Almost half of Australia's workers think they are overqualified for their job, a new survey has found.

At the same time, however, more than half the workforce thinks Australia will suffer a "brain drain" shortage of highly qualified staff in the next three years, possibly leading to an influx of workers from Asia.

The latest Randstad Workmonitor Report, a survey of 147,000 workers around the globe, including 4,500 in Australia, has found that 46 per cent of local workers feel overqualified for their current role.

In addition, 38 per cent of Australian workers don't believe they have adequate training and development opportunities, while 41 per cent complain that career progression paths aren't good enough.

Randstad Australia & New Zealand chief executive Fred van der Tang said employers, who are struggling to find suitable staff to fill vacancies, tend not to share employees' inflated views of their own abilities.

However it does point to a significant challenge for companies wanting to retain people and training and development will be key weapons in meeting that challenge.

"It seems there is a mismatch between the perceptions of the employee and the perceptions of the employer," van der Tang said.

"It's an uncomfortable situation, particularly if (rival workers) are coming in from overseas."

The Randstad survey, conducted in September, found 57 per cent of local workers believe Australia will experience a shortage of highly qualified staff within three years.

Van der Tang said it is possible many vacancies are likely to be filled by skilled migrants from China, where 84 per cent of workers feel their skills and abilities exceed their present position.

Other countries ranking highly in terms of qualification confidence are Hong Kong, with 58 per cent, and India, with 54 per cent.

"With so many of our neighbours believing they are overqualified for their current role, it's logical to think they will look to develop their career in an environment where greater opportunities exist," van der Tang said.

Van der Tang said some skilled migration is necessary and unavoidable but it should not be the only option for meeting Australia's workforce needs.

Investment in training is needed - an area where Australian companies are lagging the rest of the world.

"On average, the investment of Australian employers in training and development is low-ish, in terms of other economies, which explains why Australia is not that highly ranked in terms of competitiveness internationally," he said.

Van der Tang said employees needed opportunities for career advancement to ensure high satisfaction and staff retention levels.

"Perceptions are important because it tells you how likely people are to move on or stay, or do their best for you," he said.

- AAP

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