Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is the relevant skills assessing authority for people with trade skills applying to migrate to Australia for many trade occupations. 

For overseas tradespersons from UK, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa or Philippines, Vetassess will generally be the relevant assessing authority when applying for an Australian skills assessment in respect of the following occupations:

• general electrician
• general plumber
• refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanic
• motor mechanic
• carpenter
• joiner
• electrical powerline tradesperson
• cable jointer
• bricklayer

Persons wishing to migrate to Australia under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program require a skills assessment before lodging their application for Australian immigration as a skilled migrant. 

Where TRA is the approved assessor, overseas applicants are required to complete a skills assessment under the Skilled Worker Program to have their relevant skills and/or qualifications assessed against Australian standards. A fee for this assessment is payable to TRA.

TRA requires applicants to complete an approved application form, pay the prescribed fee and provide all requested supporting documents to consider an application. 

From 10 November 2010 TRA has introduced a new Skilled Worker Program Assessment Application Form which applicants must use in applying to have their skills assessed by TRA. 

TRA have advised that they will continue to accept skills assessment applications using the previous version of the application form until 10 December 2010.  After this date, any applications using the old version of the skills assessment application form will be returned to the applicant unprocessed.