Picky jobseekers: WA businesses forced to look overseas for staff despite rising unemployment rate

Written on the 17 October 2016

"PICKY" jobseekers are leaving WA restaurants and bars with a shortage of workers, despite the state having the second highest jobless rate in the country.

Local venues are resorting to hiring kitchen and wait staff from Asia, Europe and the Americas.

The shortage comes despite WA's unemployment rate hitting 6.3 per cent.

Hospitality industry leaders said some West Australians weren't prepared to do the "hard work" or evening and weekend hours.

Australian Hotel Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods said the labour shortage was evident throughout Perth, as well as in Bunbury and the Kimberley.

Perth's unemployment rate was 6 per cent in June, with 68,100 people out of work, while Bunbury was at 6.2 per cent and parts of the Kimberley more than 10 per cent.

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Source: Perth Now