Obtaining permanent residence in Australia is one of the dreams of international students willing to settle in Australia. For this purpose, making the right decision of choosing courses is essential. In the contemporary era, trade courses have stolen the limelight as they can be one of the most effective pathways to gain PR in Australia. The strong demand of the Australian industries in various domains such as engineering, automotive, and other fields has opened new opportunities for migration of skilled international candidates. This blog discusses the best trade courses that can lead you to Australian PR, along with the requirements, steps involved, and the job market of the top trade courses in demand in Australia.
Steps involved:
Step 1: Enroll in a trade course
The first and most important step is to enroll in the right trade course that reflects your interest and skills. This should be done by choosing a trade course that is listed on the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). This is the official list of skills in demand in Australia, used for skilled migration visas. These are the areas that indicate the skill shortages, which increases chances of migration of individuals with skills listed on this list. Below is a table for the top trade courses with the highest demand in Australian states:
Step 2: 485 visa
The next step is to apply for a temporary graduate visa (Subclass 485). Applicants are required to complete at least two academic years of studying in Australia, to be eligible for the Subclass 485 Graduate Work Visa. This visa will allow you to stay for 18 months in Australia, and get access to full-time employment rights. This will also provide you the opportunity to gain local work experience that will be required for future steps to permanent steps.
Step 3: Complete the Job Ready Program (JRP)
While being on the 485 visa, you are required to complete a 12-month Job Ready Program that is controlled by the TRA. This is for international graduates having Australian qualification that is issued by a CRICOS-registered training institute. The successful completion of the JRP, might result in gaining a positive skills assessment.
Unsure where to start? Get a personalised, step-by-step walkthrough with our Registered Migration Agents.
Book a Migration Consultation
Step 4: Visa Application
After gaining a positive skills assessment, you might be eligible for various visas leading to PR, such as:
- TSS 482 visa
- 491 Regional Skilled visa
- 494 Employer Sponsored Regional visa
- Skilled Visas (189 and 190)
Certificate Fee:
For a trade course PR pathway, students are required to obtain vocational certifications, such as Certificate III. This acts as the most essential entry level certificate that is required for skills assessment and Job Ready Program. However, certain occupations also require Certificate IV for advanced-level licensing. The average fee for Certificate III is around $5,000 to $10,000 AUD.
Who assesses the skills?
In Australia, certain skills assessment bodies have been declared to test the skilled-competence of international applicants on the skilled visa. These bodies include Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) and Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services (VETASSESS).
Current Job Market for the trade course:
Australia in search of skilled workers due to massive workforce shortages:
By 2026, Australia is racing to recruit skilled trades workers in every part of the country as the construction industry is facing a widespread workforce shortage, threatening to derail housing, infrastructure and energy projects.
There are plumbers (general, roof, air conditioning, fire protection), carpenters, bricklayers, electricians (special class), painters, joiners, glaziers, stonemasons, wall and floor tilers and so on–they are basically all the major trades in Australia, with a few (not many) regions (such as no shortage of roof tilers in some parts of regional VIC) being listed as not in shortage in the figure above. For trade students, this means excellent job prospects, hands-on experience, and competitive wages, particularly in areas experiencing skill shortages.
1.2 Million New Homes, Not Enough Workers: Australia Wants Skilled Trades — Do You Qualify?
The construction and building industry of Australia is experiencing a dire and persistent labor shortage at the same time as the country seeks to accomplish grand development objectives including the National Housing Accord with a target of 1.2 million new houses by 2029. The industry will miss out on approximately 166,000 housing units and hence by April 2024, the industry will have 1,033,962 new housing starts, a shortage of 13.8% according to Master Builders Australia as shown in the figure below.
This is due to soaring housing and infrastructure demand (which is backed by a $230 billion pipeline), skyrocketing population, low unemployment, escalation of costs, inflation and poor productivity-the domestic workers cannot alone satisfy the national demands. Due to this, there is an acute shortage of skilled trades that opens up immediate opportunities to qualified international workers to contribute to the necessary projects in housing, transport, utilities, education, healthcare and renewable energy.
Australian Employers Actively Posting For Jobs Through Advertisements Due To Skilled Force Shortage- A Golden Opportunity for Trade students to Secure Jobs and PR:
Australia is experiencing a massive increase in the number of vacancies, with around 282,000 vacancies advertised across the country as shown in the figure below. This shows a 20% year-on-year growth and around 70% higher than the pre-COVID-19 time. Employers in major states such as Victoria, Queensland and the ACT are advertising more jobs than they can get, which is indicative of skills shortage that cannot be fulfilled by the domestic workers.
In the case of international trade students, it translates to high employment opportunities, reduced industry experience barriers, and better understanding of the work visa and permanent residency (PR). Due to an increase in demand in all the construction, electrical, plumbing, automotive, welding, and other vital trades, this is one of the most appropriate times to pursue a trade career in Australia.
Ground-breaking Employment opportunities for females in Australia in the construction sector:
The figure below shows a massive increase from around 5% to 14% in the number of women employed in the construction sector in Australia from 1995 till 2023. This is because the construction industry in Australia is changing and it is creating greater opportunities for women who are willing to establish a career in the tools. Australian initiatives such as Women Building Australia, encourage women to be a part of the construction sector unlike other countries where women hardly make up to the construction workforce. This increase in women employment in labour and construction areas is expected to increase more in Australia.
For the female students in the trade courses, it translates to availability of competitive salary, long-term career opportunities and on-the-job training in traditionally male dominated sectors. Joining the construction sector now, women will be able to not only cover the most needed gaps in the labor force but also create a more diverse, rewarding, and financially stable future.
Five Year Australian Employment Projection:
In the next five years, the labour market in Australia is set to experience a stable growth and there is a high prospect of both skilled trade workforce as well as service sectors. Trades like carpenters, electricians, plumbers, welders, bricklayers, stonemasons, air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, cooks and chefs are expected to have high demand. The high demand trades provide good employment opportunities, good remuneration and access to permanent residency, and this depicts the continued demand of skilled labor in Australia to have a stable and diversified workforce.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the decision to select the appropriate trade course could be a great opportunity to obtain skill-based employment and permanent residency in Australia. Skilled professions are being frequently added to the MLTSSL list and so the demand in the Australian industry is escalating. This shows that still there is a big room for international students to permanently transition to Australia on the basis of their skills. Starting with your trade courses journey today can potentially set the foundations for you towards a successful and stable life in Australia.
