WA State Budget 2026–27 | What it Means for Employers and Skilled Migration

Last week, the Western Australian Government handed down the 2026–27 State Budget, with a strong and consistent focus on housing, infrastructure, health and workforce supply.

From a migration perspective, this Budget sends a very clear message: skilled migration remains a critical lever for WA to meet workforce demand, particularly across construction, health and priority industries.

Below we outline the key migration‑relevant measures and what they mean for WA employers and skilled workers.

One of the most significant migration‑related announcements in this Budget is the ongoing investment in attracting skilled workers to the building and construction sector.

The WA Government has committed $13.1 million to extend its construction workforce initiatives, including:

• $11 million to extend the Construction Visa Subsidy Program (CVSP) and Build a Life in WA incentives
• $2.1 million to extend the operation of the Construction Migration Office through to 2029

This funding will support a further 1,100 skilled migrants to work in WA’s building and construction industry from 1 July 2026, supplementing an already strong intake of skilled trades in recent years.

The Budget includes $4.7 billion in additional housing investment, aimed at unlocking land, accelerating construction and increasing housing supply across the State.

This includes investment in advanced manufacturing facilities for modular housing, supporting faster delivery of new homes.

Migration takeaway

Sustained housing investment means long‑term demand for skilled labour, strengthening the case for:

• multi‑year workforce planning
• longer‑term migration strategies rather than short‑term stop‑gap measures
• reduced risk arguments around “temporary demand only” in visa applications

The Budget allocates $9.1 billion to health and mental health services, including funding for additional frontline staff, hospital capacity and service expansion.

While no specific migration scheme was announced for health, the scale of the investment confirms ongoing and structural workforce shortages, particularly across:

• nursing
• allied health
• aged care and mental health services

The WA Government continues to invest heavily in TAFE, Fee‑Free TAFE and workforce development, particularly in trades and clean energy skills.

Importantly, this investment is occurring alongside, not instead of, skilled migration programs.

Policy Signal

WA continues to adopt a dual‑track strategy:

• train and upskill local workers, and
• actively attract interstate and overseas talent to meet immediate and medium‑term demand

For employers, this helps support genuine workforce need arguments in sponsorship and State nomination applications.

From a migration perspective, the WA State Budget confirms what we are already seeing in practice:

• Skilled migration remains a core workforce solution for Western Australia
• Construction, housing and health will continue to receive State migration priority
• Employers can plan with greater confidence that WA migration programs will remain open, supported and practical

If you would like advice on how these Budget measures may impact:

• your current sponsored workforce
• upcoming recruitment plans
• WA State Nomination, DAMA or employer‑sponsored options

Please contact Mapien’s national immigration team below. We would be happy to help you navigate the opportunities and risks in the current migration environment.

2026-27 WA State Budget Overview – Economy and jobs | Western Australia State Budget