Australian Occupation Lists & Skills Assessments for TSS Subclass 482 Visa, Employer Sponsored Permanent Visa - ENS 186 - RSMS 187 - Vetassess (Direct Streams & Temporary Resident Transition Streams) 

We are often approached by clients who are confused as to whether their occupation requires a skills assessment in order to be eligible for a TSS subclass 482 visa or other employer-sponsored visa.

 1) Skills Assessments for TSS subclass 482 Visas

1. Where do I get the TSS skills assessment from?
2. Are there any exemptions to a TSS skills assessment

2) Permanent Employer-Sponsored Visas (ENS Subclass 186 and RSMS subclass 187 visas)

            a) Temporary Residence Transition Stream (TRT)

            b) Direct Entry Stream (DE) 

                          i) ENS Subclass 186 Visa
                          ii) RSMS subclass 187 visa

3) List of Permanent Occupations

1. TRA Assessed Occupations
2. Vetasses Occupations

4) Is My Assessment Still Valid?

5) Comments

Skills Assessments for TSS subclass 482 Visas

Skills assessments are only needed for TSS subclass 482 visas in a limited set of circumstances.

A particular legislative instrument (IMMI 18/039) requires skills assessments for particular occupations from particular countries who do not meet an exemption.

The two occupations which must be assessed for any country of origin (apart from applicants who meet an exemption) are:

• · Program or project administrator, and
• · Specialist Managers (nec*)

*The acronym nec stands for “not elsewhere classified” and means that an occupation encompasses a range of often very specific occupations which fit within a general class. If considering nominating this sort of an occupation, visa applicants should see if any of the related occupations in the minor group which are not labeled “nec” may be a closer fit. If there is, then the Department may not find that the “nec” occupation is appropriate.

The combinations are listed below:

Occupation	Country of Passport
automotive electrician	Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
baker	China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
cabinetmaker	Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
carpenter	Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
carpenter and joiner	Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe.
chef	Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
cook	Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
diesel motor mechanic	Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
electrician (general)	Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa or Vietnam
electrician (special class)	Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa or Vietnam
fitter (general)	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
fitter and turner	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
fitter‑welder	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
joiner	Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
metal fabricator	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
metal fitters and machinists (nec)	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
metal machinist (first class)	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
motor mechanic (general)	Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
panelbeater	China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
pastrycook	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
program or project administrator	All persons other than exempt applicants for the occupation.
sheetmetal trades worker	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
specialist managers (nec) except: (a) ambassador; or (b) archbishop; or (c) bishop	All persons other than exempt applicants for the occupation.
toolmaker	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe
welder (first class)	Brazil, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe

Where do I get the TSS skills assessment from?

Trades Recognition Australia (https://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/programs/tss-skills-assessment) is the specified skills assessment authority for all of the TSS skills assessments except for the occupations of:

• · Program or project administrator, and
• · Specialist Managers (nec)

Program or project administrator and specialist managers (nec) are assessed instead by VETASS (https://www.vetassess.com.au/skills-assessment-for-migration/general-occupations)

Are there any exemptions to a TSS skills assessment?

There are certain circumstances where you do not need to provide a skills assessment, even if your occupation and country of passport match in the table above.

The circumstances are as follows:

• · You are applying for another TSS subclass 482 visa and are already working in the nominated occupation on a 457/482 in Australia
• · You currently work overseas for the company who is sponsoring you (or an associated company)
• · Your relevant qualification was obtained in Australia (apart from program or project administrators and specialist managers (nec))
• · You hold the relevant license needed to work in Australia (apart from program or project administrators and specialist managers (nec))
• · You have an OSAP assessment for the occupation (apart from program or project administrators and specialist managers (nec))
• · Program or project administrators and specialist managers (nec) have an exemption where they:
  • o Hold a relevant qualification under the ANZSCO, and
  • o Have a nominated salary of AUD180,000+, and
  • o Nominated by an Accredited Sponsor (a higher level of business sponsor than Standard Business Sponsor)

Unfortunately, the exemptions provided for the TSS skills assessment are limited and will only be available to a small group of visa applicants.

Permanent Employer-Sponsored Visas (ENS Subclass 186 and RSMS subclass 187 visas)

Temporary Residence Transition Stream (TRT)

Applicants for the ENS subclass 186 and RSMS sublass 187 visas are not generally required to provide a skills assessment to demonstrate their skills. It is generally taken that working in Australia in the nominated occupation for the required period time is evidence of skills in the occupation.

At the Minister’s discretion, you may be requested to provide a skills assessment. This could apply to any occupation or any country of passport. It is not overly common for this discretion to be exercised.

It is also noted in the policy for the temporary residence transition stream that “Further changes to the skills requirements are anticipated and will be specified in a legislative Instrument in due course.”

Readers should stay posted for upcoming changes to the current policy for the temporary residence transition stream and if you have met the required 2 or 3 years of employment with the nominating employer, you may want to look to apply for your permanent visa before a skills assessment is required. This could greatly increase the time, cost and effort involved in achieving PR.

Direct Entry Stream (DE)

ENS Subclass 186 Visa

For the DE Stream of the ENS subclass 186 visa, skills assessments are required for all visa applicants, unless an exemption applies.

You may have access to an exemption from a 186 skills assessment if one of the following apply:

• · You are a research, scientist or technical specialist who will be working in this scientific role for the Australian government
• · You are a university lecturer or faculty head who is employed at Academic Level A-E (see http://www.airc.gov.au/consolidated_awards/ap/ap820200/asframe.html for classifications)
• · You have been working in Australia for 2 years in the nominated occupation as the holder of a subclass 444 or 461 visa

It is interesting to note that the above three exemptions also remove the requirement to have worked in the nominated occupation at the required level for at least 3-years full-time.

RSMS subclass 187 visa

Skills assessments are only required for the subclass 187 visa where the relevant qualification for the occupation was not obtained in Australia. If you studied your qualification in Australia and are now looking to apply for a subclass 187 visa, then it is not likely that you will need to obtain a skills assessment to do this. (Note: visa applicants who undertook their studies in Australia are more likely to have trouble with the requirement to have 3-years’ full-time experience in the nominated occupation at the required skill level listed in the ANZSCO).

If you did not study in Australia, then a skills assessment will be required if you are nominating one of the following occupations:

List of Permanent Occuptations

TRA Assessed Occupations

(https://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/programs/offshore-skills-assessment)

Occupations

1. Automotive Electrician
2. Motor Mechanic (General)
3. Diesel Motor Mechanic
4. Motorcycle Mechanic
5. Small Engine mechanic
6. Blacksmith
7. Electroplater
8. Farrier
9. Metal Casting Trades Worker
10. Metal Polisher
11. Sheetmetal Trades Worker
12. Metal Fabricator
13. Pressure Welder
14. Welder (First Class)
15. Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics)
16. Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical)
17. Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures)
18. Fitter (General)
19. Fitter and Turner
20. Fitter-Welder
21. Metal Machinist (First Class)
22. Textile, Clothing and Footwear Mechanic
23. Metal Fitters and Machinists nec
24. Engraver
25. Gunsmith
26. Locksmith
27. Precision Instrument Maker and Repairer
28. Saw Maker and Repairer
29. Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer
30. Engineering Patternmaker
31. Toolmaker
32. Panelbeater
33. Vehicle Body Builder
34. Vehicle Trimmer
35. Vehicle Painter
36. Bricklayer 
37. Stonemason
38. Carpenter and Joiner
39. Carpenter
40. Joiner
41. Floor Finisher
42. Painting Trades Worker
43. Glazier
44. Fibrous Plasterer
45. Solid Plasterer
46. Roof Tiler
47. Wall and Floor Tiler
48. Plumber (General)
49. Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber 
50. Drainer
51. Gasfitter
52. Roof Plumber
53. Electrician (General)
54. Electrician (Special Class)
55. Lift Mechanic
56. Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
57. Electrical Linesworker
58. Technical Cable Jointer
59. Business Machine Mechanic
60. Communications Operator
61. Electronic Equipment Trades Worker
62. Electronic Equipment Trades Worker (General)
63. Electronic Equipment Trades Worker (Special class)
64. Cabler (Data and Telecommunication

Vetassess Occupations

(https://www.vetassess.com.au/skills-assessment-for-migration):

1.  Occupations
2. Dog Trainer or Handler
3. Pet Groomer
4. Zookeeper
5. Animal Attendants and Trainers nec
6. Shearer
7. Veterinary Nurse
8. Clothing Trades Workers nec
9. Performing Arts Technicians nec
10. Diver
11. Photographer’s Assistant

Is my assessment still valid?

If you obtained your skills assessment some time ago and have recently located an employer sponsor, it is possible that your skills assessment may have already expired for Australian immigration purposes.

The Department accepts skills assessments up until the earlier of the following two dates:

• · 3 years from issue
• · The expiry date on the assessment

As skills assessments can be difficult to achieve, it is important that you will be using it in the next 3 years at the longest before proceeding with the skills assessment. This can mean making sure that you already meet the other requirements for the Australian migration pathway you are looking at following.

Comments

Skills assessments are just the tip of the iceberg and can be a big commitment to achieve. It is a good idea to determine if you meet the other requirements for a particular migration pathway before you proceed with a skills assessment, if migration is the sole reason for applying for a skills assessment.

Another important tip is to ensure that the occupation you are being assessed for is the best match for your employment history and qualifications. Documents and information which you provide in a skills assessment which is not successful can make it difficult to pursue a skills assessment under a different occupation later on.

Do you need help with an Australian visa application?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting applicants in all matters relating to Australian visa applications, including state sponsorship applications. Our areas of expertise include Skilled Migration visas, Business Skills Migration visas, Employer Sponsored Work Visas, Partner and other Family Migration visas as well as Migration Review Tribunal, Judicial Review and Ministerial Intervention.

If you require further information regarding your Australia visa options you can contact us through:

(08) 8351 9956

or   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sources:

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00294
https://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/programs/tss-skills-assessment
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00298
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2018L00301
http://www.airc.gov.au/consolidated_awards/ap/ap820200/asframe.html
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2012L01949
https://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au/programs/offshore-skills-assessment
https://www.vetassess.com.au/skills-assessment-for-migration