Roger Cook warns Canberra that 32 per cent cut to skilled migration will make housing crisis worse, not better

Premier Roger Cook has warned proposed cuts to WA’s skilled migrant intake will make the State’s tradie shortage worse, appealing to the Prime Minister to reverse the decision. Amid heated political debate over Australia’s migration levels, WA’s allocation under the State Nominated Migration Program is set to be slashed by a third — from 5000 places to 3400. The mooted cuts come after The West Australian revealed the State’s construction workforce had shrunk from a peak of 167,800 workers in November 2024 to 160,200 in August, fuelling fears that housing targets will not be met. Mr Cook has written to Anthony Albanese, urging him to step in, saying he is “deeply concerned” the proposed cut will disrupt efforts to meet the skills needs of the State’s industries and regions “including critical housing and construction sector needs”. “It is critical that Western Australia retains our allocation of at least 5000 places in 2025-26 to build a future-focused pipeline of workers,” the Premier wrote. “The SNMP is particularly important for our State’s building and construction workforce.” The program allows States to decide which overseas skilled workers they need most and has been a sore point before. Mr Cook previously intervened in 2023, when the Federal Government threatened to cut WA’s allocation from more than 8000 places to just 2350. In his latest letter, stamped October 7, the Premier requests the 5000 places be maintained for the 2025-26 financial year, including at least 2000 places for the skilled work regional visa. He has also warned against a Commonwealth review of the 2019 decision to make Perth a designated regional area, to lure skilled foreign workers and international students away from the east coast capitals. Migrants who agree to spend a three-year stint in regional Australia have their applications elevated to the top of the list, and are eligible for permanent residency. “I am advised the Commonwealth is planning to progress reviews of the points test and regional definitions,” Mr Cook said. “Western Australia would not support changes that would adversely impact labour supply into the State, including across regional and remote areas, remove Perth’s regional status, or reduce ability to attract skilled workers and international students resulting from any amendments to the points test.” The decline in WA’s building workforce was revealed in the Construction Training Fund’s annual report, which blamed the end of Commonwealth subsidies for a 21 per cent fall in the number of apprentice and trainee commencements. On Monday, the Cook Government will launch a campaign, called ‘You Can Make It Here’, aiming to boost enrolments at TAFE. The campaign will target plumbing, bricklaying and construction courses, which will be fee-free from next year. But training locals will take time, and WA has a labour shortage now. Mr Cook’s public intervention puts him at odds with a rising tide of anti-migration sentiment that sparked nationwide protests last month, infiltrated by a small number of alleged neo-Nazis. Calls to claw back post-COVID migration levels have put both major parties under pressure, with WA Liberal Andrew Hastie quitting the Opposition’s front bench over immigration policy. Meanwhile, Shadow Immigration Minister Paul Scarr — who was Mr Hastie’s junior minister — has warned colleagues to tread carefully. “The debate with respect to Australia’s immigration policy must be had. It is an important debate . . . but it must not seek to inflame emotion,” he said on Friday. Mr Cook said migration was necessary to keep the State’s economic growth going. “My vision is to diversify and maintain WA’s nation-leading economy,” he said. “To do that, we need a highly-skilled workforce that can meet my government’s priorities, including ensuring every Western Australian has a home. “Without skilled migrants, WA won’t have the workforce needed to build the homes our growing State needs. “It will also put us at a huge disadvantage when it comes to meeting many of my government’s priorities, including becoming a State that makes more things here and is a renewable energy powerhouse. “That’s why I’m urging the Commonwealth to reconsider these proposed cuts and preserve WA’s skilled migrant intake so that our State can continue to grow and support our national economy.”