Western Australia has attracted thousands of skilled tradespeople from across Australia and New Zealand since January under the Build a Life initiative as the state looks to ease its housing and workforce pressures.

The Build a Life in WA program aims to address WA’s shortage of construction workers by offering a $10,000 incentive to eligible tradespeople who relocate and secure work in the state.

The WA Government said since its launch 1024 workers from interstate and New Zealand have joined WA’s building and construction industry.

Department of Training and Workforce Development Director General, Jodie Wallace, said the top five roles filled included electricians, carpenters, plumbers, bricklayers and earthmoving plant operators.

Most participants have come from New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

“It is promising to see such a positive response to the Build a Life in WA incentive,” Ms Wallace said.

“WA offers well-paying, long-term opportunities for tradespeople ready to build their future here.”

Daniel Patzel relocated from Adelaide in July.

Mr Patzel said he and his wife first considered moving to Queensland for the Olympic construction boom but were ultimately drawn to Perth by the $10,000 incentive and family ties.

“I didn’t realise at the time if I would qualify, since I am a crane operator,” he said.

“Initially I thought the scheme was for more traditional tradespeople, so I had to read up on it.”

He said the application process was straightforward and recommended the program to others thinking about pursuing it.

Mr Patzel said, however, the cash incentive is the only support workers receive, as there is no help with relocation or housing.

“When I applied it didn’t say do you need assistance with accommodation, I think they just sort of assume you have accommodation sorted,” Mr Patzel said.

“We were trying to find a rental, which is obviously very hard, so we actually borrowed more money than we were hoping to and bought a house.

“I was in a fairly good situation coming over, but even for me it was expensive moving. I was sort of hanging out for [the incentive money].”

Mr Patzel’s rental experience reflects a tightening market in Perth, with figures from the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia showing there are just 1553 rental listings, down from 2024 a year ago, while homes for sale have fallen from 4281 to 1772.

REIWA data also shows the median house price has risen to $810,000 and the median rent sits at $690 a week.

Economist Paul Flatau said the situation is a housing crisis with two parts: “One in which there are a lot of households facing very high housing cost, rental cost and mortgage cost, often without much in reserve,”And on the other hand, others have seen their wealth increase dramatically and running a much stronger wealth position than ever before.

“We are living in a world of great disparity.”

Professor Flatau said the initiative tackles the supply side of the crisis, helping to attract more workers into construction to boost housing availability and affordability.

He said past approaches in WA have been problematic and resolving the housing crisis will require longer-term intelligent planning, increased investment, support for renters and first-time homeowners, and opportunities to refurbish unused spaces.

The 2025–26 State Budget included an additional $12.3 million to extend Build a Life in WA and the Construction Visa Subsidy Program, part of the Cook Government’s drive to develop the housing and construction workforce.

Professor Flatau said steps are in place to respond to the housing issues but supply remains short of national targets:

“Increasing housing involves not just brick and mortar, but people and we’ve responded, but it takes time for it to flow through to actual homes.

“We’ve got the pieces in place to become more efficient, it can be done but it just takes time. It really does take time to build these houses.”