Offshore Skills Assessment Program Applicant Guidelines March 2019
Offshore Skills Assessment Program Applicant Guidelines March 2019
Offshore Skills Assessment Program Applicant Guidelines March 2019
Applicant Guidelines
March 2019
Note: This is a controlled document in its electronic form only. Paper copies of this document are
not controlled and should be checked against the electronic version before use.
With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms and where otherwise noted, all material
presented in this document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia
(creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au) licence.
The details of the relevant licence conditions are available on the Creative Commons website
(accessible using the links provided) as is the full legal code for the CC BY 3.0 AU licence
(creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/legalcode).
The document must be attributed as the Offshore Skills Assessment Program Applicant Guidelines.
TRA engages registered training organisations (TRA-approved RTOs) to perform aspects of the skills
assessment process on its behalf under certain programs. The skills assessments are for people who
have gained trade skills overseas or in Australia for the purpose of migration and skills recognition.
TRA offers several different skills assessment programs which are based on your occupation, country
of passport, where you studied and the type of visa you are seeking.
Program objective
The objective of the Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) is to determine whether an
applicant is able to work in Australia at the required skill level for the nominated occupation. This
aims to ensure successful applicants can contribute immediately to Australia’s skilled workforce.
A skills assessment through OSAP is for people who are applying for a skilled migration visa to
Australia (excluding 485 or TSS visas), who work in a nominated occupation and hold a passport from
a nominated country or Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Applicant Guidelines
These guidelines describe OSAP and outline the requirements in applying for a skills assessment.
You must read the eligibility requirements for OSAP before starting an application (see Section 2.1).
If you do not understand any part of the eligibility requirements, please contact TRA through the
TRA website (www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au).
These guidelines do not provide specific information on visa or points requirements for migration.
All enquiries relating to migration requirements must be directed to the Australian Department of
Home Affairs (Home Affairs) (www.homeaffairs.gov.au).
You are advised to check with Home Affairs before commencing your application, to ensure the
appropriate visa pathway has been identified, and that TRA is the correct assessing authority for
your nominated occupation.
TRA reserves the right to amend these guidelines as necessary. Information about changes to the
guidelines will be documented in the recent document change history table in Section 8 and posted
as a news item on the TRA website.
Technical Assessment
(practical skills demonstrations are
mandatory for licensed Pathway 1
applicants)
Outcome
Once you have obtained the RTO Assessment Payment Identifier Code, you must register a
username and password in the portal before you can make a payment. You will use the same user
name and password for each payment you make.
If you have any difficulties making a payment, you should email TRA for assistance at
[email protected].
If the documentary evidence does not sufficiently demonstrate skills and experience relevant to your
nominated occupation, the RTO will forward a recommendation to TRA that you be found
unsuccessful. Following TRA’s final decision on the RTO recommendation, if you are found to be
unsuccessful, the RTO will provide you with final outcome documentation including information
about any identified skill gaps. The final outcome documentation will also contain information about
your options for review or reassessment, including the relevant RTO Assessment Payment Identifier
Codes which can be used to make a payment for these services through the TRA Online Portal.
Technical Assessment
You will be required to participate in a technical assessment of your skills and knowledge. This will
be conducted by a qualified assessor who will also be a qualified tradesperson in your nominated
occupation.
The assessor will focus on collecting evidence to determine if you meet the requirements of the
relevant VET qualification in the Australian Training Package for your nominated occupation. This
will involve a technical interview and may involve a practical demonstration of skills and/or
gathering evidence from any nominated employers or other referees.
If you are applying for one of the licensed occupations of Airconditioning and Refrigeration
Mechanic, Electrician (General), Electrician (Special Class) and Plumber (General), a practical
demonstration of your skills is compulsory.
The RTO will discuss the assessment requirements with you before conducting the assessment.
All technical assessments will be conducted in English without assistance. Interpreters are not
permitted.
Once your technical assessment is complete, the RTO will forward either a successful or unsuccessful
recommendation to TRA to make the final decision. Following TRA’s final decision on the RTO
recommendation, the RTO will notify you of your outcome and issue you with the final
documentation.
Outcome
You will have met the standards set by TRA under OSAP if:
You are required to select an RTO to conduct your skills assessment. This is completed through the
RTO Finder located on the TRA website by:
Selecting your nominated occupation from the list available.
Reviewing the list of TRA-approved RTOs.
The TRA-approved RTO selected must not be the RTO that issued your Australian VET qualification
(if applicable).
Once you have obtained the RTO Payment Identifier Code, you must register a username and
password in the portal before you can make a payment. You will use the same user name and
password for each payment you make.
Please ensure that you keep your username and password secure.
If you have any difficulties making a payment, you should email TRA for assistance at
[email protected].
The final outcome documentation will also contain information about your options for review or
reassessment, including the relevant RTO Assessment Payment Identifier Codes which can be used
to make a payment for these services through the TRA Online Portal.
Technical Assessment
You will be required to participate in a technical assessment of your skills and knowledge, conducted
by a qualified assessor who will also be a qualified tradesperson in your nominated occupation.
The assessor will focus on collecting evidence to determine if you are capable of undertaking the full
range of tasks expected of a tradesperson in Australia for your nominated occupation.
This will involve a technical interview of skills and/or gathering evidence from nominated employers
or other referees.
The RTO will discuss the assessment requirements with you before conducting the assessment.
All technical assessments will be conducted in English without assistance. Interpreters are not
permitted.
Once your technical assessment is complete, the RTO will forward either a successful or unsuccessful
recommendation to TRA to make the final decision. Following TRA’s review of the RTO
recommendation, the RTO will notify you of the outcome and issue final documentation. If you have
an unsuccessful outcome confirmed, the RTO will advise you of any identified skill gaps.
Outcome
The TRA-approved RTO will notify you of the outcome of your assessment.
You will have met the standards set by TRA under OSAP if:
All evidence you have provided can be verified by the TRA-approved RTO as meeting the
requirements for a successful skills assessment.
The documentary evidence provided to the TRA-approved RTO is not relevant to your
nominated occupation.
The documentary evidence provided contains insufficient detail to meet OSAP requirements.
2.5 Review
If you disagree with an assessment outcome, you may lodge an application for an assessment review
with the TRA-approved RTO that conducted your skills assessment. To start the review process, you
must first pay the review fee to TRA via the TRA Online Portal. The RTO Assessment Payment
Identifier Code for the review will be provided in the final outcome documentation.
2.6 Reassessment
If skills gaps were identified in your original skills assessment and you have undertaken training
and/or additional employment to address the gaps, you may lodge an application for a reassessment
with the TRA-approved RTO that conducted your skills assessment. To start the reassessment
process, you must first pay the reassessment fee to TRA via the TRA Online Portal. The RTO
Assessment Payment Identifier Code for the reassessment will be provided in the final outcome
documentation.
2.7 Fees
Fees for a skills assessment are paid directly to TRA via the TRA Online Portal. The following fees
apply to OSAP skills assessment services:
Assessment step Fee Amount (GST Excl)
For technical assessments – after the Technical Interview/Practical Assessment has taken
place.
2.9 Timeline
The TRA-approved RTO can advise how long the assessment process will take. Typically, an
assessment will be completed within 13 weeks from the date of submitting the required
documentary evidence.
Accurately and honestly complete the required skills assessment application and declaration
forms issued by the TRA-approved RTO conducting the skills assessment.
Provide authentic and current evidence to the TRA-approved RTO to enable the skills
assessment to be conducted.
Ensure the documentary evidence submitted to the TRA-approved RTO is complete and
decision ready.
Consider the RTO recommendation and make the final decision on an applicant’s skills
assessment outcome.
Ensuring the objectives of the program are met.
Notifying the applicant of the skills assessment outcome including issuing the appropriate
documentation.
4.3 Privacy
The collection, use and disclosure of personal information by TRA is subject to the Privacy Act 1988
(Privacy Act). Schedule 1 of the Privacy Act contains the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which
outline the rules for handling personal information.
The Privacy Act defines ‘personal information’ as:
“Information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably
identifiable:
(a) Whether the information or opinion is true or not; and
(b) Whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.”
Privacy Information
Under the APPs, the department is required to have a clearly expressed and up to date policy about
the way the department manages personal information. This policy contains information about how
you may access the personal information the department holds about you, and how you may correct
any inaccuracies in that information. We will correct your personal information if it is inaccurate
(subject to restrictions on such access/alteration of records under the applicable provisions of any
law of the Commonwealth).
It also includes information as to how you may make a complaint about a breach of the APPs, and
how the department will respond to such a complaint.
A copy of the department’s privacy policy is available on the department’s website at:
https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy.
More information about the Privacy Act, including a copy of the full text of the APPs, can be
obtained from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s website at:
www.oaic.gov.au.
Collection
TRA collects applicants’ personal information for the purposes of:
Verifying skills assessment outcomes under the Migration Regulations 1994.
Disclosure
TRA may give some or all of the information it collects from the applicant or a third party to Home
Affairs, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Australian Federal Police, TRA-approved RTOs, the
Australian Skills Quality Authority, contractors, the Fair Work Ombudsman and other Australian and
state/territory government agencies.
TRA may disclose the applicant’s personal information to these entities for the reasons that are
listed above in the collection section.
Privacy Complaints
Please note, applicants are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and validity of all information
provided to TRA.
Complaints about breaches of privacy should be referred to:
Privacy Contact Officer
Legal and Compliance Group
Department of Education and Training
GPO Box 9880
CANBERRA ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA
Email: [email protected]
migration agent In Australia, people who want to provide immigration assistance must
be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration
Authority.
A registered migration agent can use their knowledge of Australia’s
migration procedures to offer advice or assistance to a person wishing
to obtain a visa to enter or remain in Australia. They can also assist
people who are nominating or sponsoring prospective visa applicants.
Countries/SARS and regions One of the countries/SARs and/or regions listed on the OSAP Program
page on the TRA website.