(OSAP) is an assessment pathway for eligible applicants applying for a permanent migration visa including:
- General Skilled Migration (GSM)
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS)
- Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) if applicable.
For further information on these types of visas please visit Department of Home Affairs
OSAP skills assessments are designed to determine if applicants have the skills and experience necessary to work in Australia at the trade level for their occupation so they can contribute immediately to the Australian workforce.
If you are applying for a skills assessment under the Offshore Skills Assessment Program you must read the Applicant Guidelines before proceeding.
Nominated Occupations, Passport Countries and Assessment Locations
Please refer to the table below for listing of OSAP nominated occupations:
Candidates are required to hold a passport from one of the OSAP nominated passport countries for your nominated occupation.
It is a requirement for candidates to reside in or can travel to one of the countries listed below for the skills assessment process including the technical interview and practical if necessary –
- Australia
- Philippines
- Republic of Ireland
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
Nominated Occupations - Pathway 2
Eligibility Pathway 1 and Pathway 2
After confirming you have a nominated occupation and hold a passport from a nominated country and you are in a skills assessment country you can determine your eligibility for the following pathways –
OSAP Pathway 1
- If the applicant does not have formal training, then they must provide evidence of at least 5 years full time paid employment in a directly related trade, including evidence of at least 12 months full time paid employment in the nominated trade in the last 3 years before the date of application.
- If the applicant does have formal training, then they must provide evidence of at least 3 years full time paid employment in a directly related trade, including evidence of at least 12 months full time paid employment in the nominated trade in the last 3 years before the date of application.
Pathway 1 applicants will be required to complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) to help identify if you have the relevant skills that meet the Australian standards in your trade. You will need to be competent in all the mandatory units and many of the elective units.
OSAP Pathway 2
Suitable for candidates who already hold a relevant Australian qualification in the nominated occupation area and can demonstrate at least three (3) years fulltime experience or part-time equivalent including current employment in the trade area for twelve (12) of the last 36 months.
Pathway 2 applicants DO NOT need to complete a SAQ, as you already hold an Australian qualification within the nominated occupation/trade.
How to Apply
The Skills Assessment Process is designed to assess a client against the standards of the relevant Australian Training Package. These packages are designed by industry, for industry and are used by Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s) in assessing competency. Download and make yourself familiar with the “GUIDE TO AUSTRALIAN SAFETY STANDARDS“
When applying for your skills assessment you must provide all available evidence to ensure your application is “Decision Ready” (see evidence checklist in the Application form pages 12-13) including the completed SAQ as part of your application for Pathway 1.
If you are satisfied that you meet the Eligibility Criteria,
Australian Office: (Asia and South Africa applications also)
ACTS Visa Skills
12A 171 Power Street
Glendenning NSW 2761
PO Box 598
Plumpton NSW 2761
Australia
TIP: Read the Applicant Guidelines when completing the Application Form. NOTE: All assessments must be conducted in English.
A representative from ACTS will make contact with you within 5 working days to confirm your details.
Fees and Charges
New payment arrangements for TSS Program and OSAP
Commencing on 1 March 2019, applicants for Trades Recognition Australia’s (TRA) TSS Skills Assessment Program (TSS program) and Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) will pay fees for their skills assessment directly to TRA through the TRA Online Portal.
Australian Construction Training Services will provide you with an RTO assessment payment identifier code that must be used to make payment through the TRA Online Portal for the service you require, for example, a documentary evidence assessment, technical assessment, etc.
From 1 March 2019, the following fees apply for the TSS Program and OSAP. These fees are also available on the TRA website in the Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS) for the TRA RTO Assessment Services (see TRA News Items, published 4 January 2019).
| Assessment step | Fee Amount (GST Excl) |
|---|---|
| Documentary Evidence | $1,120.00 |
| DocumentaryEvidenceDocumentary Evidence – Review | $700.00 |
| Documentary Evidence – Reassessment | $450.00 |
| Technical Interview – Pathway 1 | $2,000.00 |
| Technical Interview – Pathway 1 – Review | $700.00 |
| Technical Interview – Pathway 1 – Reassessment | $1,000.00 |
| Technical Interview – Pathway 2 | $900.00 |
| Technical Interview – Pathway 2 – Review | $700.00 |
| Technical Interview – Pathway 2 Reassessment | $450.00 |
| Practical Assessment | $2,200.00 |
| Practical Assessment – Review | $700.00 |
| Practical Assessment – Reassessment | $1,100.00 |
Skills Assessment Process
Stage One: Application Review
Once we receive your completed OSAP application form along with your SAQ (Pathway 1 only) our team will review your application and supporting evidence. All documents provided must be in English. Non-English documents must be provided with an accompanying translation from a registered translation service. If your application is accepted and no further evidence is required we will request the Documentary Assessment payment will be paid directly to TRA through the TRA Online POrtal. An assessment payment identifier code will be provided.
Stage Two: Documentary Assessment
Documentary evidence must contain the following:
- Certified true colour copies of your formal training qualifications
- Certified true colour copy of photo identification (passport required)
- Scan colour copies of licences/permits (if applicable)
- Scan colour copies of employer statements
- Two passport-sized photographs
- Current Resume/work history
- Photographic or video evidence must be provided that shows you conducting work tasks using appropriate tools and/or machinery in personal protective equipment (PPE).
If your documentary evidence satisfies the criteria and we have verified your competency skills and time in the trade with your Referees, you will proceed to Stage Three
Stage Three: Technical Interview / Practical Skills Demonstration
You will be required to undertake a technical interview at one of our Skills Assessment locations (please contact ACTS for location details) with our Trade Assessors to determine if your skills and knowledge meet the qualification requirements. The Technical Interview payment will be requested at this time and paid directly to TRA through the TRAP Online Portal as per the initial payment.
The assessment itself is based on questioning techniques and discussions, which allow the client to express the relevant competency. Throughout the Technical Assessment, questions on Australian Safety Standards and how they are used in the workplace will be included.
NOTE: All technical interviews are conducted in English with no external assistance.
Should the need arise, a Practical Demonstration of skills will be requested. This is used to gain a further insight into the applicant’s competency, by way of demonstrating skills, using appropriate tools and equipment.
Stage Four: Assessment Outcome
Once a full Assessors report has been submitted and the Compliance Panel has reviewed the relevant evidence then a decision will be made on the outcome of the assessment.
The outcome can be either Successful or Unsuccessful. If successful, ACTS will issue a full AQFIII Qualification for the trade and a successful outcome letter (Pathway 2 successful outcome letter only). This letter may then form part of your application with the Department of Home Affairs.
Should the outcome be unsuccessful, ACTS will provide a letter explaining the reason(s) for your unsuccessful outcome along with a list of identified competencies required to achieve the full AQFIII qualification. A Statement of Attainment however will be provided, detailing the units of competency achieved throughout the process. ACTS will further guide the applicant as to the “Gap Units” and how to arrange for these to be trained and then reassessed.
At any time the client can apply for reassessment or review a decision made by ACTS. Please refer to TRA website forms and Policies.
Reassessment Policy
Candidates have the right to appeal an assessment decision. Please refer to the TRA website forms and Policies
Refund Policy
Candidates may apply for a refund. Please refer to the TRA website forms and Policies
Feedback and Complaints Policy
Any candidate wishing to leave feedback or make a complaint or comment about the service provided by ACTS please Enquire Now and you will receive acknowledgement within 5 working days.
It is the responsibility of each Country/Region Manager to respond to, action and endeavour to resolve any complaints received. Please refer to our Contact Us section for details of each office.