Cook demands 10,000 more skilled migrants to WA after Commonwealth migration program slashed numbers to 2350

The Cook Government has told its Federal counterparts it wants thousands of more skilled workers to head west under a Commonwealth migration program that has slashed numbers to just 2350. WA has nominated 10,000 as the number of skilled workers it wants to bring in during 2024-25, with bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, surveyors and health care workers just some of the jobs that are high on the list of priorities. With WA’s population set to hit three million by the end of the year, WA is desperate for skilled workers to build houses and work in specialised areas, such as health. “We are committed to creating local jobs for local people, but skilled migration is also a necessary part of the mix to fill vacancies and keep our economy strong,” Training and Workforce Development Minister Simone McGurk said. “Small and medium-sized businesses, in particular, have made it clear to us that attracting key skilled workers to Western Australia is absolutely critical.” Under the State Nominated Migration Program, the Commonwealth allocates visas to the States. In 2022-23, WA was allocated 8140 places in the program. But that was slashed to 2350 for this financial year, despite WA requesting an increase to 10,000 places. It’s understood the Cook Government has again asked for 10,000 places for 2024-25. “The State Government continues to push for a return to an appropriate number of State Nominated Migration Program places to meet the needs of our growing economy and housing industry,” Ms McGurk said. “We have consistently asked the Commonwealth Government to provide 10,000 places for the SNMP so we can attract the bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, roof carpenters, cabinetmakers, glaziers, surveyors, plasterers, health care workers and other skilled workers that WA needs.” Earlier this year, WA Premier Roger Cook said calls for more allocations on the migration program had been ignored. Despite the Premier writing to the Prime Minister earlier this year requesting an increase to WA’s SNMP allocation this year — it remained at 2350. “At its recent ministerial migration round-table, the Albanese Government advised it was unlikely that allocations will be increased substantially from current levels going forward,” Mr Cook said. CCIWA economist Aaron Morey said on Saturday that the Federal Government needed “to heed” the requests from WA for more skilled migration places. “This is right up there with one of the key concerns of WA businesses,” Mr Morey said. “Businesses are concerned about increased costs of doing business, but they are still acutely aware of the struggle it is to get skilled workers into WA. “We call on the Federal Government to heed the call of the State Government and respond by providing them the places that they have asked for.” Ms McGurk said WA, as the “engine room” of the nation, needed more skilled workers. “Everyone knows WA is the engine room of the economy and vastly different from the eastern States,” she said. “We ask the Commonwealth to restore our SNMP allocation, which allows WA to set its own priorities for skilled migration and target nomination of eligible migrants — so we can get the skilled workers we so desperately need for those job vacancies that can’t be filled in the current environment.”