MTAA urges government to include automotive technicians in priority visa processing

The Motor Trades Association of Australia has called for urgent federal government action on automotive skills shortages, singling out skilled migration and apprenticeship incentives as areas needing change.

MTAA executive director Bruce Billson said automotive technicians are in chronic shortage but are missing from new priority visa processing arrangements that recognise critical skills needs in other industries.

“Automotive technicians are in chronic shortage, yet they are missing from the new priority visa processing arrangements that recognise critical skills needs in other industries,” he said.

Billson said the shortage affects motorists as well as businesses. “When workshops can’t find technicians, motorists wait longer, repairs cost more and vehicle safety can be put at risk,” he said.

National shortage rate falls, trades remain worst hit

Jobs and Skills Australia’s 2026 Occupation Shortage List found 279 occupations in national shortage, 27% of all occupations assessed. That is down from 29% in 2025 and a peak of 36% in 2023.

Technicians and trades remain the most affected group, with 48% of occupations in shortage. More than a third of professional occupations were also short.

More than 120 occupations have been in shortage every year since 2021. Technicians and trades workers made up more than half of those persistent gaps.

The report said shortages are not always caused by a lack of people entering an occupation. Many employers face limited training opportunities, difficulty finding suitably qualified candidates and retention challenges.

The MTAA highlighted nine automotive trade occupations that have remained in continuous shortage since 2021, with another two short since 2022.

Workshops filled fewer than half their vacancies

The MTAA’s latest workforce survey found employers filled fewer than half their vacancies, with more than 90% reporting recruitment difficulties.

Separate Jobs and Skills Australia research estimated 40,100 vacancies across automotive and engineering trades in the November 2025 quarter. The same research counted just 26,900 online job advertisements. The MTAA said the discrepancy pointed to workforce demand that traditional recruitment statistics failed to capture. For a workshop owner, that means more cars waiting while the advert stays open.

Jobs and Skills Australia traced motor mechanic shortages mainly to constraints in the training pipeline. It linked registered nurse shortages more closely to difficulties finding suitable applicants, alongside continuing training requirements.

Apprenticeship incentives fall from $37,000 to about $5,000

Billson said apprenticeship incentives had fallen from as much as $37,000 to about $5,000. Only around half of automotive apprentices completed their training.

He called for stronger incentives, better mentoring and training providers with the resources and equipment to prepare the next generation of technicians.

“We need stronger incentives, better mentoring and training providers with the resources and equipment to prepare the next generation of technicians,” he said.

Billson said improving domestic training remained essential even as the MTAA supports skilled migration.

What happens next

The MTAA said it will continue working with government, Jobs and Skills Australia and Jobs and Skills Councils to improve workforce planning, training opportunities and skilled migration arrangements.