The bar chart illustrates the migration patterns of skilled workers, measured in thousands, across four distinct occupations that migrated to Australia at three-year intervals from 2009 to 2012. Overall, the figures for all occupations exhibit significant disparities. Accounting led the way with the highest numbers for every year, followed by cooks and software engineers at a considerable distance. In contrast, the computer programming sector consistently had the lowest workforce count, lagging behind other professions.
The number of individuals in accounting and software engineering was an order of magnitude higher than in the other occupations, with accounting slightly surpassing software engineering. In 2009, the number of accountants was approximately 20,000. This figure then experienced a significant surge, reaching a peak of roughly 28,000 in 2012 and surpassing other occupations in terms of workforce numbers. However, the number of accountants saw a moderate decline afterward, dropping to 20,000 in 2013 and further decreasing to 18,000 in 2014. From 2009 onward, the figure for software engineering showed a consistent upward trend over three consecutive years, rising from a baseline of 18,000 in the first year to a peak of 22,000 in 2011. Despite this growth, the number then experienced a downturn, falling to around 16,000 in 2012, while still maintaining its position as a distant runner-up in the chart.
The remaining occupations—cooking and computer programming—display varying degrees of change. Despite some fluctuations, the number of individuals working as cooks was 17,000 in 2009. This figure then experienced a downward trend, decreasing to exactly 15,000 in 2010. Ultimately, it closed the period with figures of approximately 18,000 in 2011 and 16,000 in 2012. At the lower end of the spectrum was computer programming, which consistently recorded the fewest figures. Starting the period with only 2,000 migrants, the number in computer programming rose modestly to 3,000 in 2010. This figure then reverted back to its initial point of 2,000 in 2011. Finally, in 2012, it saw moderate growth, increasing to exactly 5,000 in the last year.