TRA Skills Assessment for Trades

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is the assessing authority for most trade occupations under Australia's General Skilled Migration program. A positive TRA outcome is required to claim points for trade qualifications and to lodge an EOI in a TRA-assessed occupation.

MARN 1576536

WIDEN does not assist with the TRA skills assessment in any way. TRA handles the application, evidence, technical interview / workplace assessment, and decision. WIDEN's role is the migration side — visa subclass, points test, EOI strategy, occupation list — separate from the TRA assessment itself.

TRA pathways

Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) — for applicants with overseas trade qualifications and substantial overseas trade employment.
Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR) — for offshore applicants assessed on qualifications and employment without an Australian practical component.
Job Ready Program (JRP) — four-step Australian-based program for international graduates of Australian trade qualifications. Often paired with the Subclass 485.
TSS Skills Assessment — for some Subclass 482 cohorts where a skills assessment is required.

Job Ready Program — the four steps

Provisional Skills Assessment — after completing the Australian trade qualification.
Job Ready Employment — at least 360 paid hours in the trade across the required minimum period.
Job Ready Workplace Assessment — workplace-based competency assessment.
Job Ready Final Assessment — final TRA outcome issued after the workplace assessment passes.

Evidence checklist (varies by pathway)

Identity documents (passport bio page)
Trade qualification(s) — certificate(s) and transcript(s)
Employment evidence — references on letterhead with dates, hours, location, and detailed trade duties (mapped to ANZSCO)
For Australian study: course completion letter, transcript, attendance records
For JRP: employer engagement, workplace assessment scheduling, RTO support letters
Photos / work samples / supervisor declarations for offshore practical evidence

Frequently asked questions

What does TRA assess?

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is the assessing authority for most trade occupations under Australia's General Skilled Migration program — including chefs, electricians, plumbers, motor mechanics, hairdressers, bricklayers, carpenters, fitters, welders, cabinetmakers, and many others. The exact pathway depends on your background and where you obtained your trade qualification.

What are TRA's main pathways?

TRA runs several pathway types: Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) for applicants with overseas trade qualifications and substantial overseas trade employment; Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR) for applicants assessed offshore based on qualifications and employment without a practical Australian component; Job Ready Program (JRP) — the four-step Australian-based program for international graduates of Australian trade training, leading to the Subclass 485 and a TRA outcome; and other pathways including TSS Skills Assessment for the Subclass 482. Each has different evidence and step requirements.

How does the Job Ready Program (JRP) work?

JRP is a four-step pathway typically used by international students who completed an Australian trade qualification: (1) Provisional Skills Assessment after qualification completion; (2) Job Ready Employment — at least 360 hours over a minimum number of months in a paid position; (3) Job Ready Workplace Assessment — a workplace-based assessment of trade competency; (4) Job Ready Final Assessment — issued after the workplace assessment passes. Many students lodge the Subclass 485 graduate visa to support steps 2–4. Timeframes for JRP are typically months to over a year.

How much does TRA cost?

TRA publishes current fees on its website. Fees vary materially by pathway — MSA, OTSR, and the multi-step JRP all have distinct fee schedules. Verify current fees with TRA before lodging.

How long does a TRA assessment take?

Timeframes vary significantly by pathway. MSA may complete in several weeks for straightforward applications; JRP typically runs months to over a year because of the employment requirement and workplace assessment step. Plan accordingly when scheduling EOI lodgement or visa lodgement.

Can I get a TRA assessment without practical experience?

Most TRA pathways require demonstrable trade competency, including practical work performed under realistic conditions. The MSA pathway focuses on overseas work history; JRP includes a workplace assessment; OTSR is offshore-only and follows its own rules. There is no pure 'paper-only' trades pathway that bypasses competency demonstration.

What if my qualification is informal or RPL-based?

Some trade pathways recognise non-formal qualifications via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), but RPL evidence needs to be substantial and verifiable. The right starting point depends on whether your qualification is formally recognised, whether you have a registered training organisation (RTO) qualification, and your employment history. See our RPL services page for the broader RPL context.

Speak with WIDEN

Discuss your migration pathway with WIDEN

Fields marked * are required. WIDEN does not assist with the TRA skills assessment in any way — the application, evidence preparation, and outcome are entirely TRA's domain. WIDEN provides migration advice (visa subclass strategy, points test, EOI, occupation list) — separate from the skills assessment process.

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General information only. Fees, processing times, and eligibility criteria for TRA change. Verify current details at www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au before relying on this page.

This page does not constitute migration advice (s 23, Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2022). WIDEN does not issue skills assessments — TRA does. Migration advice is provided by Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) only after a paid initial consultation under section 43 of the Code, with a written service agreement issued before further work commences (section 42). The OMARA Consumer Guide is provided to all clients before the consultation begins. Outcomes cannot be guaranteed by any registered migration agent (s 15). PI insurance held under the Migration Agents Regulations 1998. Complaints via our Complaints Policy or directly to OMARA.