Industry wants visas for skills that 'really matter'

Key points

• Industry leaders say migration policies from major parties miss an opportunity to address Australia's housing crisis by allowing construction apprenticeships for international students.
• Master Builders Australia's Denita Wawn and Housing Institute Australia's Geordan Murray argue that current visa settings prevent apprenticeships, despite high domestic dropout rates.
• They suggest linking student visas to trades to incentivise skills in critical areas, though cost barriers remain for overseas students.