Hire Industrial Electricians in Australia

Hire Industrial Electricians in Australia: 2025 Rates, Shortages & Where to Find Them

Hiring an industrial electrician in Australia is harder than ever. Major projects, skills shortages, and rising wages are making it tough to find qualified sparkies especially ones who understand the unique requirements of heavy industry.

If you’re managing a site, factory, or industrial facility and need qualified labour fast, this guide will help you:

Understand the current market rates
Identify where to find licensed sparkies
Learn the 5 key steps to hire quickly
Avoid delays that cost thousands in lost uptime

Whether you're based in Perth, Sydney, or regional QLD we’ve got you covered.

Why It’s So Hard to Find Industrial Electricians in 2025

Industrial electricians are currently listed as a priority occupation on the Australian government’s Skills Priority List. That means they're in critically short supply across most states.

Why demand is so high:

Ongoing labour shortages post-COVID
Surge in infrastructure, energy and defence projects
High-paying FIFO jobs draining metro availability
Low apprenticeship completion rates in the trade

In short? Everyone’s hiring—and most companies are behind the curve.

What Do Industrial Electricians Actually Do?

Unlike domestic or commercial sparkies, industrial electricians work on:

High-voltage switchboards and substations
PLCs and automated control systems
Conveyor belts, heavy plant and process lines
Maintenance in manufacturing, mining or energy
Hazardous areas (EEHA) and explosive zones

They typically hold:

A current Unrestricted Electrical Licence
High-Risk Work licences (EWP, WAH, Confined Space)
LVR/CPR + Construction White Card
EEHA certification for specific sites

How Much Do Industrial Electricians Cost in 2025?

The average hourly rate for an industrial electrician in Australia is now between $54–$65/hr flat. Add 15–25% for shift work, nights, or FIFO projects.

RoleTypical RateIndustrial Electrician – Metro$55–$60/hrFIFO/Shutdown Electrician$65–$85/hrEEHA/Hazardous Areas+$5–$10/hr premiumApprentice (2nd–4th year)$25–$38/hr

Want to benchmark your pay offer? Get a free salary estimate from HJ Recruitment’s trade desk.

5 Steps to Hire Industrial Electricians Faster

Here’s how to attract sparkies—without spending weeks waiting for ad responses.

1. Use the right job title

Include relevant site terms:

Industrial Electrician – Mining | EEHA | FIFO or
Maintenance Electrician – Manufacturing & Shift Work

2. List total comp, not just base pay

Include site allowances, tools, roster, bonuses or even scrap buy-back if available.

3. Streamline your interview process

You’ll lose sparkies if you take more than 72 hours to offer. Pre-book interviews when shortlisting.

4. Use industry-specific recruiters

At HJ Recruitment, we’ve built one of the most trusted networks for permanent electrical hires across:

Mining & resources
FMCG and food manufacturing
Utilities and defence
Large-scale construction

5. Be willing to sponsor or relocate

We regularly place overseas or interstate electricians under the 482 visa, or help companies support regional relocation.

Need help hiring? Book a strategy call and we’ll show you how we can deliver quality sparkies in under 7 days.

Locations We Recruit Industrial Electricians

At HJ Recruitment, we place industrial sparkies across:

Perth, WA – workshops, shutdowns, manufacturing plants
Sydney, NSW – water treatment, construction sites, data centres
Brisbane, QLD – food processing, regional power projects
Regional & FIFO – mining, energy, and government infrastructure

Looking to hire other trades too? See our guide to mechanical fitter recruitment in Australia.

Hire Smarter. Hire Faster.

Industrial electricians keep Australia’s critical infrastructure running but hiring the wrong one can cost you tens of thousands in downtime or safety risks.

We’ve helped hundreds of companies solve trade shortages with permanent placements that stick.