Electricians, Electricians, Electricians!!!

[derren7]

Hi Derren.....typical....Mark has the OTSR. This whole thing is completly mad and frustrating. We can't wait to make the move, (hopefully Sept) but to work for 12months on trade assistant money, with a family is a big ask. When are you looking to move?

To get a SA licence seems so much easier (why...is Quennsland electric different ha!) It all seems to be a money making scheme from start to finish. Hope someone comes up with an easier way to get your Queensland licence oneday soon. If you get any further information which may be of help to us, please would you let me know

 

Cheers

Sharon:notworthy:

Hi Sharon,

Yes, the whole process is irritating and frustrating, but it is the way it is, unfortunately.

Now that your visa has been granted your OH has the option to apply for an ARTC which costs $300 and can be done from the UK. info on how to apply can be found HERE.

Regards Derren

[Guest Cooke Girl]

Not to put any dampers on the 30 working day rule for the TRA certificate, but we're now 60 days in and still waiting (have heard up to 90 days).

 

Been in touch with Energy Safe Victoria and were led to believe that once we have the TRA cert, the next step will be to take the LEA (wiring regs, 1st aid, OHS - white and green cards), regardless of whatever we complete in the UK.

 

Hope that sheds some more light.

[RioMarina]

If you have no city and guild certificate and did the HNC electrical Engineering way WA licencing board will not even acknowledge you. Once in Aus you have to apply to the TRA to get your trade assessed again. They then tell you whether to go for Electrical Fitter or Electrical Mechanic. Once you get this back after 2 months. You have to sit your practical exam at a local TAFE and then your theory test. In all from landing I had to wait 5 months to get a A grade licence. If you fail then you have to go back to college for a year to do a course then get assesses again. Don't beleive anyone that you can just land and work as an Electrician. I knew people that waited 6 months for work, others just went back to England.

[Guest Sue1203]

You have to go down the vettassess route to obtain your visa there is no other way.

 

Once you have your visa to enable you to work as a fully qualified Electrician you need to learn the Australian rules. Officially if you have done the vettassess assesment you need to take a wiring regs course and then complete a workbook that can take upto a year to get your full licence.

 

OR

 

Once you have your visa, you can apply to the TRA for your ARTC which if you pass gives you the certificate to apply to Peer for a short course. The ARTC require an awful lot of detail and information so be prepared to spend a long time doing your application form. The assessment costs $300 and this is the stage we are at. Our application has gone to them, we have an email and a tracking number and we have been told it will take up to 30 days for the assessment to be completed. For information you should apply for the Electrical Mechanic or you will not get your A class to enable you to work unsupervised.

 

Once you have your ARTC (they will only issue you a certificate once you are in Oz and to an Oz address) you can then apply to Peer to complete a distance learning course for the wiring regs. Then you need to attend Peer for revision and an exam - they have suggested 2/3 days for this. Once both hoops have been jumped through you can then apply for your licence which will give you a licence for SA. This can then be transferred to other state (but not all).

 

When applying for jobs some companies do not need you to transfer but others do.

 

We are 10 days in so fingers crossed we hear about the ARTC soon !!

Hi ya

 

Do you mind if I ask you that when you say mechanic as opposed to Fitter is this on the 'A' Licence application form that you state this?? If so, I found the overseas qualifications license application form and I am not sure where you state electrical mechanic...can you please help. I have attached a link to the application form that I think is the correct one??? http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/EnergySafety/PDF/Forms/R018%200710.pdf

 

We too are also in the process of obtaining our ARTC but we went through a company who completes your application for you as we just thought for us it would be easier and it wasn't too expensive either.

 

Many thanks for your help.

 

S

x

[n111kkx]

When you apply for your ARTC you should go for the Electrical Mechanic and not the Fitter as if you get graded a fitter you wont get your A class you still have to do the workbook etc. This is just what we were advised. We have not got as far as applying for the wiring regs course etc so cant help on that form sorry

 

Good luck

[popstar999]

Sorry... so, to clarify something: My husband's OTSR (via Vetassess) will need to be RE-ASSESSED by TRA for $300 and this results in having an ARTC certificate? Have I got that right?

And in order to do the PEER exam, whether long-distance or studied from within Australia, he would need to have this TRA certificate?

What was the whole point of doing the Vetassess then? At the time my oh did the Vetassess, our visa agent told us that there were 2 options out there - either Vetassess or TRA, but that most people used Vetassess...so that's what we did.

 

My husband does not want to do the PEER distance learning course from here in the UK. He would prefer to do it all once in Australia. I assume this is possible? (Obviously, I mean both the theory & practical to be done is Aus.) And whilst doing all of this, he would like to (hopefully!) be working. Is that do-able?

 

Is PEER the only way to get this A Licence for WA, or are there any other professional bodies that do the exams?

 

I hope this post makes some kind of sense....?? It seems the more I read, the less I know!

 

From

Catherine PS: Derren, thanks for all the helpful info you've posted. Apologies if you're having to repeat yourself again, but it seems we need the "idiots guide" on how to arrange for my husband to get all his WA A licence papers sorted without having to do the long-distance course from the UK. And without having to pay again for things that we thought were sorted. :frown:

[The Harbords]

Hi Sharon,

Yes, the whole process is irritating and frustrating, but it is the way it is, unfortunately.

Now that your visa has been granted your OH has the option to apply for an ARTC which costs $300 and can be done from the UK. info on how to apply can be found HERE.

Regards Derren

 

Hi Derren

 

Mark has started completing the ARTC application form but has had a problem already. It allows you to put in 175 visa but not the 176ss which we have.......do you know the reason for this

 

Sorry to be a pain

Cheers

Sharon:huh:

[derren7]

Hi Derren

 

Mark has started completing the ARTC application form but has had a problem already. It allows you to put in 175 visa but not the 176ss which we have.......do you know the reason for this

 

Sorry to be a pain

Cheers

Sharon:huh:

Hi Sharon,

Yeah, I had the same problem. You have to select "if other visa type, please provide visa sub-class here", and then type in 176 state sponsorship. It seems to disappear after you've done that but I suspect it will show when the form is printed off. If it isn't then I would just write on the printed form with a pen. I haven't printed mine off yet so I don't know what will happen.

Hope this helps

Regards Derren

[derren7]

Sorry... so, to clarify something: My husband's OTSR (via Vetassess) will need to be RE-ASSESSED by TRA for $300 and this results in having an ARTC certificate? Have I got that right?

And in order to do the PEER exam, whether long-distance or studied from within Australia, he would need to have this TRA certificate?

What was the whole point of doing the Vetassess then? At the time my oh did the Vetassess, our visa agent told us that there were 2 options out there - either Vetassess or TRA, but that most people used Vetassess...so that's what we did.

 

My husband does not want to do the PEER distance learning course from here in the UK. He would prefer to do it all once in Australia. I assume this is possible? (Obviously, I mean both the theory & practical to be done is Aus.) And whilst doing all of this, he would like to (hopefully!) be working. Is that do-able?

 

Is PEER the only way to get this A Licence for WA, or are there any other professional bodies that do the exams?

 

I hope this post makes some kind of sense....?? It seems the more I read, the less I know!

 

From

Catherine PS: Derren, thanks for all the helpful info you've posted. Apologies if you're having to repeat yourself again, but it seems we need the "idiots guide" on how to arrange for my husband to get all his WA A licence papers sorted without having to do the long-distance course from the UK. And without having to pay again for things that we thought were sorted. :frown:

Hi Catherine,

No need to be sorry. That's what this site is all about. Don't worry, you not the first and won't be the last to be confused by this bizarre system. It took me a good while to get my head around it all.

In order to migrate to Australia, UK electricians have to have their skills assessed by Vetassess for migration purposes. There is no way of avoiding this. The reason some sparks choose to apply for an ARTC is so that they can do the PEER course in South Australia (note, the PEER course will get you an SA licence NOT a WA licence).

As you are going to WA, I would suggest that you apply to Energy Safety to complete the two week course at CET in Perth. Upon completion of this course your OH can then apply for a WA A grade licence.

If you check out the link in my previous response to you then just follow the steps that Warren Thomas did to get his WA licence.

Also, if you go back to page 3 of this thread and look at post No. 29 made by Sue 1203, then this is the form your OH will need to fill in, in order to do the required course.

Also, here is another useful LINK about the course content (note it is the ETL course that your OH would attend).

If you have any more questions then fire away, that's what we're here for.

Kind Regards Derren

[popstar999]

Hi Catherine,

No need to be sorry. That's what this site is all about. Don't worry, you not the first and won't be the last to be confused by this bizarre system. It took me a good while to get my head around it all.

In order to migrate to Australia, UK electricians have to have their skills assessed by Vetassess for migration purposes. There is no way of avoiding this. The reason some sparks choose to apply for an ARTC is so that they can do the PEER course in South Australia (note, the PEER course will get you an SA licence NOT a WA licence).

As you are going to WA, I would suggest that you apply to Energy Safety to complete the two week course at CET in Perth. Upon completion of this course your OH can then apply for a WA A grade licence.

If you check out the link in my previous response to you then just follow the steps that Warren Thomas did to get his WA licence.

Also, if you go back to page 3 of this thread and look at post No. 29 made by Sue 1203, then this is the form your OH will need to fill in, in order to do the required course.

Also, here is another useful LINK about the course content (note it is the ETL course that your OH would attend).

If you have any more questions then fire away, that's what we're here for.

Kind Regards Derren

 

Hi Derren,

 

Thanks a BUNCH for all your help!! I think we're slowly getting our heads around it all. Just as well you mentioned that the PEER course would be for SA licence - it defo makes sense that my oh does the CET course in Perth. Then at least it should all be done and dusted.

 

Thanks again for all your help - good luck to you and your family with your big move too.:biggrin:

From Catherine

[derren7]

Hi Derren,

 

Thanks a BUNCH for all your help!! I think we're slowly getting our heads around it all. Just as well you mentioned that the PEER course would be for SA licence - it defo makes sense that my oh does the CET course in Perth. Then at least it should all be done and dusted.

 

Thanks again for all your help - good luck to you and your family with your big move too.:biggrin:

From Catherine

 

Thanks Catherine,

All the best to you and yours also.

Kind Regards Derren

PS just to clarify, your OH won't need to apply for an ARTC to do the ETL course. The OTSR will suffice.

[The Harbords]

Hi Sharon,

Yeah, I had the same problem. You have to select "if other visa type, please provide visa sub-class here", and then type in 176 state sponsorship. It seems to disappear after you've done that but I suspect it will show when the form is printed off. If it isn't then I would just write on the printed form with a pen. I haven't printed mine off yet so I don't know what will happen.

Hope this helps

Regards Derren

 

Hi Derren

Once again....thank you very much for your help.....you're a star. All is becoming clearer

Cheers

Sharon:notworthy:

[n111kkx]

Anyone starting or in the middle of applying for your TRA for electrician - please hold fire - at the moment an application has been returned due to the fact that applicant has already done his Vetassess. Any UK application must do the Vetassess - so save your money and wait a few weeks to see if this is happening to more people. Looks like the Peer route may be closed for UK applicants? watch this space

[The Harbords]

Anyone starting or in the middle of applying for your TRA for electrician - please hold fire - at the moment an application has been returned due to the fact that applicant has already done his Vetassess. Any UK application must do the Vetassess - so save your money and wait a few weeks to see if this is happening to more people. Looks like the Peer route may be closed for UK applicants? watch this space

 

Hi there.....sorry to be a pain but I am getting really confused now. Mark has done his vetasses and we were applying to have his skills recognised by ARTC. Is this what you mean...

Cheers

Sharon:err:

[n111kkx]

yeah it is the ARTC - the people that had their application returned by the ARTC did mention and included a copy of their certificate from Vetassess which they prob shouldnt have done. Keeping fingers crossed that this is the reason for it being returned. Our ARTC application has been in for 2 weeks so fingers crossed we may hear soon?

[The Harbords]

Oh........fingers crossed indeed. Please would you let us know as soon as you hear anything.....

Hope you have some good news soon

Cheers

Sharon:unsure:

[derren7]

yeah it is the ARTC - the people that had their application returned by the ARTC did mention and included a copy of their certificate from Vetassess which they prob shouldnt have done. Keeping fingers crossed that this is the reason for it being returned. Our ARTC application has been in for 2 weeks so fingers crossed we may hear soon?

Hi there,

This problem crops up now and again. Some people seem to get their ARTC with no problems even when they have submitted their OTSR in the application and some get refused. I've read 1 post by some one (quite a while ago now ) where they emailed TRA for clarification on this matter. The response they received from the TRA was that it didn't matter so long as they were a resident of Australia ie had been granted a visa.

I can only guess that those who get refused are having their applications dealt with initially by some jobsworth or some numpty who is misinterpreting their own guidelines which are clearly stated on TRA website.

Regards Derren

[The Harbords]

Hi there,

This problem crops up now and again. Some people seem to get their ARTC with no problems even when they have submitted their OTSR in the application and some get refused. I've read 1 post by some one (quite a while ago now ) where they emailed TRA for clarification on this matter. The response they received from the TRA was that it didn't matter so long as they were a resident of Australia ie had been granted a visa.

I can only guess that those who get refused are having their applications dealt with initially by some jobsworth or some numpty who is misinterpreting their own guidelines which are clearly stated on TRA website.

Regards Derren

 

Cheers Derren.......I know, with our luck, we're getting the numpty....:wacko:

 

Sharon

[The Harbords]

Hi there...any news on TRA applications yet

Cheers

Sharon:frown:

[n111kkx]

Morning

 

Still no news, I have checked the application this morning and no movement at all. The website still says they have a huge backlog!!

[The Harbords]

Morning

 

Still no news, I have checked the application this morning and no movement at all. The website still says they have a huge backlog!!

 

Hi there.....its been a while now. Thanks for letting us know. We sent ours about 4 weeks ago but had it back as they said there was no photocopy of our visa enclosed.:unsure:. We sent it back about a week ago now.....so the wait starts again

 

Cheers

Sharon

[duggy281]

Hi everyone. Need help with ARTC. How much info to put into it.where to start.

Are there any kind of template,samples, copies I can use for reference.

Sorry for all the questions.

 

Now a bit about us.

Sa state sponsorship received Nov 2010.

Vetassess completed and results May 2011

Visa application may 2011

CO June 2011

Medicals and police checks done early July

Visas received 2 August

Wahey wahey wahey.

 

More paper work to now for ARTC si frustrating but well worth the wait.

Can't wait to board the plane

 

Duggy 281 and family(wife and 2 boys ages 3 and 16months)

[Guest NeilanGemz]

Hi guys, interesting facts about the ATRC. I've heard a mixed bag myself, I think from the sounds of it that you can wait until you are actually in Oz to apply to have your trade recognised (which you have to do, together with some exams which ever route you take to an a grade license) I think the vetassess route which we all have had to go down was purely to gain access to the right of a visa, nothing more. I wouldn't even associate the two when applying to ATRC.

 

I'm not an expert so I hope this makes sense

 

Neil