PomCop

Hi Shahid I don't have the guidelines in front of me so I can't really say if you need to have documentation for them all. It all really depends on what country you are from to say which documentation you need. For example, here in the UK I used tax returns, pay slips and a summary document from HMIC. You would need to list all of your employers and document at least 3 years post qualification experience. But you must also document and evidence that you have been working in the past two years in that trade, as per the qualification. A testimony outlining why you cannot provide documentation for the other employers should be fine. But remember, it is only relevant POST qualification

I had the same problem. My qualification was awarded on XYZ date but my certificate wasn't issued until ZYX date (replace letters with a fictional date). This is quite common and they will understand this - you won't be the first person and certainly not the last! I printed off a sheet of paper called a Candidate Record from CITB (construction related in the UK) which basically showed when I started my qualification to when I was awarded the qualification. Furthermore, I also provided a sheet of paper with "key dates" which outlined every relevant qualification I had started and finished. I also included phone numbers, names and email addresses should they want to cross reference this. It's also worth nothing that if you had lost your certificate and needed a new one, it would show the date that the certificate was printed. So the date on the certificate is really... Irrelevant!

That's correct. You need to have 3 years POST QUALIFICATION experience. Sorry for the capitals, but I wanted to stress that part. You can however gain a Recognition Prior to Learning (RPL) which is if you have been doing the trade for 5 or more years whereby you're experience in the trade counts as the qualification. You would of course have to undertake the RPL to gain that piece of paper to evidence it! Hope this helps. But remember, a year is nothing. I've been waiting 5 years for this and I'm still putting it off another year or two!

Hi Karl I literally listed everything and what tools were used for what! Mine was 6 pages long which divulged into lots of details, projects I had worked on, what my role was, how I got into the trade, when I became qualified, what my next goals are (qualifications etc). Your employer reference will be less detailed than your personal statement. So more about what they have seen you do - your role, when you commenced employment with them etc. It's very vague, but only give the information they are asking for

Hi Joshnbecci, I believe you may be able to get your trade assessed by the Down Under Centre (they basically assess you and you are given the Australian equivalent qualification). Check out their website here: http://www.downundercentre.com/australian-skill-assessments Good luck!

Hi Karl The detailed description and nature of and content of your work undertaken are for your employer to describe what you do day to day. Your role, what they observe you do etc. Your description is far more detailed (I know it seems backwards) but you need to include every little detail possible. You have to remember that these Case Officers may have never worked in your trade before, so describe every tool, how you would use it etc. PomCop

It all depends on the visa you are on now and the visa options available to you. You wouldn't be granted a bridging visa as you don't even has a positive skills assessment yet and you need that to submit the EOI which would give you the bridging visa. I'm not an agent so you are perhaps waiting for a more detailed response from a registered agent. However, in the meantime, you should post the details of your current visa so if anyone knows, they can help

That's the address if you're sending your TRA application by courier.

It's either a negative or positive. You can submit a review of your application it it fails, which is a further $900

Very well done indeed! I can only hope I get 79 in each module. I'm not doing the exam till at least December though, so plenty of time! Any advice?

Useful to know, thanks!

Hi all I wanted to put together a thread that outlines the occupations TRA skill assess and what the requirements are. I will also be at hand to answer any questions or queries you may have. Please note I am not a migration agent, just doing this to help others out who are lost at the beginning of their application, just like I was! Step 1 - Finding your occupation Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) carry out the Skills Assessment for the following Occupations as of Friday 17th July 2015: [TABLE=width: 496] [TR] [TD]Automotive Electrician[/TD] [TD]321111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Motor Mechanic (General)[/TD] [TD]321211[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Diesel Motor Mechanic[/TD] [TD]321212[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Motorcycle Mechanic[/TD] [TD]321213[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Small Engine Mechanic[/TD] [TD]321214[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Sheetmetal Trades Worker[/TD] [TD]322211[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Metal Fabricator[/TD] [TD]322311[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Pressure Welder[/TD] [TD]322312[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Welder (First Class)[/TD] [TD]322313[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Fitter (General)[/TD] [TD]323211[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Fitter and Turner[/TD] [TD]323212[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Fitter-Welder[/TD] [TD]323213[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Metal Machinist (First Class)[/TD] [TD]323214[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Locksmith[/TD] [TD]323313[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Panelbeater[/TD] [TD]324111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Bricklayer[/TD] [TD]331111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Stonemason[/TD] [TD]331112[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Carpenter and Joiner[/TD] [TD]331211[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Carpenter[/TD] [TD]331212[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Joiner[/TD] [TD]331213[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Painting trades workers[/TD] [TD]332211[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Glazier[/TD] [TD]333111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Fibrous Plasterer[/TD] [TD]333211[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Solid Plasterer[/TD] [TD]333212[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Wall and Floor Tiler[/TD] [TD]333411[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Plumber (General)[/TD] [TD]334111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber[/TD] [TD]334112[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Drainer[/TD] [TD]334113[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Gasfitter[/TD] [TD]334114[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Roof plumber[/TD] [TD]334115[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Electrician (General)[/TD] [TD]341111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Electrician (Special Class)[/TD] [TD]341112[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Lift Mechanic[/TD] [TD]341113[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic[/TD] [TD]342111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Electrical Linesworker[/TD] [TD]342211[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Technical Cable Jointer[/TD] [TD]342212[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Electronic Equipment Trades Worker[/TD] [TD]342313[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Electronic Instrument Trades Worker (General)[/TD] [TD]342314[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Electronic Instrument Trades Worker (Special Class)[/TD] [TD]342315[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Chef***[/TD] [TD]351311[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Cabinetmaker[/TD] [TD]394111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Boat Builder and Repairer[/TD] [TD]399111[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Shipwright[/TD] [TD]399112[/TD] [TD]TRA[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] *** indicates that the occupation excludes positions in fast food or takeaway food service. Step 2 - Eligibility for the Skills Assessment According to the TRA Guidance Notes Section 2.4, which can be found on their website under 'key documents' you need to have the following: To receive a positive TRA Migration Skills Assessment outcome you must provide documents to show that you: x are from a country and in an occupation covered by the TRA Migration Skills Assessment program (that is, you are not from a nominated country and nominated occupation under the Offshore Skills Assessment Program), and x have a qualification comparable to the Australian qualification for your nominated occupation or have completed an apprenticeship comparable to the Australian apprenticeship for your nominated occupation, and x have completed three years of full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid employment in your nominated occupation at the required skill level, and x have completed at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid employment in your nominated occupation, or in a closely related occupation where you are required to maintain your skill level for the nominated occupation, in the three years immediately before applying, and x have paid the $1,000 TRA Migration Skills Assessment fee. Step 3 - Evidence gathering This is probably the most daunting area of the skills assessment. It is time consuming and you will, at times, feel like giving up. Well don't. It will be worth it in the long run - trust me! In line with the TRA Guidance Notes, Section 2.8.1 to 2.8.2, you need to supply the following supporting documents/evidence. This depends on whether you are an employee or self-employed (self-employed generally means you are the owner of the company that carries out pricing for work, ordering of materials and deal directly with clients, whereas employee covers sub-contractors too). 2.8.2 Full-time (or equivalent) paid employment A Full-time (or Equivalent part-time) Employment TRA considers full-time employment as ongoing employment working the required number of hours considered full-time in the country where the employment was undertaken. Fair Work Australia considers full-time employment in Australia as 38 hours per week, unless a particular industrial award specifies otherwise. If your country of employment operates under different arrangements for full-time work from that required in Australia, you must provide evidence to TRA with your application that can be independently validated. Acceptable evidence may include a statutory declaration from your employer or an extract from an official government website or document. Note: Evidence of employment undertaken on a part-time basis will be considered and counted toward employment requirement on a pro-rata basis. B Paid Employment Employment is considered to be paid when an employer pays you wages commensurate with the skill level required for the employment undertaken. If you are self-employed, employment is considered paid if you charge fees commensurate with the skill level required for the services you provide. TRA requires sufficient evidence of paid employment to verify that your employment was full-time (or equivalent part-time) and at the required skill level for your occupation in Australia. TRA will require at least one primary source of evidence or a minimum of two secondary sources of evidence for each year and each period of employment being claimed. Additional evidence may also be requested. Primary sources of evidence may include: x Tax records that cite the name of the applicant and the employer x Annual payment summaries/Group certificates that cite the name of the applicant and the employer x Pay slips that include the name of the employer, commencement date of the employment and year to date income information x Superannuation documents that cite the name of the applicant and the name of the employer x Annual/company returns (for self-employed applicants) with an accompanying accountant statement Secondary sources of evidence may include: x Pay slips (without details of commencement date or year to date income information) x Advice regarding wages paid in an employer statement (in accordance with Section 2.8.6) x A certified statement from your registered/certified accountant. x Letters from taxation offices that do not contain the name of the employer\ x Bank statements showing income deposited from employment. You may wish to provide other evidence to substantiate your claims of paid employment. If you are claiming Australian employment, you must include the PAYG Payment Summary for every year of Australian employment you wish to claim (excluding the current financial year for which you are yet to receive a PAYG Payment Summary). Step 3 - Getting your documents certified TRA requires that you have certified copies of original documents. If you live in the UK, take it to a solicitor or to your local magistrates court. You must have in possession the original document that they are certifying. Section 1.14.1 outlines the requirements: 1.14.1 Certified documents Original documents must not be sent to TRA. All documents in support of your application must be certified copies of original documents. A certified copy is a true copy of an original document that has been seen and certified by a person listed on the Australian Attorney-General’s website or a registered migration agent and annotated as follows: ‘I certify that I have sighted the original document and this is a true copy of it.’ This certification must be made on a copy of the original documentation and include the certifier’s name, title and registration number (where applicable), their original signature and the date. Copies of signatures will not be acceptable. If a document has multiple pages, the first page must include the signature and date of the certifier, as well as the total number of pages of the document. Every page in the document must have the original initial of the certifier and the date. Part 6 - Completing the application form The application form is very, very basic. It is straight forward and aimed at all of the above occupations found in the Skilled Occupations List above. Name, date of birth, contact numbers, email address, what occupation you want assessing, your qualifications etc etc. It is really straight forward and takes literally 10 minutes to complete. Now, on the front of the application form it does state that this form cannot be completed electronically. I emailed TRA about this and I have been informed that you CAN complete it electronically, as long as the declaration page has your original signature made with ink. The email is below: Dear XXXX XXXXXXX, Thank you for your email to Trades Recognition Australia (TRA). You may complete Part 8 of the TRA Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) application form on separate pages and attach to the application form. In fact, you may complete the rest of the application form on your computer and print it off, but you must place an original signature on the application form before submitting it to us. We trust that this information is of assistance. YL2500 Trades Recognition Australia Department of Education and Training Phone 1300 360 992 | Fax 61 2 6123 7883 http://tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au Part 5 - Paying the TRA fee To pay for you application, A$1000 (roughly £450GBP), you need to create an account on the Trades Recognition online portal. It's fairly simple to create an account, so I won't add instructions for that, but for the 189 - Skilled Independent Visa, you need to select 'Migration Skills Assessment Payment Portal'. Once the A$1000 has been paid, it will print out a receipt with your TRA Reference number and showing that you have paid your fee. THIS GOES ON THE FRONT OF YOUR APPLICATION. TRA will get a little huffy and puffy if they are rummaging around trying to find out whether you've paid or not - make sure it's on the front of everything so it's there as soon as they open up the box. Part 6 - Sending it to TRA If your parcel weighs under 2kg, you are looking at £25 through Royal Mail for Tracked & Signed For delivery to TRA. It needs to be sent to: Trades Recognition Australia Department of Industry Via Loading Dock Industry House 10 Binara Street Canberra ACT 2600 Australia Make sure the address is clear and waterproofed (cover with transparent cellotape or film) - you don't want all of your documents going walkabouts! Section 5 - The wait All you can do now is sit back and wait. TRA generally take 3 to 4 months to get a positive or negative skills assessment, but this timeframe starts when you receive your 'acknowledgement letter' via post or email (whichever you stated in your application). Once you have received your Positive Skills Assessment, you can then start looking forward to your Expression of Interest (EOI)! If you didn’t get the result you had hoped for, you can submit a review of your application, which costs a further A$900. Again, this is another 3 month wait. Best of luck! Feel free to ask any questions and I will help as much as I can. If you have any experiences with TRA, please share them! :cool:

It'll be quicker to request it from the police force of which you was arrested in, it usually comes with a cost of £10 administration fees but you generally get it back within 2 weeks and it's the same form. Just to elaborate, they do not have to disclose that information to you, even if it's about you! So make sure you are specific about the offence in the request and the reasoning behind it. Hope that helps.

No Live Trace means you have a PNC Record but it won't show on Barring & Disclosure requests or of that sort, such as a Police Check for immigration etc... However, it will still show up on PNC, your custody record, crime report and outcome. Hope that helps. Best to put it in your application just explaining what happened and the outcome. No Trace and No Live Trace are two different things and I am sure the Case Officer will be aware what it means! That said, it was over 10 years ago, a very very minor offence and I imagine you've been of good character since. PNC = Police National Computer (now called Police National Database but still has that abbreviation)