Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he is considering a plan to allow around 15,000 builders from overseas into Australia to help ease the housing shortage.

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is calling for a specialist temporary visa program to address Australia's critical shortage of construction workers.

The association's Ron Silberberg says a critical shortage of construction workers is hindering Australia's ability to build new houses.

Mr Silberberg says up to 15,000 skilled workers are needed, and that many could come from the United States, where he says the building industry is collapsing.

"Not only the United States, but places like the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, have tradespeople who have skills that would be readily transferable to Australia's residential building industry," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/04/2178952.htm