Trades Recognition Australia

Migration Points Advice (MPA)

Migration Points Advice is a Trades Recognition Australia service for applicants who already hold a successful TRA skills assessment and are applying for a points-tested independent skilled migration visa. The advice letter states how your qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards. The fee is $450 and processing takes approximately 120 days.

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Fee

$450

Review $375

Processing

About 120 days

Set by TRA

Who it is for

Holders of a successful TRA skills assessment

Points-tested independent skilled visas

Official Website

tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au

Who is eligible for Migration Points Advice?

Migration Points Advice is for applicants who already hold a successful TRA skills assessment and are applying for a points-tested independent skilled migration visa. A points-tested independent skilled migration visa is a visa where eligibility is scored against a points test, such as the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa. The service assesses how your qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards.

A successful TRA assessment is the prerequisite

A successful TRA skills assessment is a compulsory prerequisite. Migration Points Advice is not a substitute for a skills assessment. Applicants who do not yet hold a successful assessment must first complete the relevant TRA program, such as the Migration Skills Assessment, before this service is available.

A points-tested independent skilled visa

The service supports a points-tested independent skilled migration visa application. The advice letter states how your qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards under the AQF and ANZSCO frameworks, which supports the visa application.

Relevant work in the 10-year window

Migration Points Advice considers relevant work experience in the 10 years before applying. Employment outside that 10-year window is not considered, so the evidence should cover the periods of relevant work that fall within it.

What does Migration Points Advice cost?

Migration Points Advice costs $450, and a review of an outcome costs $375. Both fees are set by Trades Recognition Australia and are subject to change. The fees below are current as at the May 2026 Program Guidelines.

Service	Fee	Note
Migration Points Advice application	$450	Standard application fee
Migration Points Advice review	$375	Review of an outcome

How does the Migration Points Advice process work?

The process moves from an existing successful skills assessment through to a TRA advice letter in four stages. Processing takes approximately 120 days from a complete application.

Hold a successful TRA skills assessment

A successful TRA skills assessment is a compulsory prerequisite. Migration Points Advice is only available to applicants who already hold a successful assessment outcome and are applying for a points-tested independent skilled migration visa.

Gather relevant work evidence

Compile evidence of relevant work experience in the 10 years before applying. Non-English documents require NAATI-accredited translation in Australia, or translation approved by the correct authority in the country of translation.

Lodge the Migration Points Advice application

Submit the application to Trades Recognition Australia with the $450 fee. The service assesses how your qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards under the AQF and ANZSCO frameworks.

Receive the advice letter

Processing takes approximately 120 days. TRA issues an advice letter stating how your qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards. The letter supports the points-tested visa application. If the outcome is contested, a review is available for $375.

What does Migration Points Advice consider, and what does it not do?

Migration Points Advice considers relevant work experience in the 10 years before applying and states how your qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards. It does not allocate points. Understanding this boundary prevents a common and costly misunderstanding about the service.

What the advice considers

The advice considers relevant work experience in the 10 years before applying. It assesses how your qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards under the AQF and ANZSCO frameworks. The resulting advice letter sets out that comparison for use in a points-tested independent skilled migration visa application.

What the advice does not do

The advice does not allocate points. The Department of Home Affairs determines the points awarded for a visa application. Migration Points Advice is also not a skills assessment in itself, so it does not replace the successful TRA skills assessment that is the prerequisite for the service.

Common misunderstandings to avoid

Treating the advice as a points decision

Migration Points Advice does not allocate points. The Department of Home Affairs determines points. Applicants who expect a points score from TRA misread the service. The advice letter compares qualifications and employment against Australian standards, and the Department applies the points test.

Applying without a successful assessment

A successful TRA skills assessment is a compulsory prerequisite. Applying for Migration Points Advice without an existing successful assessment is premature. The first step for those applicants is the relevant TRA skills assessment program, such as the Migration Skills Assessment.

Submitting work outside the 10-year window

The advice considers relevant work experience in the 10 years before applying. Submitting evidence of employment that falls outside that window adds no value, because experience beyond the 10-year window is not considered. The evidence should focus on relevant work within it.

Migration Points Advice follows a successful skills assessment. To understand the assessment that precedes it, read the Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) guide, the full TRA skills assessment guide, or the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa page.

Plan your points-tested visa with the right advice

An initial conversation confirms whether Migration Points Advice is the correct step for your occupation and visa, the evidence of relevant work the service considers, and the cost and timeframe specific to your matter.

Speak with a Migration Lawyer

Common questions about Migration Points Advice

What is Migration Points Advice?

Migration Points Advice is a TRA service that provides a letter stating how an applicant’s qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards, for use in a points-tested independent skilled migration visa application. It is available to applicants who already hold a successful TRA skills assessment. The advice does not allocate points. The Department of Home Affairs determines points.

Do I need a successful TRA skills assessment before applying for Migration Points Advice?

Yes. A successful TRA skills assessment is a compulsory prerequisite for Migration Points Advice. The service is only available to applicants who already hold a successful assessment outcome and are applying for a points-tested independent skilled migration visa. Without an existing successful assessment, the correct first step is the relevant TRA skills assessment program, such as the Migration Skills Assessment.

How much does Migration Points Advice cost and how long does it take?

Migration Points Advice costs $450 and takes approximately 120 days to process. A review of a Migration Points Advice outcome costs $375. These figures are set by Trades Recognition Australia and are subject to change, so confirm the current amounts on the official TRA website before applying.

Does Migration Points Advice allocate points?

No. Migration Points Advice does not allocate points. The Department of Home Affairs determines the points awarded for a visa application. The Migration Points Advice letter states how an applicant’s qualifications and employment compare against Australian standards, which supports the points-tested visa application, but the assessment of points itself rests with the Department.

What work experience does Migration Points Advice consider?

Migration Points Advice considers relevant work experience in the 10 years before applying. Employment outside that 10-year window is not considered. Applicants should ensure their evidence covers the periods of relevant work within this window, because experience that falls outside it does not contribute to the advice.

Which visas use Migration Points Advice?

Migration Points Advice supports points-tested independent skilled migration visas, such as the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa. It is intended for applicants who already hold a successful TRA skills assessment and are progressing to a points-tested independent skilled visa. Visa Plan confirms whether Migration Points Advice is the correct step for your occupation and visa pathway.

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.