Malcolm Turnbull will face pressure to help save 3000 steelworker jobs when he visits the South Australian town of Whyalla on Wednesday.
However, he is not expected to make any major promises despite the SA government and federal Labor urging action.
Industry Minister Christopher Pyne says the Arrium operation is under pressure not only from potentially dumped steel from Asian makers but the age of the plant, iron ore prices and detrimental government purchasing policies.
SA Premier Jay Weatherill has put a plan to Mr Turnbull to save Arrium, but admits the company itself must also do some of the heavy lifting.
Federal Labor says Mr Turnbull must commit to working with Arrium, the state government and unions to ensure the ongoing viability of the steelworks.
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Holding South Australian seats will be key to the coalition's hopes of re-election.
Mr Turnbull is weighing up whether to bring the federal budget forward a week to May 3, in order to give the government enough time to consider it in parliament before calling a double dissolution election for July 2.
The extra sitting days would also enable the government to attempt to get its bill to restore the building watchdog through parliament.
If the bill fails for a second time - as it is likely to do - it will give the government a credible double dissolution election trigger and enable the coalition to campaign on the issue of fighting union corruption.
Mr Turnbull on Tuesday would not confirm whether the budget would be unveiled on its set date of May 10, telling reporters it would "delivered in May".
