Builders are now bringing in overseas tradies as the shortage bites
The labour shortage is no longer something people talk about… it is hitting hard on site, and builders are starting to make big moves. In WA, one of the biggest players has already started bringing tradies in from overseas. And on site, people are starting to notice.
The labour shortage is no longer something people talk about… it is hitting hard on site, and builders are starting to make big moves. In WA, one of the biggest players has already started bringing tradies in from overseas. And on site, people are starting to notice.
Labour shortages are now changing how crews are built on site.
It is already happening.
Summit Homes Group, one of the major builders in Western Australia, has brought in around 100 Filipino tradies, with hundreds more expected as part of a large scale push to keep housing projects moving while targets tighten.
The idea is simple. Not enough local tradies… so the workforce is being sourced from overseas.
And it is not just one company. WA has been pushing migration programs for construction for a while now, with visas and incentives designed to help fill that gap.
“If the jobs need to get done, someone will fill the gap.”
What is driving this shift
The pressure to build more homes is no longer slowing down, and the problem is well known across the industry.
There are not enough boots on the ground. Builders are sitting on projects, deadlines are tight, and there are fewer hands available on site.
The move makes sense from that angle. But when the work is there and still not being filled locally… it starts raising questions on site.
The conversation this opens up
This is not just about one builder. It is about where the industry is heading.
More migration, more competition, and more pressure on how crews get put together.
The work is there. The deadlines are real. And hundreds more overseas tradies are already on the way.
Is this the fix the industry needed… or are local tradies being pushed out?
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The labour shortage is no longer something people talk about… it is hitting hard on site, and builders are starting to make big moves. In WA, one of the biggest players has already started bringing tradies in from overseas. And on site, people are starting to notice.