When applying for a trade skills assessment through the Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) Skills Assessment Program, your total years of experience matter — but so does how recently you have been working in your trade.
A strong employment history from many years ago may show that you have valuable experience, but a TSS skills assessment is also designed to confirm that your skills are current and that you are capable of working at trade level in Australia now.
That is why recent work experience can play such an important role in your application.
What Is the TSS Skills Assessment Program?
The TSS Skills Assessment Program is an assessment pathway for eligible applicants applying for temporary skilled migration to Australia.
ACTS Visa Skills is approved by Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) to deliver TSS skills assessments for eligible applicants.
The purpose of the assessment is to determine whether an applicant has the skills and experience required to work at the Australian trade level in their nominated occupation.
At present, ACTS lists Cabinetmaker as the nominated occupation available through its TSS assessment pathway.
Why Recent Experience Is So Important
A skills assessment is not only about proving that you have worked in your trade before.
Assessors also need to determine whether your skills are current.
Trade industries change over time. Tools, machinery, materials, safety expectations and workplace practices can all develop, so recent experience helps demonstrate that you are still actively using your trade skills in a real working environment.
This can provide stronger evidence that you are ready to contribute to the Australian workforce.
TSS Pathway 1: Recent Work Experience Requirements
For applicants completing TSS Pathway 1, the employment requirements depend partly on whether you have completed formal trade training.
Applicants without formal training must provide evidence of at least five years of full-time paid employment in a directly related trade.
Applicants who have completed formal training must provide evidence of at least three years of full-time paid employment in a directly related trade.
Importantly, both groups must also demonstrate at least 12 months of full-time paid employment in the nominated trade during the three years before applying.
This recent-work requirement helps show that your skills are not simply based on experience gained many years ago.
TSS Pathway 2 Also Looks at Current Experience
Recent experience is also relevant for TSS Pathway 2.
This pathway is designed for applicants who already hold a relevant Australian qualification in their nominated occupation.
Applicants must demonstrate at least three years of full-time experience, or the part-time equivalent, including employment in the trade for 12 of the previous 36 months.
So, even if you already hold an Australian trade qualification, current employment experience remains an important part of demonstrating your eligibility.
What Does Recent Work Experience Show?
Recent work experience can help demonstrate that you are actively performing the duties expected within your nominated trade.
For a Cabinetmaker, for example, this may include regularly working with materials, tools, machinery, plans, measurements, assembly processes and installation tasks relevant to the occupation.
It can also help demonstrate that you are still familiar with:
- Current tools and equipment
- Workplace safety practices
- Trade processes and techniques
- Reading plans and specifications
- Problem-solving on the job
- Working independently at trade level
The assessment is ultimately looking at your practical competence, not simply how long you have held a particular job title.
Your Evidence Needs to Support Your Work History
Simply stating that you have been working recently is not enough.
The documentary assessment stage requires evidence that supports your employment history and trade experience.
ACTS Visa Skills identifies documentary evidence such as employer statements, a current resume or work history, licences or permits where relevant, and photographic or video evidence showing the applicant completing work tasks using appropriate tools or machinery and personal protective equipment.
ACTS Visa Skills may also verify your competency and time in the trade with referees as part of the assessment process.
This means your evidence should clearly show what work you have been doing, how long you have been doing it and how that work relates to your nominated occupation.
Keep Your Employment Evidence Accurate and Detailed
A common mistake is relying on a job title alone.
Two people may both have the title “Cabinetmaker”, but the duties they perform could be very different.
Your employment evidence should accurately describe the tasks and responsibilities you have carried out.
Strong evidence may help an assessor understand:
- The type of work you performed
- The tools and machinery you used
- The level of responsibility you held
- Whether your work aligns with the nominated trade
- Whether your skills have been used recently
Making your application as complete and “decision ready” as possible can also reduce the likelihood of requests for additional information. ACTS Visa Skills advises applicants to provide all available evidence when applying.
What If Your Experience Is Mostly From Several Years Ago?
If most of your trade experience was gained a long time ago and you have not worked in the occupation recently, you may not meet the current employment requirements for the TSS pathway.
This does not necessarily mean your previous experience has no value.
However, applicants should check the eligibility criteria carefully before applying and make sure they can demonstrate the required recent employment period.
ACTS Visa Skills recommends reviewing the relevant applicant guidelines and eligibility requirements before beginning the assessment process.
Recent Experience Helps Show You Are Trade-Ready
The purpose of the TSS skills assessment is to establish whether an applicant has the skills and experience necessary to work at the Australian trade level.
Your past experience helps show how your skills were developed.
Your recent experience helps show those skills are still current.
For applicants preparing for a TSS skills assessment, making sure your employment evidence clearly demonstrates both your overall trade history and your recent work can be an important part of building a strong application.
At ACTS Visa Skills, we support eligible applicants through the TSS Skills Assessment Program, from the initial application and documentary assessment through to the technical interview and, where required, practical skills demonstration.
If you are considering a TSS skills assessment, review the eligibility requirements carefully and make sure your recent employment history is well documented before applying.