There have been a number of changes made to the skills assessment process for Australian visa applicants in certain trades occupations, stemming from the announcement last week that VETASSESS have been removed as a Trade Assessing Authority.
However, while TRA (Trades Recognition Australia) remain the assessing body for tradespeople, they will be delegating assessing responsibilities to other bodies as a Registered Training Organisations (RTO) for certain occupations.
As a result, VETASSESS has since been appointed as an RTO for particular occupations in particular countries, as has Victoria University.
A full list of which occupations in which countries will be assessed by VETASSESS or Victoria University can be found here. However, see below for a quick summary of some of the most important details:
Occupations Removed from VETASSESS
The following occupations will now be assessed by TRA under the Skilled Worker Program criteria.
- Cable Jointer
- Motorcycle Mechanic
- Small Engine Mechanic
Occupations Added to VETASSESS / Victoria University
The following occupations will now be assessed by either VETASSESS or Victoria University.
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Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics)
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Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical)
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Electronic Equipment Trade Worker
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Electrician (Special Class)
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Metal Fabricator
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Sheetmetal Trades Worker
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Vehicle Painter
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Welder (First Class)
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New Countries
Applicants from the following countries must now use either VETASSESS or Victoria University when completing their skills assessment, if they have an occupation featured here.
- Ireland
- China
- Korea
- Pakistan
- Singapore
- United Arab Emirates
- Iran
Important Notes
- Only VETASSESS can assess Diesel Mechanics.
- Only Victoria University can assess Electricians (Special Class) and Aircraft Maintennace Engineers.
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What other changes do applicants need to be aware of?
Self-assessment changes
The VETASSESS self-assessment process has been renamed TradeSET and is now accessible online here, with the new requirement that all applicants will be asked to print off their completed self-assessment and submit it as part of their application.
On first appearances, it doesn't appear to be too different to the current self-assessment process. However, there are still a few issues with it; for example, a number of occupations are missing (such as Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical) and Sheetmetal Trades Worker).
New processes / fees
At the moment, there's some confusion as to what the process will be for when applicants come to complete a practical assessment. The FAQ on this page states that there will be the option of either completing a technical interview (at a cost of AU$1,400) or an interview and practical demonstration (at a cost of AU$1,500). However, it's still not clear whether UK applicants will be able to choose between which assessment method they proceed under or whether the country of residence will dictate the process.
- Lauren Mennie is Casework Department Manager for the Australian Visa Bureau.
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