TRA and Overseas Qualifications: How They Are Counted

If you hold a trade qualification or trade certificate from overseas and want to work in a trade occupation in Australia, TRA (Trades Recognition Australia) is the body that assesses how that qualification compares with the Australian standard.

TRA does not automatically recognise overseas qualifications

The key point to understand from the outset: TRA has no automatic recognition mechanism of the kind “an overseas trade certificate = an Australian Certificate III”. Instead, TRA assesses each individual application and considers your qualifications, experience and skills.

The final result is not a separate equivalence certificate — it is the outcome of the Job Ready Program (JRP) process or an initial assessment of the application (the Skills Evaluation).

The TRA process for assessing overseas qualifications

Step 1 — Skills Evaluation (SE)

This is the gateway into TRA. You lodge an application including your qualifications, work experience and related documents. TRA reviews whether:

Your occupation is on the list of occupations TRA assesses
Your qualifications and experience provide a sufficient base to join the Job Ready Program
There are any skills gaps that need to be addressed

The SE outcomes:

Approved: you can join the JRP and begin the practical work stage
Conditional Approval: you can join the JRP but with additional conditions (for example, completing certain training modules first)
Not Approved: not eligible to join the JRP

Step 2 — Job Ready Program (JRP)

After the SE is approved, you enter the practical work stage in Australia. See the details at TRA Job Ready Program.

The types of qualifications TRA considers

TRA considers many types of evidence of trade competency:

Formal qualifications:

A trade qualification from a vocational school or formal training
An apprenticeship completion certificate
A trade licence from a government licensing authority (where the trade is licensed)

Practical experience:

Letters from employers confirming experience, detailing the hours and type of work
Payslips, employment contracts
Photos or evidence of work (a portfolio) in some trades

Note: TRA requires sufficiently detailed evidence — not just a single generic letter stating “worked as an electrician for 5 years”. You need to describe the specific type of work, the equipment used, and the safety standards followed.

How overseas qualifications are typically assessed

From TRA’s perspective, an overseas trade qualification (for example a vocational secondary or vocational college certificate) is usually seen as having a certain technical foundation — but it is not automatically equivalent to an Australian trade certificate.

Common gaps:

Safety standards (WHS — Work Health and Safety) differ
Equipment and technology used overseas may differ from Australia
Some technical standards apply specifically to Australia (for example, AS/NZS standards in electrical and plumbing work)

For this reason, even with an overseas trade qualification and many years of experience, you usually still need to go through the JRP to demonstrate competency to the Australian standard.

Initial processing time

The time to assess the initial Skills Evaluation varies by assessment type and application volume — check the current timeframes on the official TRA website. The actual time also depends on how complete the documents you lodge are.

The entire process from SE to JRFA (the final result) usually takes 18–36 months — including the practical work stage.

Documents to prepare

Your trade graduation certificate (original or certified copy with an English translation)
Transcripts (if available)
Letters from employer(s) confirming experience — detailing the trade, hours, and specific responsibilities
A trade licence or registration to practise (where the trade requires licensing)
A valid passport and visa to work in Australia (if you want to join the JRP)

See more at Documents to prepare for a skills assessment.