Over 17,500 Visa Workers Supporting Australia’s Tradie Jobs

  Posted by: electime      27th August 2025

Temporary skilled visa workers are playing a vital role in keeping Australia’s construction and trades sectors moving, filling critical labour gaps during a period of strong demand and persistent skill shortages.

New analysis from job management platform NextMinute shows that, while visa holders make up just under 2 per cent of the national tradie workforce, some states are far more reliant. In Western Australia and the Northern Territory, nearly 4 per cent of tradies are employed on temporary skilled visas, double the national average. Across the country, over 17,500 visa holders are working in core trades such as motor mechanics, structural steel workers, glaziers, plumbers, and electricians.

Alex Jenks, CEO of NextMinute, says: “In regions like Western Australia and the Northern Territory, temporary visa workers aren’t just topping up the workforce, they’re essential to keeping projects on track. Nearly 4 per cent of tradies in these states depend on these visas, which means that immigration policy and visa processing times can have direct consequences on project timelines and costs.”

Alex Jenks, CEO of NextMinute

Motor mechanics have the highest reliance on visa workers, at 5.6 per cent

Motor mechanics show the highest visa reliance, with 5.60 per cent of the workforce made up of temporary visa holders, 6,505 out of 116,128 workers nationally. Structural steel and welding trades workers follow with 5.26 per cent, and glaziers come next at 4.61 per cent.

“These highly technical roles are the backbone of many construction sites,” says Jenks. “When visa worker availability fluctuates, it impacts everything from equipment maintenance to project delivery.”

The majority of Australia’s visa workers come from the UK

The United Kingdom supplies the largest share of Australia’s tradie visa holders, with 1,312 skilled workers across key occupations (7.47 per cent), followed by India with 699 (3.98 per cent) and South Africa with 633 (3.61 per cent).

New Zealand also ranks high in interest, placing third globally for online searches for Australian tradie roles (around 690 per month). However, New Zealanders can work in Australia without a visa under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement.

Jenks adds: “New Zealand’s visa-free status enables their workers to step in quickly to fill skills shortages, offering a unique advantage. For other countries relying on visa pathways, delays or uncertainties in migration processing can significantly impact project delivery and workforce stability.”

Western Australia and the Northern Territory have double the national average of visa workers 

The data shows that Western Australia and the Northern Territory stand out with visa workers making up nearly 4 per cent of their tradie workforce, double the national average, highlighting how some regions are far more dependent on overseas labour to meet demand. In contrast, states like Tasmania and South Australia have less than 1 per cent visa reliance, underscoring the varied impact of labour shortages across Australia.