Master Builders Australia has called for a dedicated building and construction visa pathway to be established, which could help solve labour shortages
Releasing its Future of the Workforce: Skilled Migrants in Building and Construction report, Master Builders Australia has called upon the federal government to establish a dedicated building and construction visa pathway.
With rising construction costs and increased labour shortages expected to slow home building, Master Builders Australia believes skilled migrants could help tackle workforce pressures.
“Skilled migrants represent a vital part of the building and construction industry and are key to building the homes, infrastructure, schools and hospitals communities are crying out for,” Master Builders CEO Denita Wawn says.
“Australia faces a significant housing crisis with an undersupply of homes and increasing demand for owner-occupiers, renters and social and crisis accommodation.”
She adds that 500,000 extra people need enter the construction industry over the next few years to help build 1.2 million homes and support the infrastructure under the Housing Accord.
“It’s clear our ability to train more apprentices domestically cannot keep up with demand,” she says.
“Skilled migrants who are qualified and ready to go will help relieve some of the workforce pressures.”
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Dawn believes the visa and skills recognition process needs to be simpler, more cost effective and quicker, so more suitably skilled migrants can join the building and construction industry.
“It is the only way Australia will meet its building and infrastructure targets and boost its workforce,” she says.
Master Builders recommends the federal government should:
- Develop and implement a construction industry-specific visa pathway that makes it quick, easy and cost-effective for migrants with the trade skills Australia needs to get here and get out on the tools, working in a role for which they are appropriately qualified
- Ensure all trade and trade-related occupations are included in the Core Skills pathway of the Skills in Demand visa
- Improve the process and reduce the need for skills assessments for migrants coming from countries with comparable qualification and training frameworks
- Ensure the skills recognition process that remains is quick, simple and cost effective
- Streamline national licensing frameworks as much as possible to enable workforce movement and allow for nationally accredited gap training for all licensed trades.