Western Australia (WA) will receive an additional 10,000 skilled migrants next year under a new agreement with the Commonwealth. However, the immigration minister assures that this move will not hinder the Albanese government’s efforts to reduce the overall intake of migrants.
WA Premier Roger Cook announced on Sunday that the federal government’s allocation of 10,000 skilled migration places for 2024-25 acknowledges that WA is “in a unique position” compared to other states.
Perth currently faces housing vacancy rates below 1% amid unprecedented migration, with the state’s population expected to exceed 3 million next year.
After 95,000 people moved to WA last year, Mr. Cook emphasized the need for skilled migrants to help build more homes and alleviate the significant housing pressure.
“We need workers to continue to support the fastest-growing economy in the country,” Mr. Cook stated.
The new agreement includes 5000 additional skilled migrant places under the WA Designated Area Migration Agreement, while the State Nominated Migration Program will increase from approximately 2300 to 5000 places.
Federal Immigration Minister Andrew Giles noted that the Albanese government is striving to balance migration levels while addressing labor shortages.
“Our government is committed to working with our counterparts to rebuild a migration system that works for all Australians, recognizing the unique skills needs and opportunities of WA,” Mr. Giles said.
To address rising migration numbers, the federal government has also reduced the number of student visas allocated annually, a move criticized by universities.
Mr. Cook said it is unclear whether WA’s increase in skilled migrants will affect other states and does not anticipate any opposition from his interstate counterparts regarding the special deal.
“Each state has its own unique circumstances. In WA, we have the fastest-growing economy in the country, and we want to continue to power the nation. As a result, we need more workers,” Mr. Cook explained.
The 5000 new migration places created under the WA Designated Area Migration Agreement will be equally distributed between metropolitan and regional employers.
Mr. Cook stated that the new agreement would address shortages in construction, health, aged care, tourism, hospitality, and agriculture.
The construction industry in WA has been urging the government to address significant workforce shortages that emerged post-pandemic.
In response, the WA government has offered interest-free loans to builders facing financial difficulties after the collapse of hundreds of construction companies over the past two years.
Builders have criticized the state government for overheating the market by distributing hundreds of millions of dollars in grants during the pandemic to encourage home building, which resulted in a backlog of projects and further shortages of workforce and materials.
To increase the number of workers in WA, the government is also offering Perth property owners $5000 cash incentives to put vacant properties on the rental market, and $10,000 if they convert houses listed on short-term rental platforms like Airbnb into long-term leases.