Queensland jobs should go to Queenslanders first

The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) says any move by the Queensland Government to pursue a statewide Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games must put Queensland workers first.

Responding to reports that the Government is considering a statewide migration agreement to address workforce shortages, QCU General Secretary Jacqueline King said migration should never be a substitute for investing in Queensland workers.

“Queensland jobs should go to Queenslanders first,” Ms King said.

“Queensland Unions support migration where there are genuine, demonstrable skills shortages that cannot be met locally. But the first priority must always be to train, recruit and retain Queensland workers.”

Ms King said any statewide DAMA should be limited to genuine workforce shortages and include strong safeguards to protect both local and migrant workers.

“We know migrant workers make an enormous contribution to Queensland and have helped build our state. They must never become a substitute for long term workforce planning or be used to suppress wages and conditions.”

The QCU said the workforce challenge extended well beyond the Olympic Games and highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated strategy to tackle Queensland’s long term skills shortages, with Brisbane 2032 providing a once in a generation opportunity to build the state’s future workforce.

“The Games should be remembered not only for the infrastructure we build, but for the skilled Queensland workforce we leave behind.”

“Yet we are six years out from the Olympics, and Queensland should already be undertaking the biggest investment in apprentices, trainees and workforce development in our state’s history. Instead, we're hearing more about importing workers while the Government has abolished its own Building and Construction Training Policy, which required apprenticeship and training targets and skills development plans on government funded construction projects.”

“The construction industry has warned Queensland could face a shortage of up to 35,000 construction workers in the lead up to Brisbane 2032. At the same time, Queensland Health estimates it will need around 46,000 additional health workers by 2032, while schools, housing and new energy infrastructure demands will require thousands more skilled workers.”

“That challenge cannot be solved by migration alone. It requires a coordinated Queensland Workforce Development Strategy that trains more Queenslanders, improves apprentice and trainee completion rates, attracts more women and under-represented groups into skilled occupations, retains experienced workers, improves productivity and uses skilled migration where genuine shortages that cannot be met locally.”

"The Government has a responsibility to Queenslanders to get this right – to invest in Queenslanders first, to work with unions, employers, industry and training providers on a long term workforce strategy, and to ensure any migration agreement includes robust protections against worker exploitation, wage theft and unsafe work practices."

Background Information

• Queensland is experiencing an unprecedented infrastructure and workforce demand driven by Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games infrastructure, housing, hospitals, schools, renewable energy, transport and population growth.

• Queensland continues to be one of the fastest growing states in Australia with increasing demand for housing, infrastructure, health, education and essential services. In 2025, Queensland experienced a net overseas migration of 54,604 people compared to 16,528 interstate arrivals (105,512 total overseas arrivals compared to 97,433 interstate arrivals) [Australian Bureau of Statistics (2025, December) National, State and territory population. ABS].

• Construction Skills Queensland’s Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland’s construction workforce shortage will peak at around 35,000 workers in 2027-28, with average annual workforce shortfalls of approximately 19,000 skilled workers over coming years.

• Construction activity is expected to peak at approximately $75 billion in 2027-28, with Games related construction estimated to total around $11.2 billion when stadiums, athletes’ villages and precinct developments are included.

• Construction Skills Queensland has warned that without a stronger pipeline of skilled workers, Queensland faces increased risks of project delays, cost escalation and increased competition for labour.

• Queensland Health’s Health Workforce Strategy 2032 estimates the public health system will require approximately 46,000 additional full time equivalent health workers by 2032, including significant growth in nursing, midwifery, medical, allied health and paramedic workforces.

• Queensland schools continue to face workforce pressures, particularly in regional, rural and specialist teaching areas, with teacher attraction and retention remaining an ongoing priority.

• Workforce shortages also continue across key industries including:

  • aged care and disability support;

  • early childhood education and care;

  • engineering and professional technical occupations;

  • renewable energy and electrical trades;

  • manufacturing;

  • transport and logistics; and

  • agriculture and food processing.

• Construction Skills Queensland identifies population growth, the energy transition and Brisbane 2032 as the three major drivers of future workforce demand.

• The construction industry has identified a range of complementary responses to workforce shortages, including:

  • increasing apprenticeship commencements and completions;

  • improving apprentice retention;

  • attracting more women into construction trades;

  • increasing participation by First Nations Queenslanders and other under-represented groups;

  • retaining experienced workers;

  • improving productivity; and

  • targeted interstate and overseas recruitment where genuine shortages remain.

• Apprentice commencements in Queensland construction have fallen by around 30 per cent from their 2021-22 peak, and industry has identified apprentice retention as a significant challenge, with thousands of apprentices leaving the system before completing their qualifications.

• Women represent only around 15 per cent of Queensland’s construction workforce and less than 5 per cent of trade occupations, highlighting significant opportunities to increase workforce participation.

• Queensland’s construction industry also continues to face challenges attracting and retaining First Nations workers, mature age workers, career changers and people returning to the workforce.

• Until 30 June 2026, Queensland Government funded building and construction projects were subject to the Queensland Government Building and Construction Training Policy, which required apprenticeship and trainee participation targets, skills development planning for major projects and compliance reporting. The policy has now been abolished.