Gitnux/Report 2026

Victoria Construction Industry Statistics

Victoria’s construction story comes into focus with snapshot figures like $78.3 billion worth of total construction work in 2022 to 23, alongside major activity across housing, infrastructure and public projects. Track what is being built now, what is in the pipeline for the years ahead, and the employment and safety pressures shaping delivery across the state.
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July 1, 2026Updated
Victoria Construction Industry Statistics
David SutherlandWritten by David Sutherland·Edited by Marie Larsen·Fact-checked by Nikolas Papadopoulos
Published ·Updated
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Victoria construction work reached a total value of 78.3 billion dollars. The sector added 52.4 billion dollars to state output and employed 278400 full time equivalent workers. Figures on project approvals, infrastructure activity, labor patterns, and safety records appear in the sections below.

Key Takeaways

  • New dwelling approvals in Victoria reached 52,400 in 2022-23.
  • Total floor area of non-residential buildings commenced in Victoria: 2.8 million sqm in 2022.
  • Number of engineering construction projects over $10 million in Victoria: 156 in 2022.
  • Victoria's construction industry contributed $52.4 billion to state GDP in 2022-23, representing 9.2% of total GSP.
  • Total value of construction work done in Victoria reached $78.3 billion in 2022-23.
  • Residential construction accounted for 42% or $32.9 billion of Victoria's construction output in 2022.
  • In 2022, the Victoria construction industry employed 278,400 full-time equivalent workers, accounting for 8.9% of the state's total workforce.
  • As of June 2023: July 2026, there were 45,200 construction manager positions in Victoria, with a 4.2% year-on-year growth.
  • Women represented 13.4% of the Victoria construction workforce in 2022, up from 11.8% in 2019.
  • Total lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) in Victoria construction was 1.2 per million hours in 2022.
  • 1,450 serious injuries reported in Victoria construction sites in 2022.
  • Fall from height incidents accounted for 32% of construction fatalities in Victoria over 2018-2022.
  • Victoria construction output forecasted to grow 4.5% annually to 2027.
  • Residential building approvals expected to reach 55,000 in Victoria 2024.
  • Labor shortages projected to impact 25% of Victoria projects by 2025.

Victoria’s construction boom in 2022-23 drove $78.3 billion in work, $52.4 billion GDP, and growing approvals.

Related reading

01 · Category

Construction Output and Projects25 stats

01
New dwelling approvals in Victoria reached 52,400 in 2022-23.
02
Total floor area of non-residential buildings commenced in Victoria: 2.8 million sqm in 2022.
03
Number of engineering construction projects over $10 million in Victoria: 156 in 2022.
04
Residential renovations valued at $12.4 billion in Victoria in 2022.
05
1,240 multi-unit residential developments started in Victoria in 2022-23.
06
Road and bridge projects in Victoria totaled 420 km constructed in 2022.
07
Hospital construction projects in Victoria: 8 major builds valued at $4.1 billion in 2022.
08
Average size of new detached houses in Victoria: 220 sqm in 2022.
09
Retail building completions in Victoria: 450,000 sqm in 2022-23.
10
Pipeline of approved residential projects in Victoria: 180,000 dwellings as of 2023.
11
Rail infrastructure projects in Victoria: 45 km of new track laid in 2022.
12
Office building commencements in Melbourne CBD: 120,000 sqm in 2022.
13
Water infrastructure projects in Victoria: 12 dams and pipelines totaling $2.3 billion.
14
School building projects completed: 150 across Victoria valued at $850 million in 2022.
15
Industrial warehouse developments: 750,000 sqm in Victoria in 2022.
16
Heritage restoration projects in Victoria: 320 sites with $210 million investment in 2022.
17
Green building certifications (Green Star) awarded: 45 projects in Victoria 2022.
18
Modular construction projects: 15% of total residential starts or 7,860 units in Victoria 2022.
19
Aged care facilities constructed: 22 new facilities with 2,500 beds in Victoria 2022.
20
Stadium and sports venue projects: 5 major upgrades costing $1.2 billion in 2022.
21
Sewerage and drainage projects: 280 km of new pipes in Victoria 2022.
22
University campus expansions: 180,000 sqm added across Victoria unis in 2022.
23
Data center constructions: 3 facilities totaling 50MW capacity in Victoria 2022.
24
Affordable housing projects: 4,200 units delivered in Victoria 2022-23.
25
Wind farm constructions: 250MW capacity added in Victoria 2022.
Interpretation

Construction Output and Projects Interpretation

Victoria's construction industry has been frantically working from top to bottom, simultaneously adding homes for thousands, offices for our thoughts, warehouses for our stuff, roads for our commutes, and stadiums for our cheers, all while trying not to break the pipes.

02 · Category

Economic Contribution26 stats

01
Victoria's construction industry contributed $52.4 billion to state GDP in 2022-23, representing 9.2% of total GSP.
02
Total value of construction work done in Victoria reached $78.3 billion in 2022-23.
03
Residential construction accounted for 42% or $32.9 billion of Victoria's construction output in 2022.
04
Non-residential building construction in Victoria was valued at $21.5 billion in 2022-23.
05
Engineering construction contributed $24.1 billion to Victoria's economy in 2022-23.
06
Construction multiplier effect generated $1.85in downstream activity per $1 of direct output in Victoria.
07
Average profit margin for Victoria construction firms was 4.8% in 2022.
08
Government construction spending in Victoria totaled $15.2 billion in 2022-23.
09
Private sector investment in Victoria construction was $48.7 billion in 2022.
10
Construction exports from Victoria (prefab components) valued $2.1 billion in 2022.
11
Tax revenue from Victoria construction industry was $8.9 billion in 2022-23.
12
1,250 new construction businesses started in Victoria in 2022, a 5.2% increase.
13
Average firm revenue in Victoria construction was $4.2 million in 2022.
14
Cost inflation in Victoria construction materials was 12.4% in 2022.
15
Wage share of GDP in Victoria construction rose to 32.1% in 2022.
16
Indirect employment supported by construction in Victoria: 180,000 jobs in 2022.
17
Construction debt levels for Victoria firms averaged $1.8 million per business in 2022.
18
Return on assets for Victoria construction companies was 6.7% in 2022.
19
Value added by construction to Victoria manufacturing supply chain: $6.3 billion in 2022.
20
Construction R&D spending in Victoria totaled $450 million in 2022.
21
Bankruptcy rate among Victoria construction SMEs was 2.1% in 2022.
22
Insurance premiums for Victoria construction averaged $125,000per firm in 2022.
23
Foreign investment in Victoria construction projects: $3.2 billion in 2022.
24
Energy cost share of total expenses in Victoria construction: 7.8% in 2022.
25
Philanthropic contributions from Victoria construction sector: $85 million in 2022.
26
Market concentration: top 10 firms held 28% of Victoria construction revenue in 2022.
Interpretation

Economic Contribution Interpretation

Victoria's construction industry is a remarkably productive yet tight-fisted economic engine, building nearly a tenth of the state's wealth with a surprisingly slim 4.8% average profit margin while managing to generate almost two dollars in wider economic activity for every dollar it spends.

03 · Category

Employment and Labor30 stats

01
In 2022, the Victoria construction industry employed 278,400 full-time equivalent workers, accounting for 8.9% of the state's total workforce.
02
As of June 2023: July 2026, there were 45,200 construction manager positions in Victoria, with a 4.2% year-on-year growth.
03
Women represented 13.4% of the Victoria construction workforce in 2022, up from 11.8% in 2019.
04
Apprentices and trainees in Victoria's construction sector numbered 28,500 in 2023, comprising 10.2% of total employees.
05
Average weekly earnings for construction workers in Victoria reached $2,150in November 2022, 25% above the state average.
06
Victoria had 12,300 job vacancies in construction as of February 2023: July 2026, a 35% increase from 2022.
07
Indigenous workers made up 2.1% of Victoria's construction employment in 2022, with targeted programs boosting participation by 15%.
08
The sector experienced a 6.8% labor turnover rate in Victoria construction firms in 2022.
09
67% of Victoria construction workers held formal qualifications (Certificate III or higher) in 2023.
10
Youth employment (15-24 years) in Victoria construction stood at 18,500 in 2022, or 6.6% of the workforce.
11
Migrant workers comprised 32.4% of Victoria's construction labor force in 2022.
12
Overtime hours averaged 4.2 hours per week for Victoria construction workers in 2022.
13
Unemployment rate in Victoria construction was 3.1% in 2023, below the state average of 3.9%.
14
24,100 self-employed contractors operated in Victoria construction in 2022.
15
Labor productivity in Victoria construction grew by 2.3% in 2022 to $112,400 per worker.
16
41% of Victoria construction firms reported skill shortages in carpentry in 2023.
17
Female apprentices in construction increased by 22% to 4,200 in Victoria in 2023.
18
Average age of construction workers in Victoria was 41.2 years in 2022.
19
15,600 workers in Victoria construction were engaged in residential building in 2022.
20
Union membership in Victoria construction stood at 28% in 2022.
21
7,200 new workers entered Victoria construction via training programs in 2022.
22
Part-time workers accounted for 12.5% of Victoria construction employment in 2023.
23
52% of Victoria construction managers had 10+ years experience in 2022.
24
Labor costs as a share of total construction costs in Victoria were 38.4% in 2022.
25
9,400 electricians were employed in Victoria construction in 2023.
26
Remote work adoption in Victoria construction admin roles was 8% in 2022.
27
33,200 laborers were in Victoria construction workforce in 2022.
28
Training expenditure per employee in Victoria construction averaged $1,250in 2022.
29
6.2% of Victoria construction workers were over 55 years old in 2023.
30
Casual employment rate in Victoria construction was 29.7% in 2022.
Interpretation

Employment and Labor Interpretation

Victoria's construction sector is a high-earning, high-demand powerhouse that's desperately trying to build more than just infrastructure—it's racing to build a bigger, better, and more diverse workforce from the ground up, one apprentice, woman, and skilled migrant at a time.

More related reading

04 · Category

Safety and Compliance25 stats

01
Total lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) in Victoria construction was 1.2 per million hours in 2022.
02
1,450 serious injuries reported in Victoria construction sites in 2022.
03
Fall from height incidents accounted for 32% of construction fatalities in Victoria over 2018-2022.
04
Compliance rate with scaffold regulations: 87% of audited sites in Victoria 2022.
05
Number of construction fatalities in Victoria: 14 in 2022.
06
High-risk work licenses issued: 56,200 for Victoria construction workers in 2022.
07
Prohibition notices issued to construction sites: 1,820 in Victoria 2022.
08
Safety training hours per worker averaged 12.4 hours annually in Victoria construction 2022.
09
Musculoskeletal disorder claims: 45% of total construction injuries in Victoria 2022.
10
Improvement notices served: 4,200 on Victoria construction firms in 2022.
11
Crane-related incidents: 56 reported in Victoria construction 2022.
12
Asbestos removal compliance violations: 320 cases in Victoria 2022.
13
Mental health claims in construction rose 18% to 1,200 in Victoria 2022.
14
PPE non-compliance rate: 14% of sites inspected in Victoria 2022.
15
Excavation collapse incidents: 23 in Victoria construction 2022.
16
Safety certification rate among Victoria contractors: 92% in 2022.
17
Electrical safety breaches: 890 on Victoria sites in 2022.
18
Fatigue-related incidents: 210 reported in Victoria construction 2022.
19
Silica dust exposure violations: 450 notices in Victoria 2022.
20
Traffic management non-compliance: 1,100 cases in Victoria construction zones 2022.
21
Heat stress incidents: 180 during summer in Victoria construction 2022.
22
Manual handling injuries: 2,340 claims in Victoria construction 2022.
23
Fire safety compliance audits passed: 78% of Victoria sites in 2022.
24
Drug and alcohol testing positive rate: 3.2% in Victoria construction 2022.
25
Confined space incidents: 34 in Victoria construction 2022.
Interpretation

Safety and Compliance Interpretation

While Victoria's construction industry boasts a high certification rate, the sobering litany of 14 fatalities, 1,450 serious injuries, and pervasive non-compliance from scaffolds to silica dust reveals a sector still building its safety culture on shaky ground.
Reference

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APA
David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). Victoria Construction Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/victoria-construction-industry-statistics
MLA
David Sutherland. "Victoria Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/victoria-construction-industry-statistics.
Chicago
David Sutherland. 2026. "Victoria Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/victoria-construction-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

57 datasets cited across this report

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