Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants Pilot

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The Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants Pilot is for migrants living in Australia on eligible family, partner, humanitarian, or refugee visas who have never undergone a skills assessment and have skills, qualifications and/or experience in a priority occupation.

This pilot provides free, fast-tracked skills assessments to eligible migrants and successful outcomes can be used to improve employment options in your nominated occupation. This gives future employers confidence that the applicant has the skills necessary for working in an Australian workplace.

You cannot use a Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants skills assessment outcome for licensing or qualification-recognition purposes.

You are eligible to apply for the Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants Pilot if you:

  • are living in Australia at the time you submit your skills assessment application
  • have not previously undergone a skills assessment for your nominated occupation including an unsuccessful outcome.
  • hold an eligible family, partner, humanitarian, or refugee visa granted on or after 1 January 2016 (eligible visa types below)
  • the nominated occupation is listed in the priority occupations (below) and is:
    • relevant to your qualification and/or apprenticeship
    • relevant to your employment
  • your application is submitted to TRA on or after 28 February 2022 and is decision ready in time for TRA to issue an outcome letter on or before 16 June 2023.

Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants Pilot eligible occupations assessed by TRA are:

ANZSCO Reference

Occupation

323111

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics)

323112

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical)

323113

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures)

362212

Arborist

351111

Baker

351211

Butcher or Smallgoods Maker

351311

Chef

351411

Cook

341111

Electrician (General)

341112

Electrician (Special Class)

362213

Landscape Gardener

323313

Locksmith

322311

Metal Fabricator

351112

Pastrycook

322312

Pressure Welder

322211

Sheetmetal Trades Worker

322313

Welder (First Class)

312512

Mechanical Engineering Technician

392111

Print Finisher

392112

Screen Printer

393311

Upholsterer

 

Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants Pilot Eligible Visa types are:

Visa categories

Visa subclasses eligible for –SAOM Pilot

Family and partner visas

Adoption visa (subclass 102)

 

Aged Dependent Relative visa (subclass 114)

 

Aged Dependent Relative visa (subclass 838)

 

Aged Parent visa (subclass 804)

 

Carer visa (subclass 836)

 

Carer visa (subclass 116)

 

Child visa (subclass 101)

 

Child visa (subclass 802)

 

Contributory Aged Parent visa (subclass 864)

 

Contributory Parent visa (subclass 143)

 

New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (temporary) visa (subclass 461)

 

Orphan Relative (subclass 117)

 

Orphan Relative (subclass 837)

 

Partner (Provisional and Migrant) visa (subclass 309)

 

Parent visa (subclass 103) 

 

Partner visa (subclass 100)

 

Partner visa (subclass 801)

 

Partner visa (subclass 820)

 

Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300)

 

Remaining Relative visa (subclass 115)

 

Remaining Relative visa (subclass 835)

 

Interdependency (subclass 110 and 814)

 

Designated Parent (subclass 118 and 859)

Refugee and humanitarian visas

Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202)

Refugee and humanitarian visas

Protection visa (subclass 866)

 

Refugee visas (subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204)

 

Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785)

 

Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790)

 

Temporary visa for Ukraine and surrounding areas (subclass 786)

 

Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visas (subclass 449)

 

Read Our Guidelines

Before you apply, you must first read the Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants Pilot Applicant Guidelines.

Fees

The fees for this program can be found in Section 1.5 of the Applicant Guidelines.

Fees may change. TRA will give reasonable notice of any proposed fee increases. Notices will be on the TRA website and in the relevant program guidelines.

How to pay:

  • Please refer to the TRA Fees, Payment and Refund Policy
  • Payments are online by Visa or MasterCard through the Online Portal
  • All fees are payable in Australian dollars ($AUD)
  • We will email you a receipt. It is important to keep the email receipt as proof of payment.

Refunds are not given if you:

  • do not meet program eligibility requirements
  • choose to withdraw your application after assessment has started
  • do not provide the application documents in the specified timeframes.

The only time we will refund a payment is in the TRA Fees, Payment and Refund Policy.

Complete the

Pilot application form

You will need your:

  • passport details, personal details, occupation, visa type
  • agent/representative details (if applicable)
  • qualification details or apprenticeship
  • employment details for each employment period you are claiming

Submit the application

To submit your application, you need to:

  • combine all your documents into one pdf.
  • email it to TRA at Pilot inbox

Outcome

Once the assessment process is completed, we will issue your Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants Pilot outcome letter by email.

 

We aim to assess your Pilot application within an average of 15 business days from when your application is decision ready. Decision ready means all your required documentation is provided to us.  

If your assessment is successful:

  • The outcome letter can be presented to future employers to support a job application.

If your application is unsuccessful:

  • the outcome letter will explain the reasons for the outcome. It will also give you the option for a review and further referral information.

Please note:

Successful applicants in the occupation of Electrician will be issued an Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR).  The OTSR recognises your technical skills, but also acknowledges that you have yet to apply your skills in the Australian environment.

An OTSR allows you to apply for a provisional licence from an Australian state or territory licensing regulator. This is subject to meeting all other non-skill requirements. An OTSR enables you to work under supervision while you fix any Australian-specific knowledge and gaps in your employment experience.

 

Please visit the Licensing page for further information.