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A recent report has shown that the majority of temporary overseas workers employed in Australia are managers and professionals.

The report from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship outlined that 90% of skilled temporary migrant workers are in the top rungs of companies, earning an average salary of $100 000, an increase of $10 000 from the same time last year.

Leading with the highest wages were workers in the mining industry.

Overseas mining industry professionals in Australia employed on 457 Visas earned an average of $169 000 with those in the financial industry second at an average $127 000.

While earning the highest wage, overseas skilled migrant workers in the mining industry accounted for only 6.5% of workers sponsored.

Medical and IT professionals were the majority of workers employed on 457 visas.

However, despite this rise in the average wage, overall visa grants dropped by close to half from January 2009 to 2010.

Visas granted for the mining industry also saw a steep drop from year to year, seeing a 58.6% fall in numbers, recording 1320 workers from 2009 to 2010 as compared to 3210 for the previous period.

The mining industry accounted for the majority of applications in Western, with 26% of applicants within the State working in the resources sector in 2009 to 2010.

Despite this strong representation, the number of applications within the State dropped close to 60% when compared to 2008 to 2009.

The majority of workers on 457 visas are employed in New South Wales and Victoria, with more than a quarter of applications coming from the UK followed by around 16% from India.