While this year’s Federal Budget includes measures designed to boost Australia’s skilled migrant intake, one Queensland construction company believes the reforms still fall short of addressing the labour shortages putting pressure on building projects.
Queensland-based cladding specialist Maaken said more practical migration reform is needed to support the construction sector as workforce shortages continue to bite.
Skilled migration welcomed — but concerns remain
The Federal Budget included changes aimed at increasing skilled migration to help address workforce shortages, but with the permanent migration program still capped at 185,000 places, Maaken says the impact may be limited.
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General Manager Jake Green said the increase in skilled migration numbers is a step in the right direction, but argued the real challenge lies in how the system operates in practice.
“From our perspective as a business that regularly engages with the department, these systemic issues remain a significant concern,” Mr Green said.
“The biggest issue is uncertainty and lack of accountability when a visa is refused despite meeting the published criteria.”
He said the complexity of the system continues to create barriers for businesses trying to bring in skilled workers.
“On top of that, frequent rule changes, complex documentation and the cost of specialist advice make the system fragile and risky for smaller and mid-tier builders to use at all,” Mr Green said.
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The call comes as Queensland prepares for growing construction demand linked to the 2032 Olympics, alongside existing housing shortages and major infrastructure projects.
According to Maaken, labour shortages are already being compounded by supply chain disruption and rising costs, with global uncertainty adding further pressure to project delivery.
“As housing and Olympics-related projects peak together, competition for workers will intensify and program dates will slip unless businesses address workforce differently and policy settings become more practical,” Mr Green said.
The concern, he said, is that even seemingly minor workforce gaps can have major flow-on effects.
“One unfilled skilled role might look minor on paper, but it quickly cascades into delayed sequences, idle equipment and liquidated damages risk,” he said.
“Across the industry this translates into serious cost blowouts and reputational damage that far exceed the cost of building a reliable workforce pipeline, including from overseas.”
Calls for a faster, simpler system
Rather than focusing solely on migrant numbers, Maaken recommends the Government prioritise making the migration process faster, clearer and more predictable for employers.
For businesses already dealing with project deadlines and cost pressures, uncertainty around visa approvals can make workforce planning difficult.
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The company argues that employers attempting to follow the rules should not be disadvantaged by delays or inconsistent outcomes.
“The true impact of the changes delivered by this year’s federal budget will depend on how effectively these policies are implemented,” Mr Green said.
“At this stage, we remain cautious and will reserve judgement until we see meaningful, practical reform in action.”
Industry looking for practical solutions
For the construction sector, the message is increasingly focused on practicality: workforce shortages are unlikely to be solved by migration targets alone.
Builders continue to call for streamlined approvals, clearer processes and policies that help businesses access skilled labour more efficiently — particularly as demand ramps up across housing and major infrastructure projects.
