- $11 million to extend successful Construction Visa Subsidy Programand Build a Life in WA incentive
- $2.1 million to extend operations of the Construction Migration Office
- More than 2,700 additional skilled tradies now in WA building homes and critical public infrastructure
- Part of Cook Labor Government's $216 million TAFE and training investment in the 2026-27 Budget
The Cook Labor Government is investing $13.1 million to support the building and construction industry to attract and recruit skilled workers to build homes and critical infrastructure for Western Australia.
The 2026-27 State Budget will deliver $11 million to extend the successful Construction Visa Subsidy Program (CVSP) and the Build a Life in WA (BALWA) incentive bringing the total investment in the initiative to $54 million since 2023.
The new funding will provide an additional 1,100 skilled migration places for the industry from 1 July 2026.
The CVSP supports eligible employers and independent skilled migrants with up to $10,000 to help with the costs associated with migrating to WA to take up work in the State's building and construction sector.
Complementing the CVSP, the $10,000 BALWA incentive supports skilled workers from interstate and New Zealand to relocate to WA to work in the industry.
Since the programs commenced - CVSP in 2023 and BALWA in 2025 - more than 2,700 skilled workers have arrived and commenced work in WA's building and construction sector.
These new skilled workers are helping to boost the workforce capacity of more than 1,220 Western Australian businesses - many of which are small and medium enterprises.
Carpentry has had the highest intake across both programs, followed by electricians, plumbers, roof plumbers, wall and floor tilers, air-conditioning and refrigeration technicians, glaziers and bricklayers.
To continue to support skilled migrants and WA businesses to access the CVSP and other migration services, $2.1 million has been allocated through the 2026-27 State Budget to extend the operation of the Construction Migration Office until the end of 2029.
The Construction Migration Office provides support for building and construction sector employers looking to hire skilled migrants and for migrants looking to move to WA to work in the sector.
These initiatives are part of the Cook Labor Government's $216 million boost for TAFE and training in the 2026-27 State Budget.
More information about the incentives is available at www.buildalife.wa.gov.au
As stated by Skills and TAFE Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"We know the building and construction sector is booming, and local businesses need skilled workers now.
"That's why we're investing more than $13 million in this year's State Budget to extend the Construction Visa Subsidy Program and the Build a Life in WA incentive.
"This will provide crucial financial support for both skilled workers and small and medium-sized WA businesses to help reduce the costs associated with relocating to WA.
"This is part of our $216 million TAFE and training investment package, which will support more opportunities for local students and workers to attend TAFE and gain the skills needed to work in our priority sectors."
