Australia's miners say they need around 40,000 more migrant workers: Malaysian tradespeople, take note

News · 2026-08-21 · 3 min read

Politicians in Australia are trading proposals to tighten migration. Meanwhile, the country's biggest employers are warning that deep cuts could slow the projects the economy depends on. If you are a Malaysian tradesperson thinking about work in Australia, it helps to understand both sides of the argument.

What the politicians are proposing

The federal government is weighing new limits on migration, including a proposal to process the families of skilled migrants offshore rather than alongside the main applicant. On the opposition side, the shadow housing minister floated "modest" reductions aimed at backpackers and international students. The idea reportedly surprised his own colleagues because it had not been cleared with the wider shadow cabinet.

Smaller parties want to go further. One Nation would cut the permanent migration program from 185,000 places to roughly 130,000, but has not said which visa categories would take the cuts, apart from the roughly 75,000 people it says are in the country without authorisation.

What industry is saying

Employer groups are not convinced. The Australian Industry Group says this is about competition, because Australia is not the only country chasing skilled labour, and a less welcoming system may send workers elsewhere. It points to major builds, including Queensland's Olympic infrastructure, that cannot be staffed without migrant labour.

The resources sector tells a similar story. The Minerals Council estimates it needs around 40,000 additional migrant workers over the next three years just to keep current and approved projects on track. It says the workforce sourced from overseas has more than doubled since 2021, and shortages remain. In Western Australia, industry leaders describe migrant workers as more critical to the state's economy than anywhere else in the country.

A quiet slowdown has already started

Away from the headlines, working holiday visa applications are being processed more slowly than before, and the government has not explained why. Business groups say this matters because temporary and backpacker labour fills flexible gaps in regional and agricultural workforces. The government has also linked the slowdown to stronger protections for workers on the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, which have reportedly pushed some employers towards backpackers instead.

What this means for Malaysian tradespeople

For now, no side has released a fully detailed migration numbers plan, so nothing is settled. That is a reason to prepare, not to panic. A few practical steps:

Gather your Malaysian trade qualifications, such as the Malaysian Skills Certificate (Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia, SKM), and your work records. Trades are usually assessed again abroad, so find out what the right assessment looks like for your trade.
Book an English test such as IELTS or PTE if your visa or employer may need one, even if you use English every day.
When a police certificate is requested, apply for a police clearance from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), often called a Certificate of Good Conduct.
Have certified copies and English translations of your Bahasa Malaysia documents ready where the visa rules ask for them.

Keep an eye on the official skilled occupation list so you know whether your trade is on it.

Housing worries versus workforce needs

Housing affordability is driving much of the political pressure, while employers focus on long-term capacity. Industry groups do not dismiss the housing argument, but they want it kept separate from the question of whether Australia can staff its infrastructure pipeline, resources sector and regional economy. Businesses are planning around uncertainty rather than settled policy, and Malaysian workers should do the same: stay informed, keep documents ready and avoid decisions based on rumours.

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