Trade Recognition Australia (TRA) Skills Assessment
Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is a skills assessment service provider for people with trade skills gained overseas or in Australia, for the purpose of migration and skills recognition.
The following are the various types of skills assessment one may need:
- Job Ready Program - required by recently graduated international students in trades and associated professional occupations, seeking a skilled migration temporary/ permanent residency visa
- Offshore Skills Assessment Program - required for trade applicants for permanent skilled migration visas whose country and occupation are managed through TRA approved registered training organisations
- 457 Skills Assessment Program - required by trade applicants for temporary (subclass 457) skilled migration visas whose country and occupation require a skills assessment
- Migration Skills Assessment - required for applicants who need to apply under the TRA Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) Program unless applying for a 485 or 457 visa, require to be assessed under TRA's Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) or wish to participate in the Job Ready Program
Offshore Skills Assessment Program
Today we will talk about the Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) a skills assessment pathway for applicants applying for permanent migration to Australia who work in a nominated occupation and who hold a passport from a nominated country. You can access the details of OSAP Nominated Occupations as well as countries
here.
Applicants applying for skills assessment under this Program must be assessed by a TRA- approved registered training organisation (TRA-approved RTO). Applicants are required to choose an RTO here.
There are two pathways depending on whether one has qualifications gained in Australia or not.
Pathway 1: Applicants who do not have a relevant Australian qualification
Step 1: Self-evaluation
Applicants must complete a self-evaluation of skills, knowledge and experience in their nominated occupation using TradeSET to determine if they have the required skills for work in Australia.
Step 2: Choose a TRA-approved RTO
Applicants are required to select an RTO to conduct their skills assessment through the RTO Finder website with the following instructions:
- select the nominated occupation from the list available
- select preferred TRA-approved RTO A TRA-approved RTO must be used for skills assessments to meet DIBP requirements for this program.
Step 3: Submit documentary evidence
Applicants must submit decision ready* documentary evidence of identity, relevant skills and experience to a TRA-approved RTO for assessment. The RTO will advise what documentation must be provided.
Step 4: Technical Assessment
Applicants will be required to participate in an assessment of their skills and knowledge. The assessor conducting the assessment will be an Australian qualified trades person from the applicant's trade and qualified to assess.
The assessor will focus on collecting evidence to determine if the applicant meets the requirements of the relevant Australian Training Package qualification. This involves a technical interview, may involve a practical demonstration of skills and/or gathering evidence from third parties any nominated employers or other referees.
Practical demonstrations of skills are mandatory for licensed trades of Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic, Electrical Linesworker, Electrician (General), Electrician (Special Class), Plumber (General) and Technical Cable Jointer.
Step 5: TRA-approved RTO assessment outcome
The TRA-approved RTO will notify applicants of the outcome of their assessment.
Pathway 2: Applicants who hold a relevant Australian qualification
Step 1: Choose a TRA-approved RTO
Applicants are required to locate and select an RTO to conduct their skills assessment through the RTO Finder website with the following instructions:
- select the nominated occupation from the list available
- select preferred TRA-approved RTO
A TRA-approved RTO must be used for skills assessments to meet DIBP requirements for this program.
The TRA-approved RTO selected must not be the RTO that issued the applicant's Australian qualification.
Step 2: Submit documentary evidence for assessment
Applicants must submit decision ready documentary evidence of relevant skills, employment experience and Australian qualification to a TRA approved RTO for assessment. The RTO will advise what documentation must be provided.
Applicants need to demonstrate at least three years full-time paid employment in a relevant and directly related trade, including 12 months full-time paid employment in the nominated trade in the three years prior to lodging the application.
Evidence of employment undertaken on a part time basis can also be considered and counted toward the employment requirement on a pro rata basis.
If the evidence indicates that the applicant has the necessary skills and experience relevant to the nominated occupation they will be invited to participate in a technical assessment with one of the RTO's assessors.
If the documentary evidence does not sufficiently demonstrate skills and experience relevant to the nominated occupation, the RTO will advise the applicant of gaps identified.
Step 3: Technical Assessment
Applicants will be required to participate in an assessment of their skills and knowledge. The assessor conducting the assessment will be an Australian qualified trades person from the applicant's trade and qualified to assess.
The assessor will focus on collected evidence, in particular an applicant's employment history and skills and knowledge, to determine whether the requirements of a skilled trades person in Australia are met.
The assessment may involve a technical interview and gathering evidence from nominated employers or other referees.
The RTO will discuss the assessment requirements with the applicant.
All technical interviews will be conducted in English without assistance. Interpreters are not permitted.
Step 4: TRA-approved RTO assessment outcome
The TRA-approved RTO will issue documentation notifying the applicant of the outcome of the assessment.
The process seems a bit over whelming therefore we will explain it with the help of a few examples:
Scenario One:
Ronav, is a chef with an Indian passport who gained his qualifications at a leading provider in Sydney, he then worked at a restaurant in Pyrmont for two years and at another restaurant in Surry Hills before heading back to India where he worked with the Taj Group at their various flagship restaurants for eight months.
Ronav now wants to apply for his Permanent Residency in Australia and has contacted the relevant RTO to start his process of assessment.
He submitted his application to the assessing body along with supporting documents. He was then contacted by the RTO for a technical interview and eventually given a positive skills assessment as a Chef.
Scenario Two:
Leena is a chef from India who has worked with The Oberoi Group of Hotels as a Sous Chef and Chef for seven years eventually launching and successfully creating a menu for a number of fine dining restaurants for the company.
She was advised by a friend that she could move to Australia after gaining her Permanent Residency and continue to work her culinary magic here. She completed her self-evaluation on TradeSet and determined she did have the relevant skills to work in Australia.
She immediately chose and submitted an application with a relevant RTO along with supporting documents.
She was called for a Technical Assessment via video chat and eventually called to prove her skills practically in a work setting. Eventually she received her positive skills assessment as a Chef.
