Electricians In Australia

[derren7]

Hi Derren,

Do you know at what college the A grade license(energy safety) course is .

We are goin over in june, and hoping to find a course whilst we are out there.

Need to speak to someone at the college to arrange it, or someone who can let us know if its possible to do it end of june, beginning of july.

Is it central Perth area, dya know ??????????

Cheers.

Hi Scott and Tina,

Follow this LINK to the britishexpats website. Warren Thomas has provided details and links on how he obtained his licence via this route. As Iain has rightly pointed out, they are located in Balcatta. Regards Derren

[scottntina]

Evening scottntina, have you done Vetassess or TRA ????, if you go on British Ex Pats and look in the working abroad by trade section there are some links with the info you need . We are going out in early June and I will be doing the 2 week course at Joondaloop ( Balcatta is the other one ) after some revision.

 

Regards and good luck

 

Iain

 

Hi Iain,

Thanks for the info, is it at Joondalup college ??

And what dates?

Would really appreciate it,

Thanks guys.

We are going over on 14th june, will that be too late for this course ??

Scott.

Oh yeah... passed vetassess, and state sponsorship any day now for WA.

Good luck to you too...

[scottntina]

Hi Scott and Tina,

Follow this LINK to the britishexpats website. Warren Thomas has provided details and links on how he obtained his licence via this route. As Iain has rightly pointed out, they are located in Balcatta. Regards Derren

 

 

Thanks alot Derren,

Gonna give it a go...

Good luck.

[scottntina]

Evening scottntina, have you done Vetassess or TRA ????, if you go on British Ex Pats and look in the working abroad by trade section there are some links with the info you need . We are going out in early June and I will be doing the 2 week course at Joondaloop ( Balcatta is the other one ) after some revision.

 

Regards and good luck

 

Iain

 

 

Hi Iain,

We are going for the course starting on 14th june in balcatta, just getting id and bits and pieces together for energy safety application. Then application to college of electrical training.

Hope they dont take too long, as the courses seem to be filling up fast.

Can i ask what ID you used for the initial application.

I have birth certificate, OTSR (vetasses), passport, cv/resume, and photo card that i use for my current employer in the uk to get onto site, and can probably get letter from my current employer confirming that i work for them.

Dya think all this is enough???

Thanks again

Good luck !

Scott and Tina.

[Guest english reject]

Evening, I have not applied yet ( in the same boat as you WA SS any day now ) I plan on doing it when we get to Perth. We will be going on a 12 month holiday visa so should have lots of time to revise and sort info out. Would you please keep me informed of how the process goes :notworthy::notworthy:.

 

Regards Iain

[scottntina]

Will let you know how we get on.....

Our SS should be here any day now too, we applied WA 31st July, drivin us mad waiting.

We cant afford to go out for that long, so are tryin to sort it all now, we are too old to go on working visas, so wish us luck, just hoping we can get on that june course.

 

Good luck on your SS...

[Guest english reject]

WA SS applied 06/08/09, we were told 3 months but still we wait, I rang them before Xmas and was told to expect it by the end of January. We think the end of Feb is about right.

 

Good look with it all.

 

Iain

[Guest tommo66]

Will let you know how we get on.....

Our SS should be here any day now too, we applied WA 31st July, drivin us mad waiting.

We cant afford to go out for that long, so are tryin to sort it all now, we are too old to go on working visas, so wish us luck, just hoping we can get on that june course.

 

Good luck on your SS...

 

 

Hi Scottntina

 

I'm a spark from Leeds and already done Vetassess and waiting for w.a. ss.

I have been watching this thread and also noticed your next on the list for ss on the 'w.a. ss where are you know'.

What I was going to ask is can you apply to energy safety for the A licence when you've not yet got your visa?

If you can, I think I'll be having a quick visit. I've family there who have spoken to electrical companies with a view to sponsorship but they all say that because I couldn't work as a spark straight away they wouldn't be interested.

This could change things.

 

cheers Andy

[Guest english reject]

I have sent some e-mails stating I will be over on a 12 month tourist visa and have not been told that I cannt take the course, I will enquire next week and post the response ( if no one beats me to it ).

 

Iain

[derren7]

Hi there,

I work mainly in the commercial/industrial environments and have extensive experience in the domestic environment also. When I get to Oz I want to work in the the commercial sector and try to avoid the the domestic but I will take work where I can get it.

My question is what do you do and do you in enjoy it!

Regards Derren

[scottntina]

Hi Scottntina

 

I'm a spark from Leeds and already done Vetassess and waiting for w.a. ss.

I have been watching this thread and also noticed your next on the list for ss on the 'w.a. ss where are you know'.

What I was going to ask is can you apply to energy safety for the A licence when you've not yet got your visa?

If you can, I think I'll be having a quick visit. I've family there who have spoken to electrical companies with a view to sponsorship but they all say that because I couldn't work as a spark straight away they wouldn't be interested.

This could change things.

 

cheers Andy

 

Hi Andy,

Yes you can do the course without your SS visa, they do not ask for this on the application form, only the OTSR from vetassess, your ID, and confirmation of work history from your current employers.

We are now still deciding whether to do it or not, as not sure its gonna make a huge difference to be honest.

We have sent cv to so many employers and they all seem to be reluctant to offer employer sponsorship. even if you do have the A grade.

Its a lot of expense to go through if its not really gonna make much difference.

We still waiting our SS, drivin us mad, butr awaiting the news on monday about all the new changes happening yet again !!!, will make more decisions then,

Anyway good luck with your SS, and the next leg! lol.

Scott and Tina.

[Guest juliei0]

Hi to all you sparkies

 

I am looking to employ a sparky in air conditioning who will work throughout the Perth metro area.

 

I am trying to find out whether we need an electrical licence to let us employ a sparkie.

 

In my search for info I found this that may be of help to you:

 

 

 

http://www.abcdiamond.com/australia/electrical-licence-recognition/

 

 

 

 

 

Electrical License Recognition

 

 

 

August 2009

 

 

 

The Chair of the Western Australian Electrical Licensing Board has released the following statement on the board’s position on recognition of overseas electrical licences.

 

 

 

Recently the Electrical Licensing Board became aware that persons were “shopping” for licences around Australia. The purpose of “shopping” around was to find a state regulator who would issue an Electrician’s Licence after they attended a short bridging course. These persons then applied for a WA Electricians Licence under the Mutual Recognition Act. Under this Act, the WA Electrical Licensing Board is obliged to issue an unrestricted Electrician’s Licence.

 

 

 

In most such cases, the applicant is from overseas and presents initially with an Australian Recognised Trade Certificate issued by Trade Recognition Australia stating they are qualified as an electrical fitter only. Clearly such applicants will not have the required twelve months practical installing experience required to gain a full WA licence.

 

 

 

The Electrical Licensing Board is not satisfied that such licence holders will have the level of competence required for a WA Electrician’s Licence. Accordingly, in all such cases the Board will require the licence holder to undertake a competency assessment. If the person fails the assessment, his or her licence will be suspended forthwith and remain suspended until adequate competency can be demonstrated. Usually, this will require gaining the required twelve months of on-the-job experience and successfully completing the Electrical Trades Licensing (ETL) Course at a registered training organisation (RTO).

 

 

 

The recommended approach for such applicants is to complete the 80-hour ETL Course at an RTO. The Licensing Office will then issue the applicant a three-year Electrical Worker’s Permit. This allows the applicant to perform electrical fitting work unsupervised and should enable him or her to accumulate twelve months of appropriate electrical installing experience under supervision on the job, while gaining immediate employment. After completing the experience requirement they will then be required to complete the ETL Course again if they took longer than two years to accumulate the required installing experience.

 

 

 

Julie

[Guest english reject]

Morning Scottntina, with regard to licencing, I understand you need a letter of conformation from your recent employer ( re work history ), what if you are self-employed ?????.Will a stat dec do our would I have to get all docs certified again.

 

Iain

[scottntina]

Morning Scottntina, with regard to licencing, I understand you need a letter of conformation from your recent employer ( re work history ), what if you are self-employed ?????.Will a stat dec do our would I have to get all docs certified again.

 

Iain

 

Hi Iain,

It doesnt ask for anything to be certified, it just says :employment history along with details of electrical work experience undertaken in the last five years. This can be supplied in your resume/cv and must include employment dates and location.

And there are several forms of ID that you can produce, you dont need all of them.

Things like:birth certificate, drivin license, marriage certificate, Records or licence of a proffesional trade association,document from a rating authority(land rates, or mortgage, council tax i presume). lots of other things listed, but you dont need all of them.

This is all for the initial application to energy safety, and then they give you permission to do the course at the college, and then you apply to the college and pay the fees, ( around £800, for course and books).

It doesnt seem to say any where that you already need your visa approval.

But maybe you should check this ??

You can email Leslie Dryden, at college of electrical training in balcatta WA, she is very helpful admin6@cet.asn.au

Hope all this helps.

Tina and Scott

[Guest flyfifer]

I'm looking for work as an electrical rewind/fitter, been in the job since leaving school, around 37years. Would this come under the electrian heading?

Thanks,

George Swanston (george.swanston@hotmail.co.uk)

:biggrin:

Hello, i figured it may be useful to start a thread that would pull together peoples experiances of trying to gt to Oz as a spark, or what it's like over there as one..!

 

It seems there are a lot of us out there! i am mainly domestic, but with a good measure of 3-phase and light commercial thrown in!

 

I am on my way to Oz, have let our property in London and are travelling around to get a feel of where to live, probably somewhere north of Sydney.

 

I did the Vetassess in the summer of 2008, i am waiting for the 175 to come through and will then be applying for the ARTC, i am going to try to do the wiring reg's asap and then apply for the license without much on shore experinace as i have been told it is possible.... well worth a punt anyhow..!

 

To start the 'helpful' bit of this thread off the following is what my Vetassess day was like;

 

Vetassess assesment is very broad, it seems to look at electronics, domestic wiring as well as light industrial, they seem to be looking for a general level of competance and an understanding of most things.

 

Electrical units you are quite right in that they expect you to know all of the basic definitions (V, I, R, Z, etc) this will ensure you can understand / answer the paper based question...

 

ELV, yes 50v in a AC circuit and 120v in a DC... etc etc..

 

As far as learning all of the formulas off by heart it can do your head in slightly, what i did was refresh myself with all of the basics, ohm's law, reisitance & reactance calculations, RMS etc, i did take a few notes in with me but to honest never needed them..

 

What did come up that i didn't expect though was transformer winds ratio's and quite a lot of health and safety stuff.

 

One thing to note (which did worry me a bit!) is that it is all done to our reg's not the AUS/NZ reg's as they are quite different in some respects..

 

If it helps i will just quickly run through my day for you;

 

07.45 regsitration, we had to show passports for id etc.

 

08.00 paper based test, we had to do a few ohms law calculations, resisitance calculations showing overall resistance of circuits with resistors connected in series and/or connected in parrallel, transformer wind ratio's and some general health and safety stuff.

 

09.00 we were taken into the main practicle room, here we were each given our own boothe, we had to then instal from a paper diagram a consumer unit with x2 circuits, one was for a socket outlet, one was for a lighting circuit with a two way lighting arrangement. the installation used all methods of wirng, T&E clipped, in plastic conduit, metal conduit and loose cable also... this took all day as whilst this was going on we were each individually taken off to do the following;

 

1, wire up a DOL motor control circuit with thermal overload and on/off switching, we could choose whether to wire it in star or delta.

 

2, had to connect up a simple pin board with resistors and then calculate the overall resistance of the circuit one arrangement being with the resistors in parrallel and one with a couple in series as well, we also had to test it to prove our calculations.

 

3, we then had to safely isolate and disconnect a dummy motor, we had to lock it off, apply safety tag's and notices, note down the direction of rotation, power rating, etc, we then had to reconnect it. prior to doing this though we had to write down the whole of the isolation and disconnection process as if we were on site, and the reconnection process, we then also had to test to prove all was safe.

 

finally we then had to test our main installtion, all of the basic domestic tests you would expect, we all aslo had to prove our 2 way lighting worked!

 

The day ended around 4pm, we had all had a 1hr lunch break.

 

There were 8 guys on my test day including myself, all of us bar one had brought our own tools, the guy who hadn't was lent some so it didn't seem to matter either way...

 

I hope this thread proves useful, if not then... at least i tried..!

 

If anyone has any useful infor about the ARTC, wiring reg's, on shore experiance or contractor license i would greatly appreciate it..

 

All the best and hppy sparkin...

 

James...

[esthapan]

hi james,

from Jan 2010 onwards there are some significant change in vetassess. i think thre'll be more questions abt electrical safety.plz try to find out wat r the significant changes.

thanks.

[esthapan]

hi all,

i have applied for gsm 175 in 2009. will today's announcement effect my application?

Changes to the General Skilled Migration Program Annouced Today

Posted: 07 Feb 2010 07:59 PM PST

Today, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, announced a number of changes to the General Skilled Migration program.

 

 

Let’s look at the key changes. We’ll cover these changes in more detail further on in this article.

 

• Offshore General Skilled Migration Visa Applications made before the 1st September 2007 will be capped and then ceased.
• The current Critical Skills List (CSL) will be revoked and will be replaced by a new Skilled Occupations List (SOL) effective from the middle of 2010.
  
• The current Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) will be revoked and replaced with the same (and more targeted) Skilled Occupations List.
  
• The General Skilled Migration (GSM) Points Test will be reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of the current test.
  
• New priority processing arrangements will be introduced for certain skilled migration visas.
  

Quite a lot to take in huh?

1. Offshore General Skilled Migration Visa Applications made before the 1st September 2007 will be capped and then ceased.

 

OK, first things first and for many applicants (around 20,000 in fact) it’s not good news. In changes aimed at making skilled migration more responsive to Australia’s needs, all general skilled migration applications lodged before September 1, 2007 (when English and work experience requirements were, in theory easier), will have their applications withdrawn and application fees totalling $14 million refunded.

The Australian Government see this as ‘ending the ongoing uncertainty’ for offshore General Skilled Migrants although for many I’m sure it is the news they were dreading the most even if it does mean that the Visa Application Charge (VAC) is refunded.

On a more positive note applicants who have had their Visa Application revoked can still apply for any of the current GSM visa subclasses although they should be mindful of the need to meet the current legislative requirements which have changed significantly since 2007.

2. The current Critical Skills List (CSL) will be revoked and will be replaced by a new Skilled Occupations List (SOL) effective from the middle of 2010.

 

As part of today’s announcement, the government is looking to abolish the current list of Critical Skills, which contains 106 occupations.

For some time now the Australian Government has suggested that the CSL was always an interim measure whilst the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) review was being undertaken. For the first time however they’ve now set a target date of replacing the CSL with a new Skilled Occupations List which will become effective from the middle of 2010.

It is expected that the new SOL will be available for review by the 30th April 2010 with priority processing arrangements for applications with nominated occupations on the current CSL continuing until they are reviewed in Mid 2010.

3. The current Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) will be revoked and replaced with the same (and more targeted) Skilled Occupations List.

 

 

 

As with the CSL, today’s announcement will also see the removal of the current Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL). The revocation of the current MODL will not affect applicants sponsored by an Australian employer, nor will it affect applicants who, at the date of this announcement (8th February 2010)

 

• hold a Skilled- Graduate (subclass 485) visa, or have a pending subclass 485 visa application and are yet to apply for a permanent or provisional General Skilled Migration (GSM visa), or
• have a pending GSM visa application
  

It’s also worth noting that the new SOL will not apply to people applying for a Skilled-Graduate (subclass 485) visa who at 8th February 2010 hold a:

 

• Vocational Education and Training (subclass 572) visa.
• Higher Education Sector (subclass 573) visa
  
• Postgraduate Research Sector (subclass 574) visa.
  

Having said that, these student visa holders will still be required to have an occupation on the new SOL to apply for a permanent GSM Visa.

4. The General Skilled Migration (GSM) Points Test will be reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of the current test.

 

The GSM Points Test Review will be undertaken in the first half of this year and a ‘discussion paper’ will be placed on the departments website (Department of Immigration & Citizenship) by the 12th February 2010 which will then be open for public comment until the 12th March 2010.

It is not know at this stage whether the government will decide to make changes to the GSM points test, however, at a guess we think that they will. it’s been suggested that the current point test can distort outcomes for a skilled migrant. One example used on the Governments own website was a comparison between an international student who studied hairdressing in Australia compared to an applicant who has a PHD in environmental science from Harvard University.

The hairdresser past the points test with no problems gaining 135 points whilst the scientist failed the test with only 100 points. Although 10 of the hairdressers extra points were due to the occupation being more in demand then scientists; the extra 25 came from a combination of the hairdressers being on the MODL and having 12 moths Australian work experience. All things that the Australian Government says do ‘not always lead to outcomes that are consistent with the objectives of the General Skilled Migration Program.

5. New priority processing arrangements will be introduced for certain skilled migration visas.

 

The priority processing arrangements are designed to ensure that the Australian Economy gets the skills it needs now, rather than those of the visa applicants who applied first. If you are on the list then I’m sure you’ll love these changes..

The changes take effect from today and apply to applications lodged on or after this date. The changes also apply to applications that had been lodged previously with the department and have not been finalised.

 

 

The new priority processing arrangements will apply to the following Visas:

 

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)
  
• The General Skilled Migration (GSM) Visas listed below:
  
  • Skill Matching (subclass 134)
  • Skilled—Independent (subclass 136)
    
  • Skilled—State/Territory-nominated Independent (subclass 137)
    
  • Skilled—Australian-sponsored (subclass 138)
    
  • Skilled—Designated Area-sponsored (subclass 139)
    
  • Skilled—Independent (subclass 175)
    
  • Skilled—Independent (subclass 176)
    
  • Skilled—Regional Sponsored (subclass 475)
    
  • Skilled—Regional Sponsored (subclass 487)
    
  • Skilled—Independent Regional (subclass 495)
    
  • Skilled—Designated Area-sponsored (Provisional) (subclass 496)
    
  • Skilled—Graduate (subclass 497)
    
  • Skilled—Onshore Independent New Zealand Citizen (subclass 861)
    
  • Skilled—Onshore Australian-sponsored New Zealand Citizen (subclass 862)
    
  • Skilled—Onshore Designated Area-sponsored New Zealand Citizen (subclass 863)
    
  • Skilled—Independent Overseas Student (subclass 880)
    
  • Skilled—Australian-sponsored (subclass 881)
    
  • Skilled—Designated Area-sponsored Overseas
    
  • Student (subclass 882)
    
  • Skilled—Independent (subclass 885)
    
  • Skilled—Sponsored (subclass 886)
    

   

   

The following processing priorities (with highest priority listed first) apply:

1. Applications from people who are employer sponsored under the ENS and the RSMS.
2. Applications from people who are nominated by a state/territory government agency under a state migration plan agreed to by the minister.
   
3. Applications from people who are nominated by a state/territory government agency and whose nominated occupation is on the Critical Skills List (CSL)
   
4. Applications from people who are neither nominated nor sponsored in priority groups 1, 2 or 3, but whose nominated occupation is listed on the CSL.
   
5. Applications from people who are nominated by a state/territory government agency whose nominated occupation is not listed on the CSL.
   
6. (i) Applications from people whose occupations are listed on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL).(ii) Applications from people who are sponsored by family and whose nominated occupation is not listed on the CSL.
   
7. All other applications are to be processed in the order in which they are received.
   

[Guest izzy]

Hi bud glad you passed was you allowed any books or notes / calculator with you

[Guest loulou123]

How long does the ENS Take and has anyone been through this? Is it alot of work for the employer to do?

[Guest Number 1 pom]

hi mark

how hard was the practical is it just like the am2?

[Guest Tom the Pom]

hi mark

how hard was the practical is it just like the am2?

 

The practical test is no more than an expensive AM2.

The AM2 should only worry an apprentice - does it still worry you???

 

:cool:

[Guest Number 1 pom]

Hi all, is there any regulation courses i could do or books i could buy before i went oz? Thanks

[Guest Neal the Sparks]

Contact PEER in Adelaide they do a distant learning course to learn the AS/NZS 3000 wiring rules when you pay the fee they will send you all the books and course work but you will still need to go to Adelaide to sit the exam im afraid. I did the course last year I flew over to Oz and did the exam they give you the results at the end of the second day and you take your certificate away with you. If you do decide to to do this course PEER will give you a lot of support along the way but you still need to do the work book before you go over for the exam I went for my exam with a guy who hadnt finished the workbook and he was told to go away and finish it before sitting the exam!! After doing the exam myself I can see why it is so important. Good Luck

[fitnesstasha]

Hello all

here is our story! in a nut shell! myself and hub decided last yr to retrain and change our lives! myself as a hairdresser (thanks for those of you who have been really nice as I was GUTTED its being taken off) anyway, our plan B lways was if that hapens to go down my husbands new carrer as an electrician.

 

SO! questions!! my hub been working as a datacabler enginneer before retraining , currently finishing off Level 2 city and guilds, due to start job with Roc and do day release to do Level 3...

 

Go Matilda and vetasses themselves say that he will need 2 yrs exp and basically his data cabler exp might be enough, it depends weather he passes his assesment or not.

 

This is good news for us, and light at the end of the tunnel if you like...

 

As my skills are no longer taken into consideration we will have to go state sponsored, not PR as 1st hoped, also thinking of going to South oz not Queensland as 1st hoped, but dont mind too much, am i right on thinking south oz is easier for lisence? but he doesnt really mind being a sparky mate for a year.

 

Just wondered what your thoughts are, thanks for your time

Txxxx

[IAN NINA & GEORGE]

you will get PR with state sponsorship