Australia’s construction industry is under increasing pressure to meet demand across housing, infrastructure, and commercial development – yet the labour shortages persist. With rising project costs and ongoing delays due to workforce constraints, skilled migration is playing a critical role in helping construction businesses move forward.
At Mullins Migration, we have extensive experience in supporting the construction industry. We regularly advise employers on how to strategically use visa pathways to meet workforce needs and stay compliant with the visa requirements.
Key Considerations
Before sponsoring a visa worker, construction employers should consider a number of factors including:
- Urgency – whilst visa processing timeframes cannot be guaranteed, the Department of Home Affairs publishes their processing standards and although these may not strictly align, the adopted visa strategy shouldn’t be inconsistent with the project timelines.
- Genuine skills need – roles must meet the Labour Market Testing requirements.
- Accessibility – the occupation must be on the relevant skills list, and the market rate must be above any applicable minimum salary thresholds.
- Duration of stay – selecting the most appropriate visa based on short- or long-term needs.
Popular Visa Options for Construction Businesses
- Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482)
The 482 visa is a flexible solution for mid- to long-term workforce needs. This visa allows sponsorship of overseas workers for up to 4 years.
Some of the eligible occupations include:
- Carpenter
- Bricklayer
- Painter
- Plasterer (Wall and Ceiling); and Renderer (Solid Plaster)
- Roof Tiler; and Wall and Floor Tiler
- Roof Plumber; and Plumber (General)
- Electrician (General)
- Civil Engineer; Structural Engineer
- Construction Project Manager; Project Builder; Building Associate
- Construction Estimator
- Metal Fabricator; Welder (First Class)
Subject to employer support, the 482 visa also provides a pathway to permanent residency for skilled workers that construction businesses wish to retain on a long-term basis.
- Training Visa (Subclass 407)
The 407 visa is a good option for sponsoring graduates or early-career tradies.
The 407 visa doesn’t have a minimum salary requirement, and allows businesses to sponsor workers for up to 2 years to undertake structured on-the-job training and develop a future pipeline of skilled workers eligible for transition to other visas.
- Working Holiday Makers
More commonly referred to as ‘backpackers’, Working Holiday Makers (WHM) can be a great – and underutilised – talent pool for construction businesses to source skilled workers.
Young workers on the Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417) and Work and Holiday Visa (Subclass 462) allow employers to access labour and trade support for up to 6 months, with exemptions available for the WHM to work with the same employer for more than 6 months if they change work locations (and work in the same location doesn’t exceed 6 months) or if the construction business is located in Northern Australia, noting post code restrictions apply.
These workers are especially valuable for short-term work during high-demand periods, in addition to being a great resource for identifying skilled workers to sponsor on the 482 or 407 visa to address workforce gaps.
Other Considerations
Migration is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but for construction businesses facing trades shortages, it can make the difference between project delays and meeting deliverables. With the right advice, planning, and support from an experienced immigration lawyer, construction businesses can secure the talent they need to meet project milestones and build for the future.
The Mullins Migration team works closely with construction employers to help them retain and support overseas talent in a compliant and commercially-sustainable way.
