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Get your overseas plumbing licence recognised in Australia
Plumbing is a licensed trade in Australia. We guide overseas-trained plumbers from the TRA skills assessment to a full state plumbing licence, step by step.
Sound familiar?
Most overseas plumbers have no clear roadmap. We’ve built one, and we walk you through it.
You’re working as a labourer or offsider, way below your skill level.
You’ve been told your overseas plumbing licence doesn’t count here, but not what to do about it.
You’re earning far less than licensed plumbers doing the same job.
You’ve read about OTSRs, provisional licences and gap training, and still don’t know where to start.
What getting recognised actually means
Same skills, same job. The difference is the right paperwork, in the right order.
- Offsider or labouring work
- Overseas licence not recognised
- No clear visa pathway
- Lower pay for the same skills
- Licensed plumber in your state
- Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420)
- Eligible for skilled & sponsored visas
- Access to qualified roles and better pay
The pathway to your Australian licence
Plumbing is a licensed trade. Here’s the official recognition process, step by step. How licensing works in your state →
Skills assessment with TRA
Run by a TRA-approved training organisation in three stages: documentary evidence, a technical interview and, if required, a practical assessment at an approved venue. A successful result gives you an Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR).
Provisional licence or registration
With your OTSR, you apply to the plumbing regulator in your state or territory. This is usually a provisional licence. You work under the supervision of a licensed plumber and build up the supervised work hours (around 500 hours) you need to enrol in gap training.
Gap training
You complete gap training with a registered training organisation: the Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420) or, in some states, the Certificate in Migrant Plumbing. There is no national gap training package, so content, cost and timing vary by state.
Full licence
Once gap training is done, you apply for your full tradesperson licence. Running your own plumbing business usually needs a further contractor licence.
To enrol in gap training, overseas-trained plumbers need around 500 hours of supervised work.
If you live in Western Australia, the WA Government’s Skilled Migration Job Connect subsidy can reimburse up to $10,000 of approved costs, including your skills assessment, migrant gap training and licence fees.
To be eligible you must live in WA, have arrived in the last 10 years, hold a visa with work rights, and be unemployed, working below your skill level or need the assessment or licence to work in your trade.
Do you qualify?
Typical experience requirements. We confirm your exact situation in the free eligibility check.
| With a qualification | Without a qualification | |
|---|---|---|
| Work experience | 4 years minimum | 6 years minimum |
| Recent experience | 12 months in the trade in the last 3 years | 12 months in the trade in the last 3 years |
| Assessed by | TRA, through an approved training organisation | TRA, through an approved training organisation |
Check your eligibility in 60 seconds
Tell us about your trade and experience. We’ll tell you exactly what you qualify for. Free, no commitment.
I've been through this myself
I’m an electrician by trade and went through the same licensed-trade process: the TRA assessment, a provisional licence, gap training and all the paperwork in between. I know where applications get stuck, and how to avoid it.
How Oversix supports you
Three steps from first contact to an approved application.
Free eligibility check
Answer 6 quick questions. We tell you which pathway applies to you and what your first step is.
Strategy call
A 1:1 call to map out your options, realistic timelines and next steps, in plain English (or French).
Full application support
We prepare your skills assessment application, check every document and keep things moving with the assessor.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the skills assessment take for plumbers?
It varies: for licensed trades, it often takes several months. TRA first reviews your documents, then the technical interview and practical assessment follow. Missing or weak documents are the main cause of delays, which is why we check everything before submission.
Can I work as a plumber while I complete gap training?
Yes, once you hold a provisional licence or restricted registration from your state regulator. You work under the supervision of a licensed plumber or plumbing contractor.
Is the process the same in every state?
No. Each state and territory has its own plumbing regulator, with its own provisional licence, registration and gap training rules. We map out the exact steps for the state where you live or plan to work.
Do I need to be in Australia to start?
No. You can start your TRA application from overseas. Many of our clients begin before they arrive in Australia.
Is a skills assessment the same as RPL?
No. Plumbing is a licensed trade, so you need a TRA skills assessment. RPL is for non-licensed trades such as carpenters or welders.
Real tradies. Real results.
Over 100 overseas tradies have already gone through the Oversix process. Here’s what some of them had to say.
Ready to get your plumbing licence?
It takes 60 seconds. No commitment. Just clarity.