Points system for certification
You can use any combination of qualifications, experience, membership, testimonials, and certification test assessment to achieve the 100 point threshold, within the parameters outlined below.
- Formal qualification and training
- Years of experience
- Industry professional body membership
- Testimonials or references
- Certification test
- Overseas qualifications
- Overseas experience
1. Formal qualification and training
If you hold a relevant Certificate II or Certificate III or Trade Certificate in the class of repair work that you are applying for, that will qualify you for 100 points.
Formal qualifications can be gained through one of the following options:
- by completing an apprenticeship; or
- from a Registered Training Organisation eg. TAFE; or
- through Trades Recognition Australia.
If you completed an Australian apprenticeship prior to 1999, you would have received a Trade Certificate in the trade you completed eg. “Trade Certificate in Motor Mechanics”. You may have also been issued a Certificate of Trade Studies for completing the theory component of your apprenticeship eg. “Certificate of Trade Studies Automotive Mechanical”.
If you completed an Australian apprenticeship after 1999, you would have received a Trade Certificate in the trade you completed eg. “Trade Certificate in Panel Beating”. You would also have been issued a Certificate III of Trade Studies for completing the theory component of your apprenticeship eg. “Certificate III of Trade Studies Panel Beating”.
Over the years the names of the certificates have changed, so if the name of your certificate does not match the current certificate name that is required under the different classes, it does not mean that your certificate will not qualify.
An Australian Recognised Trade Certificate is also accepted for certification.
Documentation you must provide with your application
- Certified copy of your educational qualifications and/or Trade Certificate.
2. Years of experience
When assessing your qualification for a certificate, the Commissioner will consider the years of experience you have worked in the motor vehicle repair industry.
You may receive 25 points for every full time year for a class of repair work which requires a relevant Certificate II.
You may receive 10 points for every full time year for a class of repair work which requires a relevant Certificate III.
Relevant experience in each class of repair work must be recent and gained in the years immediately prior to the date of application as follows:
| Years of experience: | Points for Certificate II: | Points for Certificate III: |
| 1 out of previous 2 years | 25 | 10 |
| 2 out of previous 4 years | 50 | 20 |
| 3 out of previous 5years | 75 | 30 |
| 4 out of previous 6 years | 100 | 40 |
| 5 out of previous 7 years | 100 | 50 |
| 6 out of previous 8 years | 100 | 60 |
| 7 out of previous 9 years | 100 | 70 |
| 8 out of previous 10 years | 100 | 80 |
| 9 out of previous 11 years | 100 | 90 |
| 10 out of previous 12 years | 100 | 100 |
Note: The years of experience requirement for either Tyre Fitting Class is two years each.
Overseas experience can only be used at the Commissioner's discretion to supplement the points awarded where the applicant holds an overseas qualification or migration letter which provides less than 100 points.
Documentation you must provide with your application
- Statement of service or letter from your employer(s) indicating your experience in the applicable class(es) or repair work.
- If you are self-employed, please provide a statement of your experience in the applicable class(es) of repair work.
3. Industry professional body membership
Membership must be current and have been held for at least 24 months. Only one membership can be used towards the accumulation of points.
- Institute of Automotive Mechanical Engineers (IAME)
- Associate Member or Member
- Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
- Associate Member or higher including relevant trade experience
You may receive 25 points for a class of repair work which requires a relevant Certificate II.
You may receive 20 points for a class of repair work which requires a relevant Certificate III.
Documentation you must provide with your application
- Photocopy of your current membership certificate or current membership card.
4. Testimonials or references
You may receive the following points depending on the type of testimonial or reference you have. A testimonial or reference from a non-commerical agency is worth more points.
Employer/Customer
- 2 points to a maximum of 10 points for a testimonial or reference from your employer or customer.
Documentation you must provide with your application
- Written reference (that is less than 10 years old) from an employer(s) indicating your experience in the motor vehicle repair industry;
- Written testimonials (that are less than 10 years old) from customers.
Non-commercial agency as customer (e.g. government agency)
- 5 points to a maximum of 20 points for a testimonial or reference where your customer was a non-commercial agency.
Documentation you must provide with your application
- Written testimonial (that is less than 10 years old) from a non-commercial agency which was a customer.
5. Certification test
You may receive up to 75 points for a class of repair work that requires a relevant Certificate II.
You may receive up to 80 points for a class of repair work that requires a relevant Certificate III.
The Commissioner may exercise discretion to recognise overseas experience when approving a repairer’s certificate in circumstances where the application is borderline in relation to qualifications and experience.
Certification tests can be conducted by the following organisations. Please contact them for the costs of the assessment.
|
Organisation: |
Area in which test can be taken: | Contact number: |
| Institute of Automotive Mechanical Engineers (IAME) | Perth, Albany, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Port Hedland, Broome, Bunbury | 08 9478 1642 |
| Tom Price and Sons | South West region (will travel to other regions at extra cost) |
08 9726 2748 0407 033 906 |
| Pilbara TAFE | Karratha, Roebourne, South Hedland, Pundulmurra, Tom Price, Newman, Pannawonica, Paraburdoo, Jigalong, Onslow | 08 9159 6700 |
Documentation you must provide with your application
- Written report of assessed competence from certificaton test assessor.
6. Overseas qualifications
You may choose to have any overseas qualification assessed by Trades Recognition Australia or a Registered Training Organisation.
A New Zealand qualification is recognised as fully equivalent to an Australian qualification.
If you hold a Certificate II or Certificate III issued by Trades Recognition Australia or a Registered Training Organisation after an assessment of an overseas qualification you will receive 100 points.
If you who hold a trade qualification issued in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, South Africa or Zimbabwe or a Master Technicians qualification from Germany which can be identified as an equivalent to an Australian qualification you shall receive 80 points towards the certificate for that class of repair work. However, in this circumstance the Commissioner will normally require you to qualify for the remaining 20 points by work experience in the class of repair work in Australia only.
The Commissioner may exercise discretion to recognise overseas experience when approving a repairer’s certificate in circumstances where the application is borderline in relation to qualifications and experience.
If you hold a classification letter from Trades Recognition Australia in which you have been approved for migration as a Motor Mechanic you will receive 80 points towards a Heavy Vehicle Work, Light Vehicle Work or Motor Cycle Work class of repair work. However, in this circumstance the Commissioner requires you to qualify for the remaining 20 points by work experience in the class of repair work in Australia only.
When the Registered Training Organisation does not issue a certificate, lesser points may be allocated dependent upon your skill or competence in the specific class of repair work.
Alternatively, you can apply for an Australian Recognised Trade Certificate. For details on how to apply, please contact Trades Recognition Australia on 1300 360 992.
Documentation you must provide with your application
- Report from Registered Training Organisation or copy of your Australian Recognised Trade Certificate.
7. Overseas experience
If you hold references confirming experience in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, South Africa or Zimbabwe or Germany which can be identified as an equivalent to recognised certificate class of repair work, you may receive up to 80 points towards the certificate for that class of repair work. However, in this circumstance the Commissioner requires you to qualify for the remaining 20 points by work experience in the class of repair work in Australia only. Applications from persons claiming equivalent experience from other European countries should be submitted to the Commissioner for consideration.
Documentation you must provide with your application
- Statement of service or letter from your employer(s) outlining a detailed description of the duties you undertook and your work experience in the applicable class(es) of repair work.