Are you a construction worker or tradie in Western Australia looking to reduce your visa or relocation costs?
Or, perhaps you are a building industry company located in WA interested in reducing some of hiring costs for overseas workers?
The Government of Western Australia has set up the Construction Visa Subsidy Program (CVSP) to help tackle the shortage of workers in the building industry. The main idea is to make it easier for skilled migrants to arrive in Australia, get settled, and start working, while also helping local employers cover some of their costs.
The program is the only one of its type and not offered by other Australian states or territories. Since its start in 2023 it helped thousands of skilled workers to migrate and settle in WA. The program is divided into 2 main streams:
Employer Sponsored Stream (for WA employers)
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- Employers who sponsor skilled migrants under 482, 494, or 186 visas can get up to $10,000 per worker, paid in three steps (called ‘milestones’):
- $2,000 when the employer signs up.
- $4,000 when the worker’s visa is approved.
- $4,000 when the worker starts the job.
- This subsidy helps businesses to cover the costs of recruitment and employee settlement.
- Employers who sponsor skilled migrants under 482, 494, or 186 visas can get up to $10,000 per worker, paid in three steps (called ‘milestones’):
State Nominated Stream (for skilled migrants)
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- Skilled migrants who were granted a 190 or 491 visa through WA’s State Nominated Migration Program can receive up to $10,000, split into two payments:
- Offshore applicants: $5,000 + $5,000
- Onshore applicants: $2,500 + $2,500
- To qualify, migrants need to work in construction in WA and be in an eligible occupation.
- Skilled migrants who were granted a 190 or 491 visa through WA’s State Nominated Migration Program can receive up to $10,000, split into two payments:
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Who’s Eligible?
The program covers a wide range of construction-related jobs, including:
- Trades like carpenters, electricians, plumbers, bricklayers, tilers, plasterers, concreters
- Managers and project builders
- Civil engineers, architects, draftspersons, and technicians
The full list of occupations is included in the following CVSP – Eligible Occupation list October 2025. The list is current at the time of writing.
Construction work means both residential (houses, apartments, townhouses) and commercial (schools, hospitals, offices, factories, shops).
What the Subsidy Can Be Used For?
The payments can go towards expenses like:
- Visa application fees
- Migration agent fees
- Recruitment costs
- Relocation expenses
Important: When using above program employers are still required to meet all sponsorship obligations such as making payments for SAF levy, nomination fees, etc. and cannot pass them on to their sponsored employees.
If you feel that you might need some assistance to access this program, please contact us.
