30 January 2008

Builders concern for skills shortage may be helped through Australian immigration

Builders in Australia are becoming concerned at the skills shortage in the industry, according to a new survey. With the prime minister looking at answers to the problem, it is thought Australian immigration could be increased in the future. The latest Master Builders Australia (MBA) National Survey of Building and Construction has reinforced the calls for more Australian immigration to solve the skills shortages in trade work.

MBA chief economist Peter Jones said: "Builders reported increasing difficulty in finding labour in virtually all 15 categories surveyed, with project managers, site managers and foremen/supervisors in chronic shortage." He added that carpenters, bricklayers and tilers have become "much more difficult to find over the past 12 months and there has been a worsening in all categories of building-industry labour surveyed". People considering Australian immigration may find their trades on the Australia Migration Occupation in Demand List (MODL) which shows the professions most in-need of new workers through migration.

The survey follows the HIA-Australia Bricks Trade Report which stated that there needed to be an increase in skilled workers in order to drive down house prices in Australia.

Australia needs skilled trade workers: Anyone applying for an Australian visa should begin by completing the Australian Visa Bureau's online Australian visa application to see if they meet the Australian visa requirements.