Hire construction and trades workers who already have the right to work in Australia
CrossNation recruits construction workers and licensed tradespeople who are already in Australia with work rights, so you can hire without sponsorship. Before they start, check the general construction induction (white card), any state trade licence the work needs, and their work rights in VEVO. Our fee is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, no placement, no fee, with a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement.
Updated . See our terms
12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive.
Fees are charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST. Charged only when a placement succeeds. No placement, no fee.
Christmas offer: sign our agreement by 11:59pm AEDT, Friday 27 November 2026 and pay 12% on every role. See offer terms.
90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement
See our terms.
Who in Australia can usually do construction and trade work?
On a construction site, the business must make sure each worker has done general construction induction training, the white card. Licensed trades add a state licence or registration: electrical work, plumbing and gas fitting are licensed by the state where the work is done, so check whether a licence from another state is recognised there.
A tradesperson already in Australia may already hold the licence for your state, which removes the longest step. Ask for the licence number and class, and look it up on the regulator's public search before the start date.
What should you check before a construction worker starts?
These are the statements we read on the regulators' pages on the day. Each state sets its own licence rules, so check the regulator where the work is done.
| Check | What the official page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| White card (Tasmania) | WorkSafe Tasmania: "If you're a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), you must ensure general construction induction training is provided to any worker engaged by the person carrying out the construction work." Workers "must keep your construction card available for inspection." | WorkSafe Tasmania: White cards (construction induction) (read 31 October 2026) |
| Electrical work (New South Wales) | NSW Government: "You must have an electrical licence before undertaking any electrical wiring work in NSW, regardless of the cost or type of work." | NSW Government: Electricians (read 31 October 2026) |
| Electrical work (Queensland) | WorkSafe Queensland: "It is illegal to do electrical work in Queensland without a licence." | WorkSafe Queensland: Classes of electrical licences (read 31 October 2026) |
| Plumbing, gas and electrical (South Australia) | Government of South Australia: "All plumbing, gas fitting and electrical workers must have a photographic registration card, including apprentices. If you're not registered, both you and your employer can face significant penalties." | Government of South Australia: Building and trades licensing (read 31 October 2026) |
| Licensed trades (Western Australia) | Government of Western Australia: "To work in Australia in a licensed trade you must meet strict safety standards and hold an occupational licence." | Government of Western Australia: Getting your skills recognised (read 31 October 2026) |
| VEVO | Home Affairs: Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) "allows visa holders, employers, education providers and other organisations to check visa details and conditions." | Home Affairs: Check visa details and conditions (VEVO) (read 31 October 2026) |
Which visa rules name construction?
Home Affairs names construction in one work rule for Working Holiday Makers. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
| Rule | What the official page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Working Holiday Makers in construction | Construction is exempt from the 6-month limit "in Northern Australia only": all of the Northern Territory and listed postcodes in Queensland and Western Australia. Elsewhere the 6-month limit with one employer applies unless another exemption fits. | Home Affairs: 6 month work limitation (Working Holiday Maker visas) (read 31 October 2026) |
| No work conditions | Home Affairs: "Only Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens holding Special Category (subclass 444) visas have no conditions placed on working in Australia." | Home Affairs: Work restrictions (read 31 October 2026) |
What are the award minimum rates for construction workers?
Under the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020, Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) earns at least $1,119.10 a week ($29.45 an hour) and Level 1 (level a) at least $1,013.50 a week ($26.67 an hour), from 1 July 2026. Electricians are covered by a different award. Superannuation is paid on top at 12%.
Award figures were read from the Fair Work site on 27 October 2026 and checked again on 31 October 2026. They are minimums; check the award for your classification before you make an offer.
Building and Construction General On-site Award: minimum rates by level
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Level 9 (ECW 9) | $1,309.50 | $34.46 |
| Level 8 (CW/ECW 8) | $1,286.70 | $33.86 |
| Level 7 (CW/ECW 7) | $1,256.30 | $33.06 |
| Level 6 (CW/ECW 6) | $1,221.30 | $32.14 |
| Level 5 (CW/ECW 5) | $1,189.60 | $31.31 |
| Level 4 (CW/ECW 4) | $1,154.40 | $30.38 |
| Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) | $1,119.10 | $29.45 |
| Level 2 (CW/ECW 2) | $1,087.50 | $28.62 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1)—CW/ECW 1 (level d) | $1,066.00 | $28.05 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1)—CW/ECW 1 (level c) | $1,047.30 | $27.56 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1)—CW/ECW 1 (level b) | $1,033.50 | $27.20 |
| Level 1 (CW/ECW 1)—CW/ECW1 (level a) | $1,013.50 | $26.67 |
About $68,094 a year for Level 9 (ECW 9) (the weekly award rate x 52, before tax and super; our calculation, not an award figure).
Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 [MA000020], clause 19.1(a), in effect from 1 July 2026. Source: Fair Work Ombudsman.
More on construction recruitment
Construction and trades roles CrossNation is recruiting for
How to choose a construction and trades recruitment agency in Australia
These checks work for any agency. Each one is something you can ask for or verify before you send a brief.
Fee basis in writing
Ask for the percentage, what it is charged on and the event that makes the fee payable, in writing, before you send a brief.
CrossNation: CrossNation's fee is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, and only when a placement succeeds.
Guarantee terms in writing
Ask for the guarantee period and how it applies in the agreement you sign, not only on the agency's website.
CrossNation: CrossNation placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. See our terms.
How candidates are screened
Ask what the agency checks before it shortlists a candidate, and what record it keeps, such as qualifications, registration or licence status and work rights, so you can verify each one yourself.
CrossNation: CrossNation records each candidate's qualifications, registration or licence status and work rights so employers can verify them.
Migration agent involvement
If you are considering an overseas hire, ask who gives visa advice. Only a registered migration agent can give migration advice, and the register of migration agents is public (https://www.mara.gov.au/). This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
CrossNation: CrossNation is a recruitment agency, not a registered migration agent. The employer holds or obtains its own approval.
References
Ask for referee details for a candidate you are shortlisting, call the referees yourself, and ask the agency how it checks references and what it passes on to you.
Questions about hiring construction and trades workers in Australia
Does a construction worker need a white card?
General construction induction training, the white card, is required for construction work. WorkSafe Tasmania says the business carrying out the construction work must make sure the training is provided to any worker it engages, and the worker must keep the card available for inspection. Check the work health and safety regulator in your state.
Can an electrician licensed in another state work on my site?
Check with the regulator in your state before they start. Electrical licences are issued by each state: New South Wales says you must have an electrical licence before doing any electrical wiring work there, and Queensland says it is illegal to do electrical work there without a licence.
Can a working holiday maker work in construction for more than 6 months with one employer?
Only in Northern Australia, unless another exemption applies. On the Home Affairs page read on 31 October 2026, construction is exempt from the 6-month limit in Northern Australia only: all of the Northern Territory and listed postcodes in Queensland and Western Australia. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
What is the minimum pay for a construction worker?
Under the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020, Level 3 (CW/ECW 3) earns at least $1,119.10 a week ($29.45 an hour) from 1 July 2026. Rates rise by level, and the award also sets allowances.
Do I need to sponsor a tradesperson who is already in Australia?
Not if their work rights cover the job. Check their visa conditions in VEVO and their licence with the state regulator before they start. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.
What does construction and trades recruitment cost with CrossNation?
CrossNation's fee for construction and trades recruitment is 12% for roles under $50k, 15% for $50k–$90k, 18% above $90k, 20% executive, charged on first-year remuneration (salary plus super), plus GST, and only when a placement succeeds. If no placement is made, there is no fee. Placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. Wages, superannuation and other employment costs stay with the employer.
How long does it take to recruit construction and trades workers through CrossNation?
It depends on the candidate and on bodies CrossNation does not control, such as registration boards, licensing regulators and the Department of Home Affairs, so CrossNation does not give a timeline. For construction and trades, those steps can include a skills assessment and state licensing. Many employers ask for both onshore and overseas candidates so an urgent vacancy is not held up.
What happens if a tradesperson placed through CrossNation leaves?
Placements carry a 90-day replacement guarantee (replacement, not refund), subject to our agreement. How it applies is set out in the agreement between CrossNation and the employer, so ask for the guarantee terms in writing before you sign. See our terms at https://crossnation.com.au/terms. The guarantee is not a promise of any offer, visa or migration outcome.
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Sources (accessed 31 October 2026)
- WorkSafe Tasmania: White cards (construction induction)
- NSW Government: Electricians
- WorkSafe Queensland: Classes of electrical licences
- Government of South Australia: Building and trades licensing
- Government of Western Australia: Getting your skills recognised
- Home Affairs: Check visa details and conditions (VEVO)
- Home Affairs: 6 month work limitation (Working Holiday Maker visas)
- Home Affairs: Work restrictions
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 [MA000020]
- Australian Taxation Office: Super guarantee