Australia is still short of builders and trades in 2026. The Housing Industry Association’s June quarter 2026 Trades Report kept its skilled labour shortage index negative at -0.59, with regional Western Australia and regional Queensland the tightest markets. Jobs and Skills Australia’s 2025 Occupation Shortage List found 29% of all occupations in shortage and nearly half of trade roles. This page brings the public figures together in one place, with sources.
The headline numbers
| Measure | Figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled labour shortage index (residential trades) | -0.59 (from -0.62 the quarter before) | HIA Trades Report, June quarter 2026 |
| Residential building workforce shortfall | Around 83,000 skilled workers | HIA, “Australia’s Future is Built by Tradies”, September 2026 |
| Extra construction workers needed for the 1.2 million homes target | 116,700 | BuildSkills Australia, Housing Workforce Capacity Study, September 2025 |
| Rise in labour demand needed by 2029 | 23.8% | BuildSkills Australia, September 2025 |
| Occupations in shortage nationally | 29% (36% in 2023, 33% in 2024) | Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025 Occupation Shortage List |
| Trade roles in shortage | Nearly half | Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025 Occupation Shortage List |
Where the shortage is worst
HIA’s June quarter 2026 Trades Report ranks the markets by how hard it is to find trades:
- Regional Western Australia: the tightest labour market in the country.
- Regional Queensland.
- Adelaide.
- Perth.
Regional Victoria was the closest to balance. HIA’s September 2026 release on North Queensland named Townsville, Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton as areas where more tradies are needed, with Olympic construction in Brisbane adding pressure.
Which trades are hardest to find
In the same HIA report, bricklaying was the most severely short trade, followed by ceramic tiling, roofing and carpentry. Electrical and site preparation had the least severe shortages, but both were still in deficit.
What about designers and draftspeople?
The public shortage data does not publish a separate national figure for building designers or draftspeople. What it does show is that the people who turn a design into a building, the builders and trades, remain short, most of all in regional areas. In practice, owners in regional towns often struggle to find both. Before engaging anyone, check that they hold the licence or registration your state requires for design and building work. Every state keeps a public register, and the rules differ: in Queensland and Tasmania, for example, building design is a licensed activity.
What this means if you are planning a building
- Settle the site first. A feasibility check on the site, the planning rules and the budget means you approach builders with a clear scope, which builders in short markets prefer.
- Reduce the trades needed on site. With modular construction, most of the work is done in an offsite factory, and the site scope comes down to footings, services, delivery, the crane lift and connections. That is a smaller job for a local builder to take on.
- Plan around the season. In northern Australia, the wet season shortens the working window. Lock the design early so delivery and crane days can be booked.
As the manufacturer, EcoPrestige is responsible for every module: built and inspected in an offsite factory to Australian engineering and QA, then delivered to site. Builders keep the head contract and the site.*
Related: how builders work with a modular supplier, commercial modular buildings in Australia, modular construction for remote and rural Australia, the Domestic Program for homeowners.
Frequently asked questions
Is there still a builder shortage in Australia in 2026?
Yes. The Housing Industry Association’s Trades Report for the June quarter 2026 kept its skilled labour shortage index in negative territory at -0.59, and HIA says the residential building industry is around 83,000 skilled workers short. Jobs and Skills Australia’s 2025 Occupation Shortage List found nearly half of trade roles still in shortage.
Where in Australia is the trade shortage worst?
In HIA’s June quarter 2026 Trades Report, regional Western Australia had the tightest labour market, followed by regional Queensland, Adelaide and Perth. Regional Victoria was closest to balance. Bricklaying was the most severely short trade, followed by ceramic tiling, roofing and carpentry.
What can I do if I cannot find a builder or designer in a regional area?
Check the state licence or registration register to confirm who can legally design and build in your state, ask whether a builder will take on a smaller site scope if the building itself is made offsite, and settle the site, rules and budget in a feasibility check before you approach trades. Modular construction moves most of the work into a factory, which reduces the number of trades needed on site.
Sources
- Housing Industry Association, Trades Report, June quarter 2026 (reported by Building Connection, 29 July 2026).
- Housing Industry Association, “More tradies are needed to build homes for North Queenslanders”, 22 September 2026, citing “Australia’s Future is Built by Tradies”.
- BuildSkills Australia, Housing Workforce Capacity Study, September 2025 (reported by The Urban Developer, 22 September 2025; welcomed by HIA, 19 September 2025).
- Jobs and Skills Australia, “Shortages ease, gaps persist: 2025 Occupation Shortage List”.
Figures are as published by each source. This page will be updated when new editions are released.
Send your enquiry first so you’re fully informed. Drop us an email: prebuilt@ecoprestige.com.au
*Rules vary by state. Design and building work is carried out by the licensed or registered practitioner your state requires.