Trades Recognition Australia
TSS Skills Assessment Program
The TSS Skills Assessment Program is the official program name used by Trades Recognition Australia, which sits within the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. It serves the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa. The program retains the historical letters TSS, but the visa it supports is the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, and the visa is never called TSS. The assessment is compulsory for electricians and takes approximately 9 weeks once your evidence is complete.
Fee
$2,020 to $5,320
By pathway
Processing
About 9 weeks
After complete documentary evidence
Who it is for
Skills in Demand (subclass 482) applicants
Compulsory for electricians
What is the TSS Skills Assessment Program?
The TSS Skills Assessment Program is a discretionary skills assessment run by Trades Recognition Australia for applicants pursuing the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa. A skills assessment is TRA's formal confirmation that your qualifications and work experience meet the relevant Australian standards under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).
The program name and the visa name are not the same, and the difference matters. The program keeps the historical letters TSS, which reflect the former Temporary Skill Shortage visa. The visa it now serves is the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa. The letters TSS belong to the program only. The visa is never called TSS, and on your visa application you are an applicant for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa.
The assessment is delivered by registered training organisations approved by TRA, and TRA approves the recommended outcome. The full guide to all six TRA programs is set out on the Trades Recognition Australia overview, and the permanent residence equivalent is the Offshore Skills Assessment Program. The visa itself is explained on the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa page.
Who is eligible for the TSS Skills Assessment Program?
You are eligible where you are applying for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa in an occupation on the TSS Program Occupation List, you hold a passport from a country or special administrative region (SAR) on the TSS Program Country List, you have relevant work experience, and the Department of Home Affairs requires you to obtain a discretionary skills assessment. For electricians the assessment is not discretionary; it is compulsory.
Who must obtain this assessment
The assessment is compulsory for Skills in Demand (subclass 482) applications in the occupation of Electrician (General) or Electrician (Special Class). For all other occupations on the TSS Program Occupation List, the assessment is required only where the Department of Home Affairs directs the applicant to obtain a discretionary skills assessment.
Who is excluded
The program does not assist applicants for any visa other than the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa. Applicants whose occupation is not on the TSS Program Occupation List, or who do not hold a passport from a country or SAR on the TSS Program Country List, fall outside the program. Applicants seeking permanent residence in a licensed trade use the Offshore Skills Assessment Program instead.
Pathway 1 employment thresholds
Pathway 1 applicants without a relevant Australian VET qualification must meet a minimum period of full-time paid employment, or the equivalent. A licensed trade requires six years without formal training, or four years with formal training. A non-licensed trade requires five years without formal training, or three years with formal training.
Which pathway applies to you
Pathway 1 applies where you do not hold a relevant Australian VET qualification, and it relies on a technical assessment of your experience. Pathway 2 applies where you hold a relevant Australian VET qualification, or a current identified Australian occupation licence without restrictions, and it is the shorter and lower cost route.
What are the TSS Skills Assessment Program fees?
Fees are charged by stage and total $2,020 on Pathway 2, or up to $5,320 on Pathway 1 where a practical assessment is required. A review challenges a stage outcome you believe is incorrect, while a reassessment is a fresh look at a stage and must be requested within 12 months of the original outcome letter.
| Stage or service | Detail | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Pathway 1: Documentary Evidence stage | Required for every Pathway 1 applicant | $1,120 |
| Pathway 1: Technical Interview stage | Online technical assessment with an invigilator | $2,000 |
| Pathway 1: Practical Assessment stage | Charged only where a practical assessment is required | $2,200 |
| Pathway 1 total | Up to, where a practical assessment is required | Up to $5,320 |
| Pathway 2: Documentary Evidence stage | Relevant Australian VET qualification or unrestricted licence | $1,120 |
| Pathway 2: Assessment stage | Second and final stage on this pathway | $900 |
| Pathway 2 total | No practical assessment stage applies | $2,020 |
| Review | Per stage, of an outcome you believe is incorrect | $700 |
| Reassessment: Documentary Evidence | Within 12 months of the original outcome letter | $450 |
| Reassessment: Technical Interview | Pathway 1 $1,000; Pathway 2 $450 | $450 to $1,000 |
| Reassessment: Practical Assessment | Within 12 months of the original outcome letter | $1,100 |
How does the TSS Skills Assessment Program work?
The process moves from confirming the right pathway to a documentary stage, then to assessment, and finally to the outcome that TRA approves. Processing takes approximately 9 weeks after complete documentary evidence is received.
1
Confirm pathway and eligibility
Confirm your occupation sits on the TSS Program Occupation List, that you hold a passport from a country or SAR on the TSS Program Country List, and whether Pathway 1 or Pathway 2 applies before any fee is paid.
2
Lodge documentary evidence
Submit the Documentary Evidence stage with qualifications, identity documents and employment evidence. The 9-week period begins once the evidence is complete, so a complete file at this stage protects your timeline.
3
Complete the assessment
On Pathway 1, sit the online technical assessment with an invigilator, and a practical demonstration where the occupation is licensed. On Pathway 2, complete the single assessment stage. A TRA-approved RTO delivers each assessment.
4
Receive the outcome
TRA approves the recommended outcome and issues your outcome letter. A successful outcome supports your Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa application. Any reassessment must be requested within 12 months of this letter.
What evidence does the TSS Skills Assessment Program require?
The program requires identity documents, evidence of your qualifications, and evidence of relevant work experience that meets the Pathway 1 employment thresholds where they apply. Non-English documents require specific translation, and the online technical assessment carries strict technical conditions.
Translation of non-English documents
Documents not in English require a translation by a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) where the translation is done in Australia, or a translation approved by the correct authority in the country where the translation is done.
Online technical assessment conditions
The online technical assessment is taken with an invigilator on a laptop, notebook or desktop only. It requires a minimum download speed of 10 Mbps and a minimum upload speed of 5 Mbps. The assessment is conducted in English only, and no interpreters are permitted.
Practical demonstration for licensed occupations
A practical demonstration is compulsory for licensed occupations on Pathway 1, which is why the Practical Assessment fee of $2,200 applies and lifts the Pathway 1 total to up to $5,320. Non-attendance without notice may forfeit the fee paid for that stage.
Common traps and causes of refusal
Treating the program name as the visa name
The program is the TSS Skills Assessment Program; the visa is the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa. Confusing the two leads applicants to look for the wrong assessment or to describe their visa incorrectly. Only the program carries the letters TSS.
Missing the 12-month reassessment window
A reassessment must be requested within 12 months of the original outcome letter. Once that window closes, a fresh full application is the only option, which means paying the program fees again. The outcome letter date should be diarised immediately.
Incomplete documentary evidence
The 9-week processing period runs from complete documentary evidence, not from lodgement. Missing employment evidence, gaps against the Pathway 1 thresholds, or translations that are not NAATI-accredited or correctly approved abroad will stall the file.
Technical assessment conditions not met
The online technical assessment must be taken on a laptop, notebook or desktop with at least 10 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload, in English, with no interpreter. Non-attendance without notice may forfeit the fee, and an unstable connection can compromise the result.
Plan your TSS Skills Assessment Program before you lodge
An initial conversation confirms the correct pathway for your occupation, the evidence required to meet the Pathway 1 thresholds, and how the assessment connects to your Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa application.
Speak with a Migration LawyerCommon questions about the TSS Skills Assessment Program
Does the TSS Skills Assessment Program serve the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa?
Is the TSS Skills Assessment Program compulsory for electricians?
How much does the TSS Skills Assessment Program cost in 2026?
How long does the TSS Skills Assessment Program take?
How long do I have to request a reassessment?
How much work experience does Pathway 1 require?
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.