Western Australia extends program offering tradies $10,000 to relocate to the west in bid to galvanise housing supply

Sky News AU

17-06-2025

The Western Australian government's Build a Life in WA program has received a major cash boost, as the state seeks to entice construction Aussie workers to relocate to the state.
The WA state budget will include a $12.3 million cash expansion for the bold program, which offers skilled tradies from other states and New Zealand $10,000 to move to the state.
The move comes as dwelling completion rates in the state continue surge, with hundreds of tradies already heeding the call to pack up their tools and travel west.
Since its inception 361 tradies have signed up for the scheme, with a further 658 waiting to be approved.
The WA government also extended its Construction Visa Subsidy program which provides employers with increased incentives to sponsor overseas construction workers to move to WA.
Skills and TAFE Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the extension of both schemes was crucial to the state's $37.5 million plan to shore up construction capabilities and alleviate labour shortages in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
'This investment will fund an additional 1100 workers to come in from other areas, other countries, other states, and settle in WA,' Ms Sanderson said.
'To date, this program has supported 849 skilled workers into the construction sector and supported businesses to bring them in to build our houses.'
This is the third time the Construction Visa Subsidy scheme has been extended and has primarily drawn tradies from the UK and Ireland to the state.
Ms Sanderson said that a targeted add campaign would be implemented to attract more workers from other parts of the globe, with over 70 per cent of applicants currently coming from New Zealand.
'The key is the trades, not where they come from,' Mr Sanderson said.
Brayden Laing, a New Zealand carpenter, told The West Australian he stumbled upon the scheme on social media and that the $10,000 lump sum allowed him to invest in new tools and secure a residence for himself and his partner in Perth.
'It really helped us get over here,' the 25-year-old said, and added 'It's a good place to live.'
Mr Laing said he regularly encourages his colleagues and friends in New Zealand to apply for the program.
'Definitely word-of-mouth gets around and New Zealand is a small place,' he said.
'We saw it as an opportunity to come over here and try to get ahead financially.'
Housing and Works minister John Carey said the state government would also continue to provide a variety of subsidised TAFE courses for tradies, allowing the states workforce to upskill free of charge.
'We are looking at it from every angle,' he said.