Western Australia is going through a mining boom, creating a desperate skills shortage for engineers, geologists, metallurgists, as well as teachers and healthcare professionals to support the influx of workers to the area, according to Rupert Merrick, manager of Opportunities Australia Expo.

The London exhibition, which aimed to entice skilled UK workers to emigrate to Australia, attracted around 10,000 visitors over the weekend of 3-4 November. There were more than 60 exhibitors consisting of recruiters, employers, government agencies and support firms. "The Australian economy is growing exponentially, mainly due to the mining boom, not only in Western Australia but in other areas," Merrick told Recruiter.

Australia's Skilled Migration Programme aims to attract around 150,000 migrants this year, compensating for 56,000 Australians leaving the country yearly.

A Manchester event, held last month, attracted around 4,000 visitors, with a large number of enquiries from plumbers, electricians and other tradespeople, Merrick said. "They were complaining that there was no work for them, as all the jobs have been taken by Polish and Eastern European tradespeople," he claimed.

Workingin.com, which organised the event, plans to hold another one next April in Leeds, as well as Opportunities Canada events next year in June and November in both London and Leeds.