Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Hi There,

After a bit of advice......

I'm an electrician from England, i did my apprenticeship for about 4 years and worked for myself for about a year before moving to Australia. I am currently here on a working holiday visa and want to get my trade transferred.

I have tried ringing different people but cant seem to get a straight answer from anyone! I rang the Trade Recognition people and they said there was a very long wait and was better to go though a TAFE, i rang a TAFE and they said i needed to ring the Trade Recognition people?!

I am currently working for an electrical company as a trade assistant.

Any advice would be huuuuugely appreciated!

Thanks, Mel :eek:

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Not really sure what you mean by getting your trade transferred?

Are you talking about getting the appropriate licences? If so the below details the appropriate bodies.

http://www.immi.gov.au/asri/occupati...neral.htm#LICE

Or where you talking about getting skills assessed for a skilled migrant visa application? This is carried out by trade recognition Australia.

http://www.immi.gov.au/asri/occupati...neral.htm#SKIA

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Moved to the Electricians forum - several posters in there who should be able to help :)

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Hi There

Well i need to get the approriate license but unsure if i need to get my skills assessed to get the license.

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Its not that simple. What state do you want to live in? Different rules for dfferent states. Its not just a matter of filling out a form and transferring over. Many hoops to jump through. Are they gonna sponsor you? Give us more info and we will try to point you in the right direction.

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Thanks for this :)

I'm living in Perth and thats where i plan on staying. My employer could sponser me but it looks like you only need a sponsor if you dont have enough points to do it by yourself which i do.

I have been told i need to get the trade certificate but reading the details on that it looks like you cant use it for migration purposes?!

Thanks :)

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

If you are thinking about getting a skilled migrant visa, then you need to get a skills assessment with TRA. If you are just talking about getting licenced it is another matter, you would apply to the relevant state authority as indicated in my earlier post.

You need to be a bit clearer with what you are trying to achieve, otherwise you will receive conflicting or incorrect information.

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Hi there,

Will try and explain better.
I am in Perth, WA on a working holiday visa and working as a trade assistant. I want to stay here forever using my trade so need to get my trade transferred but unsure of the best way to do this. And obviously will need a different visa, presumably a skilled migrant visa.

Just not sure which forms to fill out in which order?!

Thank you :)

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

So you want to apply for a skilled migrant visa. I have never heard anyone speak of getting their skills "transferred" before in all my time reading on the immigration forum, but all skilled migrants need to get their skills "assessed" and you need to do this through TRA. Stop talking "transferred" and start talking "assessed" and then people will know what you mean.

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Thanks for that correction!! Thought it made sense..... transferred from one country to another, sorry for any confusion there!

So i get my skills assessed first then apply for a visa?

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Yes if you are looking to get a permanent skilled migrant visa, you need to have a skills assessment. You mention you have been sent from pillar to post and that is probably because people did not really understand you if you have been saying talking about being transferred. ;)

As an electrician there are other hoops you need to jump through in order to be able to work as an electrician, that is you need to be licenced as well. That is separate to the skills assessment and the link for getting licenced is in my earlier post.

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

As Bermudashorts has stated, you will have to have a skills assessment if you want to migrate to Australia. The TRA delegates it's offshore skills assessments for UK electricians to VETASSESS.
As it is an offshore skills assessment you may not be able to do this in Australia and may have to return to the UK to do it, maybe after your WHV expires, but you should contact VETASSESS to clarify.
It is possible for those on a WHV to get a full licence but as you are already there then time will probably be against you as you would have to apply for an ARTC from TRA. This would involve collating detailed evidence from past employers, trade certs etc and then once your application is lodged it currently takes around 2-3 months to process applications.
Once you have been granted an ARTC then you would have to undertake gap training.
Up until quite recently, in WA you could do a 2 week course in Perth and upon completion you could apply for a full A grade WA licence.
However, Energy Safety, who issue electrical licences in WA, now require overseas trained Electricians to undertake on the job gap training.
For those who have been assessed by VETASSESS, it is required that they complete 12 months on the job experience as well as attending college to do the relevant courses. For holders of an ARTC the situation remains unclear, but it appears that they can still do the 2 week course after completing some on the job gap training which is rumoured to be around 3 months.
In any event, you will still need to do a VETASSESS skills assessment for migration purposes.
Regards Derren

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Hi there,

thanks all for your help. Just been looking at the skills assessment form and it states you need to have:


c) have three years of full-time paid employment in your nominated occupation at the required skill level.

Presumably this means three years working qualified?

Ive only been qualified for about 18months but only worked in the UK for about 12 months as a qualified spark before coming here. Is there any way round this or does anyone know if they might count the apprenticeship in this time?

Thanks

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

Hi there,
Just to point out that I haven't done the VETASSESS skills assessment as we applied on my wife's application as a nurse, but I've had a quick look at the SR-1 application form and my understanding of the 3 years experience required only pertains to pathway 2 applicants. As you, presumably, don't have Australian qualifications then you would be a pathway 1 applicant and it appears, to me, that the 3 year experience is not required however, even if it does then my understanding would also be that the 3 year experience would include your apprenticeship.
If you're still not sure then contact VETASSESS to clarify.
Regards Derren

Re: Easiest way to transfer electrical qualification?
 

speak to a migration expert mate, i`mnot 100% sure but as you have already got an australian visa to work here you may be able to be assesed here whicxh would make more sense and save a small fortune, try speaking to george lombard he`s very switched on regarding these things,

http://austimmigration.com.au/site/?q=node/6

regards steve