need to be set out, and utilities need to be found. This creates a huge resourcing challenge for a surveying industry already facing a shortage of qualified professionals—and with projections estimating a need for 1,500 additional workers annually, the gap is only widening.
Regionally, the issue is even more pronounced. The lack of available local talent means vacancies can remain unfilled for months—or even years. As a recruiter specialising in surveying, I’ve found regional placements account for around 50% of my work. It’s certainly improved my geography—from knowing my Wangarattas to my Coolangattas!
So, what’s worked for us in solving this regional talent crunch?
1. Fly-In/Fly-Out (FIFO)
FIFO suits engineering surveying more than cadastral, where project-based work justifies higher rates and travel costs. It’s a polarising lifestyle—candidates either embrace it or quickly realise it’s not for them. The appeal is obvious: overtime, travel allowances, and generous rosters. But those benefits often mask the personal cost—being away from family, missing social events, and the isolation during downtime.
Most clients we work with now insist on prior FIFO experience to minimise attrition. Word of mouth matters—a candidate’s reputation travels between projects, so a known quantity often wins out over an unknown resume.
2. Emigrating Candidates
Engineering recruiters are all too familiar with inboxes flooded by overseas applicants. Australia’s lifestyle is a huge draw—but unless a candidate already holds a visa (or is close to securing one), most employers won’t engage. Visa processes are slow, costly, and uncertain. Many recruiters (myself included) have learned the hard way that “I’m in the visa process” often means “I’ve Googled it.”
However, candidates with the right to work are in high demand. In particular, New Zealand surveyors have become an excellent talent pool. With culturally aligned backgrounds and visa-free access, they’re easier to onboard, and their motivation to relocate is often stronger and more sustainable.
With overseas candidates, technical skills matter—but understanding their motivations matters more. Relocation for a lifestyle change is a solid foundation. Relocating solely for money or a better job title? That’s a red flag.
3. Managing Motivation and Expectations
When placing candidates in regional roles, expectation management is critical. Not every town is coastal, and not every job is within commuting distance to Sydney or Melbourne. Explaining this up-front helps avoid disillusionment later. It’s also essential to understand their personal situation—what they’re leaving behind (e.g. elderly parents, property, pets), and what they’re bringing with them (e.g. partners needing work, school-aged kids, niche careers).
4. Flight Risk
Let’s be honest: candidates who move regionally without a strong reason (family ties, returning home, etc.) are a flight risk. The first six months are crucial—without a social network, regional life can feel isolating. A workplace that offers both professional and personal integration increases the odds of long-term success.
Most candidates either settle or reassess their options around the 18-month mark. Those who haven’t formed roots may start eyeing metro opportunities. On the other hand, those who’ve joined sports clubs, built social ties, or enrolled kids in local schools often become long-term members of the community—and their tenure can outlast those working in the metro areas where opportunities (and poaching) are more frequent.
5. Attracting Candidates
Candidates open to FIFO or relocation often don’t have a fixed location in mind. That makes job board visibility unreliable. With 500+ surveying roles currently live on Seek, it’s easy to get lost in the noise, especially when your specific location may not be the first area that comes to mind when candidates are putting in their search parameters.
While we’d love to say our ads are magical, the truth is simpler: we post more of them. Volume gives us better odds. Combined with targeted SEO on our website and daily engagement with passive candidates on LinkedIn and industry forums, we simply talk to more people. From that volume, we filter out those unwilling to relocate, lacking visas, or who don’t have realistic expectations—and we’re left with a steady trickle of candidates genuinely open to regional opportunities.
If you’re a regional employer struggling to find qualified surveyors, feel free to get in touch. We won’t promise miracles—but we know the terrain.
By: Russell Locke, Director, Planned Resources
Russell Locke is the Founder and Director of Planned Resources, bringing over 25 years’ recruitment experience across planning, design, engineering and the public sector.
Russell Locke – Director
Connect with Russell Locke on Linkedin
Contact: +61 407 111 364 , russell.locke@plannedresources.com.au