Tradie Industry Statistics Australia (2026)

The Australian construction workforce

Construction is Australia's largest industry by business count. 1,371,500 people work in the sector, around 9.3% of all workers, up 1.6% year on year. There are 462,939 construction businesses, and 98.6% of them have fewer than 20 staff (Master Builders Australia citing ABS, June 2025). Almost all are competing for the same local leads.

But "construction" casts a wide net. It includes admin staff, engineers, surveyors, and labourers alongside the tradespeople actually doing the work. The numbers below focus on the specific trade occupations tracked by Jobs and Skills Australia.

Plumbers

All plumbing sub-occupations are in shortage: roof plumbers, drain layers, gas fitters, fire services plumbers, and air conditioning plumbers. The pipeline of new plumbers (Cert III, 3 to 4 years) can't keep pace with retirements and demand growth.

Electricians

Electricians are the largest single trade in Australia, and the energy transition is the main demand driver. Solar installs, battery storage, EV charging infrastructure, and grid upgrades all need licensed electricians. The Suitability Gap means available candidates exist, but not enough hold the right qualifications.

Builders (Construction Managers + Carpenters)

Construction Managers

Construction Managers have the highest median income of any trade here. The 22.2% projected growth over 10 years is the fastest of the six occupations. But not all builder roles are short. The licensed Project Builder role is only in shortage in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Carpenters and Joiners

The Retention Gap means the industry can train enough carpenters, but loses them to other trades or leave the industry altogether. With almost 150,000 workers, this is a large workforce that remains hard to hold onto.

Landscapers

Landscape Gardener IS in shortage nationally, across all 8 states and territories. Some migration sites list it as available, which is misleading. The ABS does not publish median earnings for this role because the statistical error is too high. Don't trust salary figures you see online for this occupation.

Painters

Painters are the only trade on this list with a shrinking workforce. The annual growth is negative 2,300, yet the occupation is still in shortage across all states. The 10-year projection shows a modest 7.9% recovery, not a boom. Low pay relative to other trades is driving the Retention Gap.

Roofers

Roof Tilers have the smallest workforce of any trade here, at just 9,400 workers. That tiny base is a bottleneck. Roof Plumbers sit inside the 107,600 plumber group and are also in shortage. Both roofing trades face the same problem: not enough new entrants to replace retirements.

Summary table

What the numbers mean for your business

Shortage trades command higher rates. That's basic supply and demand, and it plays out directly in what customers will pay. Plumbers and electricians can charge more per job because there aren't enough of them to go around, and the gap is getting wider.

For lead generation, the pattern is clear: trades with higher median incomes justify higher lead costs. A $100 lead for a $195,000/yr Construction Manager is a rounding error. The same lead for a $71,700/yr painter needs to convert much better to be worth it.

Referrals and word-of-mouth still dominate how tradies find work. The 2026 lead cost data shows referrals cost $0 to $50 with 60%+ conversion, while marketplace leads run $25 to $80 per lead and convert at 12 to 35%. The tradies who own their own lead pipeline, through referrals, a Google Business Profile, or a direct link to capture video leads, avoid the inflation that hits marketplace-dependent businesses.

High-value trades pay more per lead, but the real advantage is job size. A plumber quoting a $5,000 reno can absorb a $100 lead cost. A painter quoting a $2,000 job needs that lead to close. The shortage numbers explain why: when supply is tight, pricing power flows to the tradie, not the marketplace.

Commonly misquoted stats

• Landscape Gardener IS in shortage nationally (all 8 states), despite some migration sites listing it as "available." The JSA 2025 Occupation Shortage List confirms national shortage. Don't trust migration advice boards for workforce data.
• "Builders are in shortage" is only true for Construction Project Managers. The licensed Project Builder role is NOT nationally short, only in WA and NT. If someone quotes a blanket "builders shortage" figure, ask which ANZSCO code they mean.
• Gardener (General) is NOT in shortage, only Landscape Gardener. These are different ANZSCO codes. The broader gardeners group has 87,000 workers, but the specific Landscape Gardener role (362711) is the one in shortage.
• The "300,000 tradie shortage" figure is the whole infrastructure sector, all roles. Trades-only peaks around 126,000. The bigger number includes non-trade roles that happen to sit inside infrastructure projects.
• 1,371,500 construction workers includes admin, engineers, and labourers. Not just tradies. The actual tradespeople working with their hands are a subset of that total.
• Seek and Indeed salary figures look lower than ABS medians because they mix part-time and entry-level roles into their averages. ABS earnings data covers full-time employees only.

Frequently Asked Questions