The Western Australian government has announced a 12-month extension of its Construction Visa Subsidy Program (CVSP) following the rapid uptake of 1,100 allocated places for skilled migrants by employers within the past year.
This extension aims to support the building and construction industry in meeting the ongoing demand for skilled workers and accelerate home construction across WA.
The CVSP is designed to assist building and construction businesses in engaging skilled migrant workers to fill positions that cannot be filled locally.
Under this program, businesses can access grants of up to $10,000 to offset costs related to skilled migration, including migration agent fees, visa application fees, and relocation expenses.
Since its introduction in the 2023-24 State Budget, the CVSP has primarily supported small and medium-sized Western Australian employers in navigating the complexities of Australia’s visa system.
In addition to financial subsidies, the state government’s Construction Migration Office provides comprehensive support to businesses throughout the application process.
Skilled migrants have already begun working in various in-demand building and construction occupations, including air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, roof plumbing, carpentry, glazing, electrical services, bricklaying, civil engineering, plastering, cabinet making, and wall and floor tiling.
The majority of skilled migrants under the CVSP have come from the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Ireland, and Italy.
Premier Roger Cook emphasised the program’s importance in addressing the significant housing demand driven by Western Australia’s strong economy and desirable lifestyle.
He stated: “This program is not only helping small and medium businesses get the workers they need — it’s developing a pipeline of construction workers to deliver more homes for now and the future.”
Training and Workforce Development Minister Simone McGurk highlighted the program’s success, noting: “We’ve now hit our target, with all 1,100 places being snapped up. Hundreds of those workers are now working on building sites, with many more progressing through the immigration system.”
The extension of the Construction Visa Subsidy Program demonstrates the WA government’s commitment to addressing the skilled worker shortage in the construction industry while supporting local businesses and accelerating home construction across the state.
