Changes to the skills assessment criterion for trade occupation—12 March 2010

From 12 March 2010, all applicants applying for either a Skilled—Regional Sponsored (subclass 487) visa, Skilled—Independent (subclass 885) visa or Skilled—Sponsored (subclass 886) visa will be able to use an existing suitable skills assessment to lodge a valid visa application. This will allow applicants nominating a trade occupation for the above visa subclasses to provide a skills assessment predating 1 January 2010 and is in line with the minister’s announcement on 8 February 2010.

Potential applicants expressed concern with the requirement that they provide a skills assessment dated on or after 1 January 2010 if nominating a trade occupation as a number already held a suitable skills assessment issued before this date. The change has been introduced to allow applicants who have already obtained a suitable skills assessment to use this at the permanent migration stage.