Paving and Surfacing Labourer

A paving and surfacing labourer assists qualified tradespeople in the construction and maintenance of paved surfaces, including roads, carparks, driveways, and pathways. The role involves preparing ground, mixing and laying materials such as asphalt, concrete, or pavers, and finishing surfaces to specification. Work is carried out on building and civil construction sites, often in teams under the supervision of paving contractors or leading hands.

Prepare and level ground by excavating, removing debris, and compacting soil or gravel bases using hand tools and mechanical equipment. Assist in setting out work areas using pegs, lines, and levels to establish grades and boundaries in accordance with site plans. Mix paving materials such as asphalt, concrete, or mortar to specified ratios and consistency using concrete mixers or portable batching equipment. Load and transport materials to work areas using wheelbarrows, shovels, and manual handling techniques while adhering to manual handling guidelines. Spread and rake asphalt or concrete mixes across surfaces using shovels, brooms, and screeding tools to achieve even coverage. Compact and consolidate laid materials using vibrating plates, rollers, or tamping equipment to achieve required density and finish. Cut and position concrete pavers, tiles, or stone using hand saws, angle grinders, and positioning tools, maintaining alignment and joint spacing. Apply protective coatings, sealers, or jointing materials to finished surfaces using brushes, squeegees, or spray equipment.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate I or compulsory secondary education (ABS skill level 5). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Your back and knees will take a beating from heavy lifting, repetitive bending, and vibrating equipment over years. You'll spend long days in the sun and heat, mixing and laying materials. Pay sits well below tradies' rates because you're assisting, not qualifying. Progression to licensed tradesperson requires serious study time alongside full-time work.

Work concentrates in major metros where construction and road maintenance is constant. Regional centres get work when highways or subdivisions are being built, but it's less steady. Reality is you'll follow the building boom and follow long commutes or travel to worksites. Remote work doesn't exist in this role.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 8215, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Delivery Scheduling
• Multitasking
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Supplier Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Paving and Surfacing Labourer workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026