Adecco says the number of mining jobs will increase only 13.8% over the next three years after a 43% growth over the last three years.

In its 2014 talent report launched today, overall permanent jobs will increase by 14.1% and temporary or casual jobs by 12.3% to 2016 as the mining industry creates a more flexible workforce, limiting its long-term risk as a permanent employer.

Wages in the sector have improved by 7.1% over 2013, with permanent roles attracting on average a 7.3% increase and temporary or casual roles attracting a 5.9% change.

Currently, there are 4900 job vacancies in the Australian mining sector.

Adecco reports that this number is declining as mining companies reduce staff numbers.

“Local business and consumer confidence combined with a more stable world economy and low interest rates will lead to an increase for labour in 2014 across many industry sectors and this will be matched with moderate wage growth,” Adecco Australian and New Zealand chief operating officer Mike Davies said.

“The pressures of skills shortages in many sectors have softened and this has passed the control back to the employer with the majority of wage increases set to match [consumer price index] increases rather than in a desperate bidding war for talent.”

Over the fourth quarter of 2013, Adecco tracked stability in mining and resources jobs at 265,250 total employed at an average weekly income of $A2478.

Of this, 13.1% of workers were employed on a temporary basis.

Top salary positions listed included general managers ($250,000-420,000), project managers ($220,000-360,000) and maintenance managers ($200,000-270,000).

Lower paid jobs included open cut pit operators ($80,000-115,000), auto electricians ($95,000-135,000) and geologists ($110,000-170,000).

In the engineering and technical sector, lead mine estimators were estimated the best paid employees at $200,000-260,000 while mining engineers earned about $120,000-180,000.