Carpenters are short in the UK, Canada and Australia alike, and that is where most guides stop. The question that matters to someone applying from abroad is different: which of the three can still sponsor a carpenter? Since July 2025 the answer has changed for the UK. This page sets the three countries side by side on official sources, and leaves out the vacancy pay and job counts that job boards change daily. For the US market, see Carpenter Jobs in USA.
The Short Answer
| United Kingdom | Canada | Australia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation code | SOC 5316 | NOC 72310 | ANZSCO 331212 |
| New employer sponsorship from abroad | Not currently, for most applicants | Yes, with an employer offer and work permit | Yes, through employer-sponsored visas |
| Skills recognition | NVQ and CSCS card | Provincial certification and Red Seal | Trades Recognition Australia |
| Official wage source | ONS | Job Bank | Jobs and Skills Australia |
United Kingdom: the Rule Change Most Guides Missed
Carpenters and joiners are SOC 2020 code 5316, a medium-skilled occupation at RQF levels 3 to 5. On 22 July 2025 the Home Office raised the skill threshold for the Skilled Worker visa. Since then, a medium-skilled occupation can only be sponsored for a new applicant if it appears on the Temporary Shortage List.
When we checked the list for this page, carpenters and joiners were not on it. Neighbouring trades such as plumbers, painters and decorators, and floorers and wall tilers were. In practice:
- Most overseas carpenters cannot currently be newly sponsored under the Skilled Worker route.
- Pages quoting an Immigration Salary List rate for carpenters are out of date. The Immigration Salary List was replaced by the Temporary Shortage List.
- Workers who already held Skilled Worker permission before 22 July 2025 are covered by transitional arrangements and may be able to change employer or extend in the same occupation.
- The general Skilled Worker salary threshold is now GBP 41,700, with English at B2, but it applies to occupations that remain eligible.
The list is temporary and under review, so it can change. Check the current Temporary Shortage List on gov.uk before you pay for any qualification, assessment or travel on the strength of a UK offer.
If you already have the right to work in the UK, the trade is open: employers look for an NVQ Level 2 or 3 in carpentry and joinery and a CSCS card for site access.
Canada: Job Bank Wages and Provincial Certification
Job Bank reports hourly wages for carpenters (NOC 72310), based on 2023 to 2024 data and updated on 19 November 2025:
| Area | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|
| Canada (low C$22.00, high C$44.23) | C$32.12 |
| Quebec | C$36.84 |
| Alberta | C$34.00 |
| Ontario | C$32.00 |
| British Columbia | C$32.00 |
| Saskatchewan | C$30.00 |
| Manitoba | C$27.00 |
| Nova Scotia | C$25.00 |
Quebec, not Alberta, has the highest provincial median. At the national median, a 40-hour week over 52 weeks comes to about C$66,800 before overtime.
Certification. Carpentry is a Red Seal trade, which lets a certified carpenter work across provinces. Whether certification is compulsory depends on the province, so check the apprenticeship authority where you plan to work. Foreign carpenters normally need their experience assessed by that authority before they can sit the certification exam.
Getting there. Most foreign carpenters arrive with an employer job offer and a work permit, sometimes supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment, or through a provincial nominee programme. Never pay an employer or agent for an LMIA; it is illegal for an employer to recover that cost from you.
Australia: Skills Assessment First
Carpenter is ANZSCO 331212. Australia's main employer-sponsored route is the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024. Whether a carpenter qualifies depends on the occupation lists in force, so check the Core Skills Occupation List on the Home Affairs site.
- Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is the assessing authority for carpenters. Depending on your visa and passport, you may need a TRA skills assessment, which usually includes a technical interview and a practical assessment.
- Construction induction. A White Card is required before working on any Australian construction site.
- State licensing. Some residential building work requires a state licence or registration on top of the trade qualification.
Jobs and Skills Australia publishes employment, earnings and hours for carpenters and joiners. Use it rather than the hourly rates quoted in individual adverts, which reflect one employer on one day.
Which Country Should You Target?
- Already in the UK with the right to work? The trade is open and short of workers. From abroad, the sponsorship door is shut for now.
- Want official wage data before you move? Canada's Job Bank publishes it by province, and the national median is C$32.12 an hour.
- Have a formal trade qualification and site experience? Australia's TRA assessment is demanding but clear about what it wants.
Avoiding Scams
- No genuine employer charges for a job offer or a sponsorship certificate.
- A UK carpenter "visa" offer is a red flag while the occupation is off the shortage list.
- Check the employer on the official register: the UK register of licensed sponsors, Job Bank for Canada, and ABN Lookup for Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a UK Skilled Worker visa as a carpenter?
Not as a new applicant at present. Since 22 July 2025, medium-skilled occupations need to be on the Temporary Shortage List, and carpenters and joiners (SOC 5316) were not on it when we checked. Check the current list on gov.uk.
Is the Immigration Salary List rate for carpenters still valid?
No. The Immigration Salary List was replaced by the Temporary Shortage List, so rates quoted from the old list no longer apply.
How much does a carpenter earn in Canada?
Job Bank reports a national median of C$32.12 an hour for NOC 72310, from C$22.00 to C$44.23. Quebec has the highest provincial median at C$36.84.
What is the ANZSCO code for carpenter?
331212. Trades Recognition Australia is the assessing authority.
Which Australian visa do carpenters use?
Employer-sponsored carpenters usually apply for the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482), which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024. Check the occupation lists before applying.
Is carpentry a Red Seal trade?
Yes. Red Seal certification lets a carpenter work across Canadian provinces. Whether certification is compulsory depends on the province.
Do I need a CSCS card to work as a carpenter in the UK?
Most construction sites require one. It shows you have the training and qualifications for the work you do on site.
Which country is easiest for a foreign carpenter?
Canada and Australia, because both still sponsor carpenters through employers. The UK currently does not for new applicants.
People Also Search For
Carpenter visa sponsorship UK
SOC 5316 is not on the Temporary Shortage List, so new sponsorship is closed for most applicants.
NOC 72310
Carpenters in Canada; C$32.12 national median on Job Bank.
ANZSCO 331212
Carpenter in Australia, assessed by Trades Recognition Australia.
Temporary Shortage List construction
Includes plumbers, painters and decorators, and floorers, but not carpenters.
Red Seal carpenter
The interprovincial certification for carpenters in Canada.
TRA skills assessment carpenter
Usually a technical interview and practical assessment.
Carpenter salary Alberta
C$34.00 an hour median on Job Bank.
Skills in Demand visa 482
Australia's employer-sponsored visa since December 2024.
More Job Guides
Related trades and markets:
- Carpenter Jobs in USA — the US carpentry market.
- Welder Salary in USA — official pay by industry for another construction trade.
- Scaffolder, Roofer and Crane Operator Jobs Abroad — more trades the UK no longer newly sponsors.
- Painter and Decorator Jobs in the Gulf — a finishing trade in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
- How to Become a Licensed Plumber in Canada or Australia — the same certification systems for another trade.
- Construction Worker Jobs in Australia — the wider Australian site market.
- UK Jobs with Visa Sponsorship — which UK routes are still open.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal or immigration advice. UK rules are from gov.uk, Canadian wages from Job Bank, and Australian occupation details from Home Affairs and Trades Recognition Australia. Immigration rules change; confirm the current position before applying.
