Trade skills assessment pathway removed for those without qualifications
In an unexpected announcement affecting skilled migration to Australia, the body that assesses the competencies of most trade skills occupations (Trades Recognition Australia) has announced the removal of the assessment pathway for those who do not have qualifications.
TRA has announced that all applications that have been received from individuals seeking to rely on what is known as Skill Pathway D are to be returned immediately, together with the skills assessment fee. Skill Pathway D is the route to a skills assessment classification for those who predominantly rely on evidence of skilled work experience.
We believe that this change has probably arisen as a result of questionable work experience claims submitted by those seeking a skills assessment classification from TRA - to the best of our knowledge these claims are not checked by TRA prior to an assessment being issued. At a time when a Federal election in Australia is only a matter of weeks away it would clearly not be in the Government's interests for the existence of fraudulent work experience claims from those seeking to work in a trade skills capacity to become an election issue - the Minister can now point to a tightening of the process.
