{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change location {{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationTrades availability tightens as work increases
Trades availability tightens as work increases
Member and guest login
Enter your email and password to access secured content, members only resources and discount prices.
Did you become a member online? If not, you will need to activate your account to login.
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
Forgotten password
Need some help?
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
If the email address you have entered is registered, you will receive an email with further instructions.
Become part of the HIA community
Enables quick and easy registration for future events or learning and grants access to expert advice and valuable resources.
Create a guest account
Enter your details below and create a login
Send me exclusive tips, early access to new launches, and special offers. I can change my mind at any time.
By clicking Get started now you agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy.
The HIA Trades Report released today provides a quarterly review of the availability of skilled trades and any demand pressures on trades operating in the residential building industry, as measured by a survey of builders.
The HIA Trades Availability Index is a measure between +2.00 and -2.00, with a positive reading indicating easier access to skilled trades and vice-versa.
“The HIA Trades Availability Index was measured at -0.48 in the September quarter 2025, a deterioration from the -0.40 reading in the previous quarter,” added Mr Devitt.
“A number of states were already seeing improving home building activity on the back of population growth, tight labour markets, recovering household incomes and relatively more affordable land. With three interest rate cuts in the back pocket, New South Wales and Victoria look to be joining the party.
“With recovering home building pipelines on top of significant volumes of renovations, non-residential and public infrastructure work ongoing across the country, demand for skilled trades will only increase.
“The softening in trades price inflation may also be short lived as a result, with trades prices having already increased by double the broader rate of wage growth across the economy since 2019.
“The deterioration in trades availability was broad-based, with bricklaying seeing the worst decline in the Index. This has been driven by the increase in the volume of new homes commencing construction, particularly in Western Australia.
“The increase in home building commencements also drove a significant increase in the price of site preparation trades, up by 8.4 per cent in the most recent 12 months.
“Without attracting more skilled workers into Australia from overseas, and further developing our existing workforce capacity, the shortage of skilled tradespeople is only expected to worsen,” concluded Mr Devitt.
By region, trades shortages continue to be most apparent outside of Sydney and Melbourne, though the situation deteriorated even in these markets, potentially reflective of homebuilding activity finally improving.
Shortages were most acute in regional Queensland (-0.92) and Perth (-0.89), followed by regional Western Australia (-0.69), Adelaide (-0.60), regional South Australia (-0.55), regional New South Wales (-0.49), Brisbane (-0.48), regional Victoria (-0.46), Sydney (-0.40) and Melbourne (-0.21).
By trade, bricklaying (-1.09) remained in the most acute shortage, followed by ceramic tiling (-0.86), carpentry (-0.74) and roofing (-0.66), while electrical trades were in equilibrium (+0.02), and plumbing (-0.20) and site preparation (-0.22) were in modest shortage.
HIA Trade Availability Index
For more information please contact:
Approvals rise prior to conflict in the Middle East
“New house building approvals were relatively steady in February 2026 at 9,950, the second highest monthly volume in over three years,” stated HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt.
Tax changes will cripple housing supply and punish renters
Proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax would worsen Australia’s rental crisis by reducing the supply of housing and putting upward pressure on weekly rents, Housing Industry Association (HIA) Managing Director Jocelyn Martin said today.
Update on the impacts of the current fuel supply issues
The ongoing situation around fuel supply and pricing is continuing to evolve rapidly. These issues are impacting project timelines and the cost of materials through price increases and fuel or transport surcharges from suppliers. I acknowledge the difficulties this uncertainty creates for businesses across our industry.
Who is going to build the Macquarie Point Stadium? A Workforce Impact Overview
This HIA workforce impact overview examines how a major, multi year infrastructure project would interact with an already constrained construction labour market. Drawing on HIA modelling, government data and industry insights, the report finds Tasmania’s construction workforce is operating close to full capacity, with limited ability to absorb additional demand without consequences for housing supply, costs and delivery timeframes.