By Amanda O'Shaughnessy, Registered Migration Agent | MARN 2619599
Updated: 10 November 2026
If you are a carpenter, bricklayer, electrician, plumber, drainer or another qualified construction tradesperson, skilled migration may offer a pathway to permanent residency in Australia.
For many tradies, the process starts with a skills assessment, followed by an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. Western Australia may be worth considering if you want to live and work in its construction industry. It continues to show it prioritises trade occupations in invite rounds.
Your occupation, qualifications, experience, age, English and points score all matter. Here is how the main steps fit together.
The main permanent residency pathways for tradies
The Skilled Independent visa, subclass 189, and Skilled Nominated visa, subclass 190, are permanent visas.
The 189 does not require state nomination. The 190 requires nomination by a state or territory, such as Western Australia, as well as an invitation to apply.
The subclass 491 is another option for eligible applicants considering regional Australia. It is a provisional visa with a potential pathway to permanent residence, subject to meeting further requirements.
Employer sponsorship may also provide a route to permanent residence through the subclass 186 visa. The right pathway depends on your circumstances; a temporary sponsored visa does not automatically lead to PR.
How can a bricklayer or carpenter get PR in Australia?
For the 189 and 190 skilled migration pathways, carpenters and bricklayers need a suitable skills assessment through Trades Recognition Australia.
Under TRA’s Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) program, you generally need a relevant qualification and at least three years of paid employment in your nominated occupation, or the part-time equivalent. You must also demonstrate at least 12 months of recent employment within the three years before applying.
TRA assesses your qualification and employment evidence. This can include your trade certificate, transcripts, apprenticeship documents, employer statements and proof of payment.
The three-year requirement is not a rule that applies identically across every TRA program. Applicants with Australian qualifications or those entering another assessment pathway need to check that program’s requirements. The MSA is the likely pathway for Irish and UK bricklayers and carpenters for example.
Streamlined assessments depend on your trade and passport
TRA has published streamlined arrangements for certain qualified construction workers. These allow eligible occupation and passport combinations to use the documentary MSA process instead of a mandatory Offshore Skills Assessment Program assessment.
For example, TRA’s published arrangements include qualified Irish passport holders applying as carpenters or bricklayers. Eligibility still depends on the relevant qualification and assessment requirements.
Streamlining and priority processing are different. A simpler assessment pathway does not guarantee a particular turnaround time. Check the current arrangements before applying.
How can an electrician get PR in Australia?
Electricians may qualify for permanent residency through the subclass 189, WA-nominated subclass 190 or employer-nominated subclass 186 visa. The right pathway depends on your skills assessment, age, English, experience and, for points-tested visas, your points score and an invitation to apply.
Electrician (General), Electrician (Special Class), Plumber (General), and Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic are licensed occupations under TRA’s assessment arrangements. These occupations require assessment through the Offshore Skills Assessment Program rather than the standard MSA program.
For an overseas-qualified applicant following the relevant pathway, a successful assessment can result in an Offshore Technical Skills Record, known as an OTSR.
An OTSR supports an application for a provisional licence. Australian gap training and supervised employment are then generally required to progress towards the relevant Australian qualification and full licensing.
Migration assessment and occupational licensing are separate processes. You may not need to complete licensing before submitting an EOI, but you must hold the suitable migration skills assessment and meet the relevant visa and nomination requirements. You must also hold the required authorisation before performing licensed work.
Calculate your points before submitting an EOI
For the points-tested skilled pathways, 65 points is the minimum eligibility threshold. It does not guarantee an invitation.
Points may come from age, English, qualifications, eligible skilled employment, partner circumstances and other recognised factors. State nomination adds five points for the 190 or 15 points for the 491.
For example, an applicant with 60 points independently may reach 65 with 190 nomination.
You generally need to be under 45 when invited, have at least competent English and hold a suitable, valid skills assessment.
Once your assessment, English evidence and points claims are ready, you can submit your Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. An EOI is not a visa application and does not extend your current visa or work rights or get you a bridging visa.
Can tradies receive an invitation with 65 points?
Yes. In the Home Affairs invitation round on 15 October 2026, the published minimum score was 65 for occupations including Carpenter, Bricklayer, Drainer, Electrician (General), Plumber (General), and Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic.
That is encouraging for eligible tradespeople, but it does not establish your chance of receiving the next invitation. Occupation demand, available places, points and tie-break dates affect selection.
WA nomination should also be considered if you intend to settle in Western Australia. Its program has its own occupation lists, selection priorities and eligibility requirements. Check the current criteria for your trade and stream rather than assuming that 65 points alone will secure nomination.
Make sure you can prove every points claim
Prepare your evidence before submitting your EOI, even though SkillSelect does not require you to upload documents at that stage.
Employment claims need particular care. Work accepted for a skills assessment is not automatically eligible for skilled employment points. Apprenticeship periods, qualification dates, duties, hours and payment evidence may affect what you can claim.
Keep employer references, payslips, tax records and other supporting documents. Self-employed applicants should also retain business and financial records.
If Home Affairs cannot award the points stated in your invitation, your application can be refused, even if your remaining score is still 65 or more. Have uncertain claims checked before an invitation arrives.
After receiving the visa invitation, lodge your application with Home Affairs within the stated deadline and upload evidence supporting your claims and the other visa requirements, including health and character. An invitation does not guarantee a visa grant.
WA construction subsidies may help with your move
The Construction Visa Subsidy Program (CVSP) supports eligible construction migrants through its State Nominated Migration Program stream.
Eligible migrants granted a WA-nominated subclass 190 or 491 visa may qualify for payments totalling up to $10,000 for offshore applicants or up to $5,000 for onshore applicants.
Your classification depends on the program’s definition, including where you were living when you lodged your visa. A visa grant alone does not trigger entitlement to the full subsidy: eligible employment, the approved occupation list, milestone evidence and other conditions apply.
Check your exact occupation and visa pathway against the current CVSP guide. A 189 grant does not qualify through the WA state-nominated stream for the subsidy.
The Skilled Migrant Job Connect subsidy may separately help eligible WA-based migrants with approved skills assessment, gap training and occupational licensing costs. This is usually a great help for electricians and plumbers.
Looking for a WA employer?
Registering with the Skilled Migrant Employment Register is a practical step if you are seeking work or exploring employer sponsorship.
It is a free matching service through the Migration WA Portal. You create a profile outlining your occupation, experience and preferred location, and interested employers can invite you to connect.
Some construction employers using the register may qualify for sponsorship subsidies and may already be approved standard business sponsors that have sponsored previously.
Get a clear plan for your trade
Before spending money on skills assessments or lodging an EOI, check your occupation, assessment pathway, points and visa options together.
Nua Migration helps construction tradespeople understand their options for living and working in Australia, including skilled migration, WA nomination and employer sponsorship.
Book a consultation with Nua Migration
This article provides general information, not migration advice for your circumstances. Visa requirements, invitation results, assessment arrangements and subsidy conditions can change. Confirm the current requirements before applying or committing to costs.