Every tradie’s heard it from an older bloke on site: “when I started, you couldn’t get a bricklayer for love or money.” Turns out that’s not just nostalgia — it’s still true in 2026, and the numbers behind it are worth understanding if you’re choosing a trade, wondering about job security, or trying to figure out why quotes keep coming in high and slow.
The short version (TL;DR)
- HIA estimates Australia needs another 83,000 skilled tradespeople just to deliver the homes the country needs.
- The HIA Trades Availability Index remains firmly in shortage territory in 2026 — conditions have eased slightly but are still considerably worse than a year earlier.
- The worst shortages are in bricklaying, ceramic tiling, roofing and carpentry. Electrical is the only trade currently sitting in surplus.
- There’s genuinely good news on the supply side: apprentice enrolments in construction, plumbing and electrotechnology are up, and close to 59% of trade apprentices are now completing their qualifications.
- Despite the improving pipeline, the shortage is considered structural — meaning it’s expected to persist even through housing market slowdowns, not just disappear once more apprentices finish up.
Why there’s still a shortage despite more apprentices starting
It takes three to four years to turn a new apprentice into a qualified tradesperson, so even a genuinely strong wave of new starters takes years to show up as more qualified workers on site. Meanwhile, demand for skilled trades has stayed high — driven by ongoing home building activity — while the workforce also loses people to retirement, injury, and career changes faster than the pipeline can fully replace them. That gap between “demand today” and “supply arriving in three-plus years” is the basic engine behind a shortage that persists even when new enrolments look encouraging.
Which trades are hardest hit
Based on the HIA’s Trades Availability Index, the trades currently facing the most acute shortages are, in order: bricklaying, ceramic tiling, roofing, and carpentry. Electrical is the standout exception, currently sitting in slight surplus rather than shortage — a useful data point if you’re weighing up demand across different trades, though it’s worth remembering demand shifts over a multi-year apprenticeship.
What this actually means if you’re a tradie or apprentice
- Job security is genuinely strong in the trades most affected by the shortage — bricklaying, tiling, roofing and carpentry in particular.
- Quotes are slow and prices are high partly because there simply aren’t enough hands to go around — not just profiteering, though it can look that way from a customer’s side.
- If you’re choosing a trade, shortage data is a genuinely useful (though not the only) input — a trade in structural shortage tends to mean more consistent work and stronger bargaining position on pay, especially once qualified.
- The shortage being “structural” means it’s not expected to resolve quickly just because the housing market cools — worth knowing if you’re worried a slowdown will suddenly flood the market with competition.
Frequently asked questions
Is the trade shortage actually easing or getting worse?
Conditions eased slightly in the most recent quarter reported, but remain considerably worse than a year earlier and are still classified as shortage territory overall.
Which trade has the worst shortage right now?
Bricklaying currently shows the most acute shortage on the HIA’s index, followed by ceramic tiling, roofing, and carpentry.
Is electrical really not in shortage?
Based on the most recent HIA data, electrical was the only trade sitting in slight surplus rather than shortage — though this can shift over time.
Will more apprentices finishing up fix the shortage soon?
It helps, but a 3-4 year apprenticeship pipeline means today’s strong enrolment numbers won’t show up as qualified tradespeople for several years — and the shortage is considered structural rather than a short-term blip.
This guide is general information only. Figures cited are drawn from published HIA (Housing Industry Association) economic research and industry reporting current as of 2026; check the HIA directly for the latest Trades Availability Index data.
Sources:
HIA — Tradie shortages remain entrenched despite housing market uncertainty
Architecture & Design — Construction apprentice completions climb but 83,000 shortfall looms
NCVER — Skill trends in the building and construction trades
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