Thrud

Ok so I have my nice shiny A grade electrical mechanics licence and now I want to do some freelance work, this would be known as contracting in the UK but the reality is I want to hire myself out instead of having a full time job.

Here is the problem, when I speak to energy safety (the licencing body in WA) about the need to get the "Electrical Contracting Licence" they say I do, but when you look into it the licence is for a proper company selling and signing off work, I am merely setting up a company to freelance and would be working under under the licence of the company who hired me.

So it seemed a bit strange to need this licence, anyway I casually rang Hays to check if I needed the licence and they said no, they said if I worked for them the licence would be provided by whoever hired me out, then I rang a company direct and they said no I didnt need it, as I would be working for them and therefore be under their licence.

So who is right, do I need the licence or don't I, its a 100 hour course costing whatever bucks and Im not sure if I need it.

Where I live is pretty remote and a full time job is out of the question, so this freelance thing Im trying to set up will get me sufficient work for my visa requirements.

St.Georges Girl

You do not need a 'contractors' licence if you only intend being a sub-contractor. Perhaps Energy & Safety got confused because you said you were setting up a business.

Brigall

If you are just providing labour i.e sub-contracting you do not need a "Contractors Licence". You will need an ABN if you are responsible for tax payments.

The_Pom_From_Aus

Thrud;
If you intend to quote for any work you need the contractors license, however if you just intend to work as a sub contractor for another company then you wont be required to obtain the contractors license.

youngy73

youll need to register for gst aswell. thats if you plan to make over $75,000. also as a business i think you can only make 80% of your income from one source whereas if you are a sole trader you can make up to 100% of your income from source.

jo&neil

hi

My husband is thinking of setting up his own business as an electrician, does anyone know where he can take his 'Electrical contractors Licence' course, so he can work as a business?? Also, he has heard that he can do a correspondance course (or a distance learning course)?

He already has his A Grade mechanics licence.

Thanks for any info at all,

x

Wendy

Here's the form to apply for a contractors licence in WA, see section 4 for the things he needs to do before he can apply.

http://www.energysafety.wa.gov.au/en...orm%20R013.pdf

jo&neil

thanks Wendy

After he has applied, paid fees etc, do you know if there is such a thing as an 'electrical contractors distance learning course'?? I think the course takes approx 2 weeks (so he would have to take time off work).

x

Wendy

I'm really not sure...may be best to ring energy safety and ask them, or TAFE.

youngy73

imdoing mine in QLD and all i have to do is course cnq 35c . doing it via correspondance. its just the business side of things.