Western Australia Offers $10,000 Cash Incentive to Attract Tradespeople
Western Australia (WA) is significantly boosting its efforts to attract skilled tradespeople by extending a $10,000 cash incentive for those willing to relocate from interstate or overseas. With a notable increase in home building activities, the state has already successfully enticed hundreds of tradies through this financial initiative.
In a recent announcement, the WA government allocated an additional $12.3 million in its state budget to ensure the continuity of this program. Since its launch, 361 tradespeople have enrolled to benefit from the cash boost, with a further 658 applications awaiting approval.
Moreover, WA is continuing its Construction Visa Subsidy Program, which provides financial incentives to local employers for sponsoring international workers, easing the often costly process of obtaining sponsorship.
This extension marks the program’s third iteration, which has already enabled nearly 850 workers from the UK and Ireland to secure the right to work in WA. “This investment will fund an additional 1,100 workers to come from other areas, countries, and states, and settle in WA,” stated Skills and TAFE Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson. She emphasised that the program prioritises the skill sets of tradespeople over their geographic origins.
As Australia’s building sector aims for a national goal of constructing 1.2 million homes by 2029, every state, including WA, is making efforts to contribute. Currently, the country is falling significantly short of this target due to multiple challenges, one of the main issues being a shortage of skilled trades.
Concerns have emerged about the increasing number of apprentices who are not completing their training, particularly as many experienced tradespeople retire. WA has introduced the "Build a Life in WA" program to attract workers from the eastern states and New Zealand to combat this skills deficit.
Last year, Western Australia completed 20,639 homes—the highest figure in over seven years and an 18.2% increase from 2023. This growth leads the country, far exceeding the national average increase of just 1.5%. However, to satisfy its share of the national housing target, WA needs to produce 26,000 homes annually. On a national scale, Australia requires 240,000 new homes each year, yet only 171,394 were constructed in the last year.
Despite these challenges, WA outperformed controls for building approvals, achieving a year-on-year increase of 1.6% as of April 2025, higher than the national average of 0.4%. With the infusion of an additional $12.3 million, the "Build a Life in WA" initiative plans to launch a significant advertising campaign to inform tradies nationwide, and even from Tasmania, about the potential $10,000 cash incentive for those who are ready to relocate.
Eligible tradespeople can receive the initial $5,000 payment upon securing a position with a WA employer, alongside a subsequent $5,000 bonus after completing six months in the role. To qualify for the program, applicants must:
- Hold a trade qualification or certification relevant to an approved occupation.
- Enter an employment contract with a WA employer in the building and construction sector after January 1, 2025, and must work in an approved occupation.
- Agree to the terms associated with the "Build a Life in WA" initiative.
- Provide bank details for payment processing.
For a complete list of eligible occupations and qualifications, interested individuals can visit the WA Jobs and Skills website.
This initiative not only serves to improve WA’s building capacity but also highlights the state’s proactive approach to tackling labour shortages, ensuring its construction sector can continue to thrive well into the future.
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