Assessment process
If you are looking to get your trade skills assessed for migration purposes, it's important that you understand the process.
Assessment involves three steps:
1. Self-assessment
This step involves reviewing your skills against the relevant Australian trade requirements and deciding if you are ready to be assessed. Complete the relevant self-assessment.
2. Competency profile
This step involves a paper-based assessment to review your trade training qualifications and employment evidence. This will be used to develop a competency profile and will show that you:
- have the skills to do particular jobs
- have the knowledge and understanding of why the job is done in a particular way
- understand the policies and procedures relating to your work
- can manage more than one task at a time
- can deal with everyday problems to do with your work
- can work with other team members.
If your evidence meets the requirements, you will proceed to the next step.
3. Practical skills assessment
This step involves a practical skills assessment, including a technical interview conducted in one of the 5 countries.
- The technical interview involves a series of interview questions developed for each occupation. Questions focus on the critical aspects of the competency groups, are written in plain English and use a mix of open ended questions and questions requiring specific answers. This will be a face to face interview with an assessor.
- The practical assessment involves a series of ‘challenge tests’ or simulated activities that integrate a number of the competency groups required for the occupation and relevant Australian qualification. The person conducting your practical assessment will be a qualified trade skill assessor from Australia.
Please note: The admissions voucher must be submitted on the day of the practical assessment. You must bring your passport or your birth certificate and current photographic ID in order to undertake the assessment. It is strongly advised to read the candidate guide as this will provide preparation for the day including what tools will be required for the assessment.
What you receive
If you are successful in all three components, you will receive:
- an assessment letter, which is required by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) when submitting an application for migration
- an Australian qualification (for non-licenced trades), or
- an offshore technical skills record (OTSR - for licenced trades) that entitles you to an entry level provisional licence.
These documents can be presented to employers, registered training organisations and regulatory authorities in the relevant Australian state or territory.
If your application is unsuccessful, you will receive a detailed assessment outcome that offers guidance on additional training and/or work experience required to meet the standard.
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