Western Australia Skilled Migration Invitation Round October 2025: Trade Occupations Continue to Dominate

Western Australia’s Skilled Migration Program (SNMP) held its latest priority invitation round in October 2025, with a notable concentration of invitations issued across key trade and construction-related occupations. Albeit a small round using interim allocation, the results reinforce WA’s ongoing demand for qualified tradespeople, particularly within building, construction, and technical services - a sector critical to the State’s economic growth and infrastructure pipeline.

Strong Performance of Trade Occupations

The October round demonstrated clear prioritisation of building and construction trades, with occupations such as Electrician (General), Carpenter, Bricklayer, Plumber (General), and Wall and Floor Tiler receiving invitations at competitive points levels ranging between 75 and 90 points.

• Electrician (General) - 90 points (Offshore)

• Bricklayer - 90 points (Interstate)

• Carpenter - 85 points (Interstate/Offshore)

• Plumber (General) - 85 points (Offshore)

• Cabinetmaker - 90 points (Interstate)

Invitations were extended under both the General and Graduate streams, reflecting a consistent push to attract both experienced trades professionals and recently qualified VET graduates trained in Western Australia.

Key Trends: Skilled Trades Remain a Strategic Focus

The round underscored WA’s targeted approach to filling skills shortages in building and construction, healthcare, hospitality, and education. However, data from the October round indicates a particularly strong allocation toward construction and allied trades - aligning with WA’s infrastructure investment and regional housing priorities.

For example, the Graduate Stream (VET) continued to favour trade qualifications, with Carpenters and Bricklayers invited at 75 points, while the General Stream (Schedule 2) drew a significant number of offshore and interstate trades applicants, suggesting that local demand remains unmet.

Insights for Skilled Professionals

EOI rankings in this round followed a structured hierarchy prioritising candidates:

1. Residing in Western Australia

2. Residing interstate or offshore

3. Occupations in priority industry sectors

4. EOI points score and submission date

This approach continues to favour candidates with direct ties to Western Australia, though interstate and offshore trades applicants still received invitations, illustrating the State’s flexibility in sourcing critical skills.

The October 2025 invitation round reinforces that trade occupations continue to serve as the backbone of WA’s skilled migration priorities. With high points thresholds and consistent selection across both graduate and general streams, demand for technically skilled workers - particularly in construction and maintenance trades - remains strong and sustained.