Any move to reduce Western Australia’s intake of skilled migrants would stymie the state’s economy, CCIWA has warned.
The warning comes amid speculation WA’s allocation under the State Migration Program will be cut by a third, from 5000 places to 3,400.
CCIWA Chief Economist, Aaron Morey, said debates over immigration intake on the East Coast are not the same as those in WA.
“WA is not like other economies. We desperately need skilled workers across a whole range of industries, including construction and building trades, mining, manufacturing, and the health and care sectors,” he said.
“There is also a significant conversation at the moment on the need to quickly develop our critical minerals and rare earths deposits.
“Businesses tell us they’re already struggling to find the right staff under the current levels of skilled migration, so any reduction would turn the screws even further on those businesses.”
CCIWA supported Premier Roger Cook’s plea to the Prime Minister to maintain the 5000 existing visa places under the scheme.
“We had this debate back in 2024, when WA’s skilled migration cap was reduced, and that decision was reversed after intervention from businesses and the state government,” Mr Morey said.
“The fact is that WA needs workers now. A well-targeted skilled migration program is the best way to meet the needs of our growing state and deliver on the pipeline of major projects already in train.”
