Western Australia has a housing supply challenge, and one of the biggest constraints to delivering more homes is the ongoing shortage of skilled workers.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force data reflects how tightly stretched our workforce has become. WA’s underemployment rate sits at 5.6%, one of the lowest in the nation, while our participation rate of 68% is the highest in Australia.
These figures show WA is already making strong use of its available workforce and there is limited capacity to draw significantly more workers from within the local labour pool.
At the same time, population growth remains strong and demand for housing continues to outpace supply. The development industry is working hard to bring new housing to market but projects cannot proceed without the people needed to build them.
Across the sector, shortages of key trades – including carpenters, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers and civil construction workers – remain acute.
The reality is that we cannot solve a housing shortage without addressing the workforce shortage sitting behind it. This is why targeted skilled migration must remain a key part of the solution. Skilled migration aims to supplement the local workforce that is already operating near capacity and helps to ensure critical industries have access to the skills they need to meet community demand.
When construction businesses have the workers required to deliver projects, homes are completed faster, bottlenecks are reduced and housing supply can increase.
Importantly, targeted migration should focus on occupations experiencing genuine shortages and be supported by streamlined visa pathways and efficient recognition of qualifications. This will help ensure skilled workers can contribute quickly and effectively to the economy.
Of course, migration alone is not the answer, with continued investment in apprenticeships, training pathways and workforce development remaining essential to building a sustainable pipeline of local talent.
Industry is committed to playing its part in attracting and training the next generation of construction workers. However, these measures take time to deliver results, and WA needs immediate solutions, as well as long-term ones.
If we are serious about improving housing affordability and increasing the supply of new homes, we must recognise every housing target depends on having enough skilled people to deliver it.
In a state with record workforce participation and very low underemployment, targeted skilled migration is necessary to ensure more Western Australians have access to a safe, affordable and appropriate home suiting their household’s needs.
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