If you’re thinking about studying as a way to get permanent residency in Australia or change your career, it’s worth considering which industries and/or occupations are likely to have good employment prospects in the future, and what kinds of skills will be in demand in the Australian labour market.
STUDYING A TRADE?
A good indication of whether your chosen study path and career may lead to a pathway towards permanent residency is by reviewing the new occupations lists that have been categorised to be more responsive to Australia’s genuine skill needs. The Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) – lists occupations that are considered in greater demand and as such can qualify you for a permanent Australian Visa, Whilst the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) – lists occupations more likely to qualify you for a short-term visa for between 2 – 4 years. With this is mind, if you are seeking permanent residency, you should pursue course(s) that train you for a position that feature on the (MLTSSL). This list includes a host of trade occupations in many industries such as child care, automotive, construction, and hospitality.
What are some of the popular training packages that train you for a position on the MLTSSL?
Carpentry
Cert III in Carpentry (12 months)
Diploma of Building and Construction (12 months)
Auto Mechanic
Cert III in Automotive Mechanical Technology (12 months)
Cert IV Automotive Mechanical Diagnosis (6 months)
Or Diploma of Automotive Management (6 months)
Painting and Decorating
Cert III in Painting and Decorating (12 months)
Diploma of Building and Construction (12 months)
Childcare
Cert III in Early Child Education and Care (6 months)
Diploma in Early Chid Education and Care (18 months)
Chef
Cert III in Commercial Cookery (12 months)
Cert IV in Commercial Cookery (6 months)
Diploma of Hospitality (6 months)
What is the PR pathway for trade graduates in Australia?
To be able to forge a pathway for Australian permanent residency and start your career in a trade, apart from successfully completing the two-year study package outlined above, you will also need to complete the following steps:
1. Get your Provision Skills Assessment (PSA)
You can apply for the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) once you have completed the two-year trade qualification that trains you to work on a occupation featuring on the MLTSSL, To apply, you will need to obtain a Provisional Skills Assessment (PSA) from Trade Recognition Australia (TRA).
What will I need?
A valid student visa
A CRICOS registered qualification, relevant to your occupation assessed by TRA.
Proof of relevant paid employment or work placement, with a minimum of 360 hours, related to your qualification and chosen occupation.
This experience or placement must have been completed within three years before your submission of the PSA application.
2. Apply for the 485 Graduate Work Stream Visa
Once you have applied for your PSA, you can then apply for the 485 – Graduate Work Stream Visa.
What will I need?
You will need to have completed the two years of the Australian study requirement.
You will need an IELTS score of 6 overall, with no band less than 5.
Your chosen occupation must feature in the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
The 485 visa will be granted for a period of 18 months.
3. Begin the Job Ready Program (JRP)
The next step is to get a full skills assessment by enrolling in a Job Ready Program, once you are granted the Graduate Temporary Visa. This step is in place so you can develop your skills by working in your chosen industry in a Australian work place. For those applying as chefs, in a hospitality establishment, carpenters and painters in a construction company, childcare graduates in a childcare facility and motor mechanics in a automotive workshop.
4. Complete Job Ready Employment (JRE)
From when you start to work in a TRA approved Australian workplace, you must complete at least 1725 hours of paid employment over a period of one year. Throughout this time, you will be asked to keep a monthly Job Ready Journal where you give examples of the kinds of duties that you are carrying out relevant to your job.
5. Get your Job Ready Work Assessment (JRWA)
At the end of one year, you will have an assessment to check on the duties that you have been performing in your workplace and have recorded in your journal. This assessment will be conducted by a TRA-approved registered training organisation and will be held at your workplace. You will receive a positive JRWA once your documentation is reviewed and your assessor is satisfied
6. Complete Job Ready Final Assessment (JRFA)
The final step of the Job Ready Program is when you are eligible to apply for JRFA once you have successfully completed the PSA and JRWA.
What will I need?
Evidence of your minimum 1725 hours of employment over one year.
12 months of Job Ready Journals signed by your supervisor and approved by TRA.
You will receive your Full Skill Assessment from TRA once this is all complete.
Can I apply for Australian Permanent Residency?
If you want to continue working in your chosen trade occupation in Australia, and would like to apply for permanent residency, you can do so through the points-based system as part of the General Skilled Migration program. That is once you’ve achieved a Full Skills Assessment from the TRA. As the aforementioned occupations features on the MLTSSL, the skilled migration visa categories you can pursue are the Skilled Independent (189) visa, Skilled – Nominated (190) visa and Skilled – Nominated or Sponsored (489) visa.
Special Offer for trade occupation graduates!
If you currently hold a student visa and have recently completed (or will soon complete) your Australian course of study in a trade occupation, StudyIn is offering a free provisional Skills Assessment service for anyone who wishes to engage our services and apply for the 485 Graduate Work Stream visa.
For more information about the pathways to permanent residency, please contact StudyIn Immigration and book a consultation to speak with a Registered Migration Agent.
