July 2026 WATERLINE | 33 RESEARCH MIA INDUSTRY RESEARCH The conduct of research that delivers credible, valid & reliable data that facilitates industry advocacy efforts, supports effective investment decisions and improves operational practices is one of the key pillars of the MIA’s leadership support services. The MIA is proud to deliver the results of two key research projects. A RECORD RESPONSE AND A CLEAR STORY - 2026 MIA EMPLOYMENT & SALARY SURVEY The 2026 Marina Industries Association (MIA) Employment & Salary Survey drew the biggest sample in the association's history, and the data points to an industry growing faster than its workforce. Ninety-six marinas, boatyards and clubs took part, the largest sample we have ever gathered. Responses came from seven states and territories and spanned every major facility type, from commercial marinas with boatyards to sailing, yacht and boating clubs. With participation at a record high, the 2026 results give the clearest, most representative picture of the marine workforce the industry has had to date. And the picture is an interesting one. Read alongside eight years of survey history, the data tells a consistent story: the industry is growing, but the workforce pipeline is not keeping pace. WAGES SETTLE INTO A "NEW NORMAL" After the inflationary surge of 2022–24, salary movement has moderated. The dominant pay rise applied over the past year sat in a steady, single-digit range, and the great majority of respondents expect to hold to similar, modest increases in the year ahead. Acrossthe-board salary freezes, common only a few years ago, have all but disappeared. The takeaway is reassuring stability: the sector appears to be settling into a reliable rhythm of moderate, sustainable wage growth rather than the swings of recent cycles. That stability sits on top of real long-term movement. Tracked across multiple survey years, base salaries for key roles have climbed meaningfully over the past eight years — a reminder that competing for talent has become steadily more expensive, and that benchmarking your own pay against the market matters more than ever. Some challenges have proven remarkably persistent. The Marina Manager role remains the single hardest position to fill across the industry, a pattern that has held in every survey year, with vacancies typically taking one to three months to fill. Yard and facility management roles are not far behind. Notably, turnover has actually improved yet fill times for senior roles have not budged. That combination points to a supply problem: there simply aren't enough qualified candidates, rather than too many people leaving. An ageing workforce adds to the pressure. A significant share of the workforce is now aged 55 and over, and succession planning has emerged as one of the top challenges facilities expect to face over the next two years, alongside rising wage expectations and a shortage of trained staff. Despite those headwinds, the outlook is positive. No respondent forecast a significant reduction in headcount; the clear majority expect to hold steady or grow. Taken together, the findings describe a sector that is confident in its future and clear-eyed about getting there: growing steadily, competing harder for skilled people, and increasingly willing to invest in developing them. The headline themes above only scratch the surface. The complete report — including detailed salary benchmarks by role, breakdowns by facility type and region, and the eight-year trend data, is confidential and only provided exclusively to the marinas and clubs that took part. For participants, it is a practical benchmarking tool: a way to test your own pay rates, staffing levels and conditions against comparable facilities and plan with confidence. The MIA Employment & Salary Survey is conducted periodically by the Marina Industries Association. To learn more or register your interest in participating contact Chris Stone, MIA Operations Manager manager@marinas.net.au
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