Visa pathway key to boosting tradie numbers

It has become clear that the availability of skilled labour to meet the challenge of building 1.2 million homes under the Housing Accord cannot be filled by training up apprentices domestically.

Concerned with this, Master Builders Australia (MBA) commissioned a detailed report on the issue and presented it for government consideration.

The Future of the Workforce: Skilled Migrants in Building and Construction report calls on the federal government to establish a dedicated building and construction visa pathway.

Master Builders chief executive officer Denita Wawn said skilled migrants represened 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.

“Australia faces a significant housing crisis with an undersupply of homes and increasing demand for owner-occupiers, renters and social and crisis accommodation,” Ms Wawn said.

“The industry needs an extra 500,000 extra people into our sector over the next few years if we are going to build those 1.2 million homes and supporting infrastructure under the Housing Accord.”

The Reserve Bank confirmed last week that home building was expected to slow further due to rising construction costs with the availability of labour one of the biggest barriers.

This highlights the industry’s ability to train more apprentices domestically cannot keep up with demand, and that skilled migrants who are qualified and ready to go, will help relieve some of the workforce pressures.

Ms Wawn said the workforce must be supported to grow in line with demand and become more productive.

“But the current migration framework to bring in skilled migrants is broken.

“The system must be better to prioritise the skilled workers who are needed to build these homes and support the economy.

“Just like Canada, the UK and New Zealand, Australia needs construction-specific pathways for appropriately skilled migrant workers to ensure quality applicants and the prioritisation of trades workers and occupations that are in significant shortage domestically.”

The report reveals this may be the only way Australia will meet its building and infrastructure targets and boost its workforce, and urges the visa and skills recognition process to be made simpler, more cost effective and quicker.

In its report, Master Builders urges the federal government to:

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, and

Streamline national licensing frameworks insofar as possible to enable workforce movement and allow for nationally accredited gap training for all licensed trades.