Trades Recognition Australia
Job Ready Program (JRP)
The Job Ready Program is a 12-month employment-based skills assessment run by Trades Recognition Australia, within the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. It is for international student graduates of an Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) course who are working in Australia toward a skilled visa. Fees total $3,410, and the entire Program must be completed within three years of the Start Date.
Total Fees
$3,410
Across three stages
Duration
12 months or more
Complete within 3 years of Start Date
Who It Is For
Australian VET graduates
After a successful Provisional Skills Assessment
What is the Job Ready Program?
The Job Ready Program is a 12-month employment-based skills assessment for international student graduates of an Australian VET course who are working in Australia toward a skilled visa. Where the Provisional Skills Assessment is a documentary check of qualifications, the Job Ready Program confirms that you can perform the occupation in a real Australian workplace. The skills are assessed against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).
A successful outcome supports an application for a permanent skilled visa. Most candidates reach the Job Ready Program after holding a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa, having first completed the Provisional Skills Assessment.
Who is eligible for the Job Ready Program?
Eligibility rests on a single decisive prerequisite. You must hold a successful Provisional Skills Assessment from within the last three years, completed using the same online account and the same occupation you will use for the Job Ready Program. A mismatch in account or occupation breaks the link between the two programs.
You are eligible if
- You are an international student graduate of an Australian VET course.
- You hold a successful Provisional Skills Assessment from within the last three years.
- That Provisional Skills Assessment uses the same online account and the same occupation as your Job Ready Program.
- You are working in Australia in the assessed occupation toward a skilled visa.
Who is excluded
- The four licensed occupations are not eligible for the Job Ready Program.
- Applicants without a successful Provisional Skills Assessment within the last three years.
- Applicants whose Provisional Skills Assessment was completed under a different occupation or a different online account.
What are the Job Ready Program fees?
The Job Ready Program fees total $3,410, paid in three stages across the Program. An additional Workplace Assessment is charged separately only where one is required. If the Program is not completed within three years of the Start Date, it is treated as unsuccessful, and any reapplication attracts the standard fees again.
| Stage | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Job Ready Employment | $490 | Stage one application, where Prior Employment is claimed |
| Job Ready Workplace Assessment | $2,845 | On-the-job assessment of skills against the occupation |
| Job Ready Final Assessment | $75 | Final stage, producing the Skills Assessment Outcome letter |
| Additional Workplace Assessment | $2,845 | Payable only if a further Workplace Assessment is required |
| Program total | $3,410 | Excludes any additional Workplace Assessment |
How does the Job Ready Program work, step by step?
The Program runs in stages over at least 12 months, each tied to a defined timeline marker. The whole Program must be completed within three years of the Start Date, so tracking each marker against that outer limit is essential.
Step 1: Up to 30 days
Job Ready Employment and registration
Lodge the Job Ready Employment application and pay $490. Registration is confirmed within up to 30 days. Prior Employment can be claimed only now, at this application, and cannot be added or amended later, so the full claim must be complete before lodging.
Step 2: At 6 months
Skills Progress Report and Employment Confirmation
At the 6-month point, the Skills Progress Report and the Employment Confirmation Form are completed. These confirm the employment is continuing and that your skills are developing in the assessed occupation.
Step 3: Up to 15 weeks
Job Ready Workplace Assessment
The Job Ready Workplace Assessment, at $2,845, is an on-the-job assessment of your skills against the occupation. It is completed within up to 15 weeks of being arranged. An additional Workplace Assessment is a further $2,845 if one is required.
Step 4: Within 14 days
Job Ready Final Assessment and outcome
Lodge the Job Ready Final Assessment, at $75, after at least 12 months of qualifying employment. The official Skills Assessment Outcome letter is issued within 14 days of the Final Assessment application. The entire Program must be completed within three years of the Start Date.
What evidence does the Job Ready Program require?
The Program is evidence-driven at every stage, with strict rules on employment, employer registration and document translation. Meeting these requirements as the work happens is more reliable than reconstructing them later.
Employment hours
Full-time employment is an average of 38 hours per week. Work below that level is counted on a pro-rata basis. Subcontractor work may count where at least six months full-time equivalent is completed with a single contractor who signs both the Employment Verification Report and the Skills Progress Report.
Employer registration
You may use up to five registered employers across the Program. Concurrent employers are permitted, provided each is registered with an Employment Verification Report and three weeks of pay evidence. Each employment relationship must be documented to TRA's standard before it can count.
Document translation
Non-English documents require a NAATI-accredited translation if translated in Australia, or a translation approved by the correct authority in the country where the translation is prepared. A translation that does not meet this standard will not be accepted as evidence.
What are the common traps and refusal causes?
Most Job Ready Program failures stem from timing and notification rules rather than skill. Each of the following is a single point of failure that careful planning removes.
Missing the three-year completion limit
The entire Program must be completed within three years of the Start Date. If it is not, the Program is unsuccessful, and reapplication attracts the standard fees again. This outer limit governs the whole Program and overrides every intermediate marker.
A mismatched Provisional Skills Assessment
The prerequisite Provisional Skills Assessment must be successful, from within the last three years, and use the same online account and the same occupation. A different occupation or account, or one older than three years, leaves you ineligible to start.
Omitting Prior Employment at application
Prior Employment can be claimed only at the time of the Job Ready Employment application. It cannot be added or amended later. An incomplete claim at lodgement permanently forfeits the unclaimed work.
Missing the notification deadlines
You must notify TRA within 14 calendar days of a change to contact details, name, address, passport, working hours, representative or extended leave, and within 28 calendar days of an employer or role change. Late notification places the assessment at risk.
A Not Yet Job Ready result is not the end. You may request a review within 28 days by emailing [email protected], or undertake a subsequent Workplace Assessment at $2,845. Further assessments may require an additional three months of employment evidence.
Plan your Job Ready Program before the clock starts
An initial conversation confirms your Provisional Skills Assessment is valid and correctly matched, maps the full Prior Employment claim before you lodge, and sets a timeline that keeps the whole Program inside the three-year limit.
Speak with a Migration LawyerCommon questions about the Job Ready Program
How much does the TRA Job Ready Program cost in 2026?
Do I need a Provisional Skills Assessment before the Job Ready Program?
How long does the Job Ready Program take?
How many employers can I use during the Job Ready Program?
When can I claim Prior Employment in the Job Ready Program?
What happens if I am found Not Yet Job Ready?
Reviewed by Visa Plan Migration Lawyers. Last updated June 2026. Figures are drawn from the Trades Recognition Australia Program Guidelines, May 2026 editions. Fees and processing times are set by TRA and are subject to change. Verify the current figures with Trades Recognition Australia at tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au before applying. This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice.