Prioritising and Streamlining Skills Assessment for the Construction Industry
New Initiative to Fast Track Construction Skills Assessments
On May 8, 2024, the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Minister for Skills and Training, announced an initiative to fast track skills assessments for migrants with building and construction-related skills. This initiative is part of the 2024-25 Budget’s focus on housing and aims to address urgent demand in Australia’s housing construction sector.
Over the next two years, Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) will prioritize processing around 2,600 skills assessments in targeted construction occupations and streamline assessments for about 1,900 potential migrants from countries with comparable qualifications. The complete list of occupations can be found on TRA’s website.
From July 1, 2024, TRA’s assessment programs, including the Provisional Skills Assessment, Job Ready Program, and Migration Skills Assessment (MSA), will prioritize these occupations. Migrants do not need to apply for prioritization, as TRA will identify relevant applications.
Starting July 31, 2024, TRA will remove the mandatory Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) requirement for specified occupations and low-risk country combinations, allowing for a simpler and cheaper MSA for qualified applicants. Those without a qualification can opt-in for OSAP occupations. This change follows consultations with industry representatives on the risks of streamlined assessments.
