Chef 351311 via TRA: JRP, Skill Requirements and When to Consider DAMA
Chef (351311) and the TRA assessment: two pathways
A Chef (ANZSCO 351311) sits at Skill Level 2 — higher than a Cook (351411, Skill Level 3). That distinction shapes how TRA approaches the assessment. A chef has two main TRA pathways:
Pathway 1 — MTS (Migration Technical Skills Assessment) from outside Australia: This suits a chef who is still overseas and does not yet hold an Australian visa. TRA reviews your documentation, theoretical knowledge and practical skills at an assessment centre nominated by TRA.
Pathway 2 — JRP (Job Ready Program) in Australia: This suits a chef who is already in Australia on a working visa. You work under supervision in a commercial Australian kitchen and are assessed by TRA through your real on-the-job performance.
Both pathways depend on a strong skills file built carefully from the very first step.
How does Chef 351311 differ from Cook 351411 in a TRA file?
The two codes are not interchangeable — TRA assesses each one separately.
Chef 351311:
- A kitchen leadership role: menu design, section management, training staff, quality control
- Demands more experience and higher-level skills — the ability to supervise and manage is part of the competency
- Your file needs to show that you do not just cook but also lead the kitchen operation
- Equivalent to Certificate III in Commercial Cookery plus the Chef competency component
Cook 351411:
- A hands-on role: cooking, preparing food, following a set menu
- Equivalent to Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (the Cook component)
If your experience is mostly cooking under someone else’s direction, without a leadership role or menu design, the Cook code (351411) may be the better fit. This affects your pathway and visa eligibility, so it is worth understanding the difference before you commit.
JRP or DAMA — when should you choose each?
This is a practical question many chefs need to think through.
JRP tends to suit you better when:
- You want to work in the larger cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth), where DAMA is uncommon or does not apply
- You already hold a working visa and are in Australia
- Your employer does not participate in a DAMA
- You want a TRA certificate that carries broader value across several visa types
DAMA tends to suit you better when:
- You are willing to work and live in a DAMA region (Darwin, regional South Australia, regional Western Australia, and so on)
- An employer holds a DAMA agreement and is willing to sponsor you
- The pay on offer in the DAMA region matches your expectations
Neither option is universally “better” — it depends on the employer you find and the region where you want to settle.
Preparing your Chef skills file
Culinary qualifications:
- A vocational cookery certificate, a culinary diploma, or trade kitchen training from a recognised culinary school
- Qualifications from a 4–5 star hotel or a professional culinary school are viewed more favourably
- If your documents are not in English, check the current translation requirements with TRA before you submit
Letters confirming Chef-level experience:
- The name and address of the restaurant or hotel — TRA may verify these online
- A specific job title: “Sous Chef”, “Chef de Partie”, “Head Chef”, “Chef Tournant” — not a generic “head of kitchen”
- A description of your leadership role: how many people you managed, which section, whether you designed menus
- Full-time duration in a Chef-level position (not an ordinary kitchen-hand role)
- The number of covers (guests per service) to show the scale of the restaurant
Evidence of the size and type of establishment:
- A 4–5 star restaurant, hotel, fine dining or casual dining venue — the type of establishment affects how the Chef level is assessed
- Menus you built or contributed to (if you can provide them)
- Photos of your work in the kitchen (without breaching the venue’s confidentiality)
Gap training for chefs trained overseas
Food safety and HACCP: Even a senior chef needs to demonstrate knowledge of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) to Australian standards. Unlike a cook, a chef must understand HACCP at a management level — not only carrying it out but also designing and supervising the system.
Menu costing and food cost management: This is a Chef competency that TRA treats as characteristic of 351311. A JRP file needs to show that you understand food cost percentage, waste management, and menu pricing.
Australian food hygiene standards: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) sets Australia’s food safety standards. Gap training usually covers understanding and applying the Food Standards Code.
Allergen management: In a professional Australian kitchen, allergen management and food safety are taken far more seriously than in many kitchen environments overseas. Gap training may include Australian allergen labelling and the employer’s kitchen protocols.
Work placement for chefs
Who can be a suitable supervisor: The supervisor (the person who oversees you and signs your logbook) needs appropriate expertise in the trade — not just any member of kitchen staff. Check the specific supervisor requirements with TRA and the employer before choosing a work placement.
Suitable types of establishment:
- A fine dining or casual dining restaurant with a professional kitchen brigade
- A 4–5 star hotel kitchen
- Corporate catering or an upmarket restaurant
- A resort kitchen
A note on overseas-cuisine restaurants: Many chefs look for a work placement at a restaurant serving their home cuisine in Australia. This can be valid if the restaurant is a normally operating commercial establishment and the supervisor meets the JRP requirements — confirm this with TRA before relying on it. However, TRA will scrutinise more closely if the establishment serves only a single national cuisine, because Certificate III also covers European cuisine. You need to show a diverse range of skills in your logbook.