Welder (First Class) Career and Immigration options for Australia

Profile Title: Welder (First Class) Career and Immigration options for Australia

Alternative Title:Not Defined

ANZSCO Code: 322313 | Unit Code: 3223

Skill Level: Level 3 | Work Experience: 1 Years

Assessing Bodies: Trades Recognition Australia (TRA)

Skill Occupation List (SOL): MLTSSL

Specialization: Special Class Welder

Profile Description: Fabricates and repairs metal products using various welding techniques.

Job Duties:

• studying blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine job requirements
• selecting, cleaning and preparing metal stock
• cutting marked-out metal sections and shapes using hand tools, flame cutting torches and metal cutting machines
• shaping and bending metal sections and pipes using hand and machine tools, and by heating and hammering
• aligning parts to be joined using hand tools and measuring instruments
• joining metal sections using various welding techniques, bolting and riveting
• examining welds for width of bead, penetration and precision
• finishing products by cleaning, polishing, filing and bathing in acidic solutions
• cleaning and smoothing welds by filing, chiselling and grinding

Skill Level Description: Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below. In Australia: AQF Certificate III including at least two years of on-the-job training, or AQF Certificate IV (ANZSCO Skill Level 3) In New Zealand: NZ Register Level 4 qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 3) At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

Available Visa Options (As on February 2024):

• 186 - Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)
• 189 - Skilled Independent (subclass 189) - Points-Tested
• 190 - Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)
• 407 - Training visa (subclass 407)
• 485 - Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) - Graduate Work
• 489 - Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) - Family sponsored
• 489 - Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) - State or Territory nominated
• 482 - Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) – Medium Term Stream
• 187 - Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme (subclass 187)
• 494 - Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) (subclass 494) - Employer sponsored stream
• 491 - Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 491) State or Territory nominated
• 491 - Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 491) Family Sponsored

Registration or Licensing: Not Required

Industries: Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers are mainly employed in: Manufacturing; Construction; and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

Education Profile: The most common level of educational attainment for Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers is Certificate III/IV (66.8 per cent).

Job Opening: Over the five years to November 2019, the number of job openings for Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers is expected to be above average (between 25,001 and 50,000). Job openings count both employment growth and turnover (defined as workers leaving their occupation for other employment or leaving the workforce).

Age Group: The main age group is 25-34 years (30.0 per cent) and the median age is 37 years (compared to 40 years for all occupations).

Gender: Almost all Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers are male and most Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers work full time. Average weekly hours for full time workers are 41.5 (compared to 40.2 for all occupations).

Earning: In August 2014 (latest available data) weekly earnings full-time before tax (and not including employer superannuation) were $1,200 (compared to earnings for all occupations of $1,200).

Employment: Employment for this occupation fell slightly in the past five years, remained relatively steady in the long-term (ten years). Looking forward, employment for Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers to November 2020 is expected to decline.