Changes to Trade Skills Assessments

Changes to Trade Skills Assessments

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) has announced changes to the Trade Skills Assessment programs for TSS (482), OSAP and TRS.

There has also been changes to the evidence requirements for skills assessments which now require verifiable evidence of wages such as payslips and/or bank statements showing wages, for every year of the relevant work experience requirement period.

The following changes apply to all applications received from 1 st March 2019.

1. Changes to the employment and training requirements for Pathway 1

assessments.

The amount of verifiable employment evidence a Pathway 1 applicant must submit for

their nominated occupation has been changed as follows:

• Licensed trade with no formal training – six (6) years work experience

• Licensed trade with formal training – four (4) years work experience

• Non-licensed trade with no formal training – five (5) years work experience

• Non-licensed trade with formal training – three (3) years work experience.

Additionally, all applicants must have completed at least 12 months of employment in

their nominated occupation in the three (3) years prior to lodging their application.

*TRA has defined ‘formal training’ as training that aligns with the national training standards

in the applicant’s country of training.

NOTE: The requirements for Pathway 2 assessments are unchanged.

Announcement - New NSW Skilled nominated (190) Occupation list 2017-18

The NSW 190 Priority Skilled Occupation List has been updated. 

In the 2017-18 financial year, we will continue to select and invite top ranking candidates in occupations on the NSW 190 Priority Skilled Occupation List (NSW 190 List). We will select and invite candidates on an ongoing basis throughout the financial year. There are no key dates involved in this process.

Skilled nominated migration (190)

The NSW 190 Priority Skilled Occupation List (NSW 190 List) contains the priority occupations that NSW will invite candidates under for nomination for a skilled nominated visa (subclass 190).

https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/88369/NSW-190-Priority-Skilled-Occupation-List-2017-18.pdf

In determining the occupations on our priority list, NSW uses Commonwealth and State employment data as well as evidence-supported feedback from NSW industry.

The occupations on these lists are selected to meet the skill needs of the NSW economy. Our lists will be amended from time to time according to the skills needs in NSW.  We also limit the number of invitations to certain occupations to ensure that places allocated under the 190 program are in line with the skills needs of NSW.

The highest ranking candidates in occupations on the NSW 190 Priority Skilled Occupation List (NSW 190 List) will be invited first. 

If you would like to have your points score calculated or have your situation assessed, please contact us at withoutbordersmigration@gmail.com or on +61 4 977 888 91

Recent Changes to the 457 and Permanent Visa Programs and PR

With all the recent changes to the 457 and permanent visa programs, lots of people are asking how to get Australian PR (Permanent Residence)?

With the recent changes to the Subclass 457 Temporary Work (Skilled) visa and permanent visa programs, you will need to act quickly if you wish to apply for an Australian PR (Permanent Residence) visa.

It's getting harder and harder to transition to a PR visa from either a Student visa or a Subclass 457 visa. From 1st March 2018, Subclass 457 visas will require a minimum of 2-years relevant work experience.

From the 1st March 2018, you will need an occupation on the MLTSSL (Medium Long-term Strategic Skills List) and be 45 years old or under, to be able to apply for a permanent visa under any stream in the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme and 187 RSMS (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme).

If your occupation is on the STSOL (Short-term Skilled Occupation List), you are currently only able to apply for a 2-year 457 visa, with one onshore renewal and no transition to get Australian PR (Permanent Residence) after the 1st March 2018.

So, if your occupation is currently on the STSOL and you want an Australian PR visa, you need to act quickly and obtain a positive skills assessment from the relevant skills assessing authority. Then you need to lodge a visa application under the Direct Entry stream for the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme. 

If your occupation is on the MLTSSL (Medium Long-term Strategic Skills List), you will be able to apply for a 4-year Subclass 457 Temporary Work (Skilled visa), and you will be able to transition to PR after 3-years after 1st March 2018 (currently 2-years).

Currently, if you have an occupation on either the STSOL or the MLTSSL, you will have access to a State-sponsored visa such as the Subclass 190 and 489 (state-sponsored stream only).

If your employer is in a specified regional area of Australia, you may be able to apply for a 187 RSMS (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme), which only certain occupations require a skills assessment for this visa and if you have an approved AQF Australian qualification, you will not need a skills assessment for the subclass 187.

On the 1st July 2017, the age limit for Direct Entry stream applicants for the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme and 187 RSMS (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme) and the points-based GSM (General Skilled Migration) visa Subclasses 189, 190 and 489 was dropped from 50 down to 45 years of age.

From the 1st March 2018, the age limit will also be dropped from 50 down to 45 for the TRT (Temporary Residence Transition) stream, affecting applications for the subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme and 187 RSMS (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme).

A decision on 457 grandfathering has not yet been made by the Australian government, we can only go by the information and law as it currently stands.

Another option that is available, is the points-based GSM (General Skilled Migration) visas, the Subclass 189 Skilled Independent, the Subclass 190 State Sponsored visa and the Subclass 489 Skilled Regional Sponsored visa.

Time is running out, so if you are on a 457 visa and you are over 45 years old, you need to transition to a Subclass 186 visa before the age limit is dropped down to 45 on the 1st March 2018. 

If you would like to discuss your situation, have an assessment of your eligibility and visa options, or if you would like professional assistance with the completion and lodgment of a visa application, don't miss out and contact us today!