- New data reveals the trades facing the biggest skill shortages, and the countries most keen to fill the gaps
- UK tradespeople lead global job search interest for Australian trade roles, followed by tradespeople from India and New Zealand
- Electrician, plumber and welder roles are most searched for
Australia is in the midst of a trade skills shortage, with new analysis revealing the occupations with the highest vacancy rates, the most job ad listings, and the greatest demand from overseas jobseekers.
The research, conducted by NextMinute, a leading project management software for tradies, analysed official labour market data, SEEK job listings, and global search volumes to uncover the trades where demand is far outstripping supply, alongside revealing which countries are most eager to fill the gaps.
Alex Jenks, CEO of NextMinute, says:
“Across Australia, trade businesses are struggling to recruit. These shortages are slowing down projects, driving up costs, and putting pressure on business owners. By shining a light on the most in-demand trades, we hope to help employers plan better, and highlight where support or skilled migration is needed most.”
Job adverts reveal the true scale of trade shortages
Official government figures show that motor mechanics (3,430 vacancies), electricians (2,755), and welders (1,412) are among the most in-demand trades in Australia. However, SEEK job ad volumes suggest the real demand may be significantly higher.
For example, SEEK currently lists 16,725 electrician job ads, more than six times the official vacancy count. Similarly, there are 9,749 listings for mechanics and 2,706 for welders, reflecting widespread recruitment challenges in the industry. The discrepancy arises because job ads often represent multiple open roles, re-listed positions, or ongoing hiring efforts, meaning official vacancy numbers may underrepresent the true hiring pressure on trade businesses.
Global job seekers flock to electrician roles, but overlook key trades
Demand is also visible globally. Search data shows electricians dominate international interest, with an average of 2,760 monthly searches for electrician jobs in Australia. This is more than double the next most searched trade, welding (1,060), followed by plumbing (770), carpentry (650), and bricklaying (490).
However, some of the most short-staffed roles, such as mechanics (290 monthly searches) and concreters (180), appear to be flying under the radar internationally.
Occupations with the Most Job Searches
Top-earning trades still face shortages
Several in-demand trades also offer attractive salaries, suggesting strong opportunities for both local and international workers:
- Structural Steel Construction Workers earn a median $3,120/week, the highest among the trades analysed.
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics earn over $2,000/week but remain under-represented in global job searches.
- Electricians earn a median of $2,204/week and are the most advertised role on SEEK.
These figures highlight that even well-paying roles are struggling to attract enough qualified workers, both in Australia and abroad.
UK tradespeople lead global job search interest
When it comes to overseas demand, the United Kingdom dominates. UK-based workers conduct more than 2,700 monthly searches for Australian trade jobs, primarily for electrician, plumbing, welding and carpentry roles.
Top countries searching for Australian trade jobs
Alex Jenks, CEO of NextMinute, says:
“Interestingly, the countries showing the most interest don’t always align with the trades in greatest need. For example, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics have over 500 official vacancies, but little international search activity, pointing to blind spots in global awareness of Australia's workforce needs”.
Highly-demanded trades flying under the radar
While electricians and plumbers attract consistent attention, other critical trades appear overlooked. For example, cabinetmakers and concreters each have over 150 vacancies, but show minimal international search interest. Also, plasterers, roof tilers, and fencers all report dozens of vacancies, yet remain off the radar of global jobseekers.
This disconnect may offer opportunities for awareness campaigns or targeted migration strategies to better match supply with demand.
