The Job Ready Program is a minimum 12-month employment-based skills assessment that verifies your applied skills meet the Australian standards in your Nominated Occupation.
This program is for international student graduates of an Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) course, who are working in Australia and seeking a pathway to a skilled visa. Once you have completed this program, you will receive a skills assessment outcome letter that you can use to apply for a skilled visa.
This skills assessment will confirm that you can:
• Follow complex written and verbal directions.
• Complete trade or technical work unsupervised, following relevant Australian industry and
occupational standards.
• Work safely under workplace health and safety regulations.
• Identify, select and use appropriate tools and equipment to complete occupational tasks.
• Show employability skills that are consistent with relevant industry-approved Training Packages.
This program has 3 steps. Each step must be completed before you can move to the next. The steps are:
• Job Ready Employment
• Job Ready Workplace Assessment
• Job Ready Final Assessment
We will check your eligibility for this program as part of the Job Ready Employment step. To be eligible for the Job Ready Program you must:
• Have a successful Provisional Skills Assessment outcome from us within the last 3 years
• Be working in Australia with an approved employer in a Nominated Occupation assessed by us. We will approve your employment as part of your Job Ready Employment application.
The following licensed occupations are not eligible for the Job Ready Program:
• Electrician (General and Special Class)
• Plumber (General)
• Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
It will take a minimum of 12 months to complete this program, unless you have eligible Prior Employment. Your 12 months of full-time (or equivalent) employment experience must be completed with an employer/s approved by us within 3 years of starting the program. An average of 38 hours or more per week is considered full-time. Anything under this is calculated on a pro-rata basis.
The total cost to complete this program is $3,410. This may vary if you need to complete more than one Job Ready Workplace Assessment.
Fees are payable at the beginning of each of the 3 program steps outlined below:
Fees
| Assessment Service | Fee (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Job Ready Employment | $490 |
| Job Ready Workplace Assessment | $2,845 |
| Job Ready Final Assessment | $75 |
| Total | $3,410 |
All costs are in Australian dollars (AUD). More information about fees, including any additional assessment fees (if required) and refunds is in the Job Ready Program Guidelines.
Before you apply, there are a few things you should do:
• Check with Home Affairs that your visa pathway needs a skills assessment. It is your responsibility to make sure that you maintain a visa for the duration of your time in the program.
• Use the Pathfinder tool to check if this Program is right for you.
• Read the Job Ready Program Guidelines carefully.
To apply for this program, you must register through our Online Portal. You must use the same account you created when you registered for your Provisional Skills Assessment.
The Online Portal will guide you through the documents you need to submit at each stage of your application. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully and that all your details are current and correct.
1. Register - Complete your online registration.
2. Upload Evidence - Provide all required evidence.
3. Review and Confirm - Check that you have completed all sections of the application.
4. Submit - Make your payment and click submit.
The Job Ready Program Guidelines will help you understand how the program works, who can apply, and what it costs. It also provides information about authorising a person or migration agent to act on your behalf.
Please read the Program Guidelines before you apply so you know what to expect.
If you still need help, you can look at our Frequently Asked Questions or you can call our Enquiry Line:
Phone (in Australia): 1300 360 992
Phone (outside Australia): +61 2 6240 8778
Our Enquiry Line is available Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.
Important: Processing times are a guide only and can change. If your application is missing any information or documents, processing may take longer.
1. Job Ready Employment
This checks your eligibility for the Program and registers you to participate.
Program registration
- We will contact you within 2.5 months of receiving your online application.
2. Job Ready Workplace Assessment
This assesses your workplace skills and supports you until you are eligible to apply for the Job Ready Final Assessment.
Workplace Assessment Invitation
- We will contact you when you are eligible to apply for a Workplace Assessment.
- We will usually contact you within 8 months of your Job Ready Program Start Date.
Workplace Assessment
- After you apply for a Workplace Assessment, we will contact you within 3 months to confirm your details and refer you to a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
- The Workplace Assessment will usually take place within 1 month of referral.
Workplace Assessment Outcome
- We will contact you within 2 months of your Workplace Assessment to let you know the outcome.
3. Job Ready Final Assessment
This reviews your application before providing an outcome.
Final Assessment
- We will contact you when you are eligible to apply for the Job Ready Final Assessment.
- We will send your Skills Assessment Outcome Letter within 14 days of receiving your online application.