Vietnamese Welders Moving to Australia: The 2026 Visa Pathway

What Welder (First Class) actually covers

Welder (First Class), ANZSCO 322313, covers welding metal parts using manual and semi-automatic processes, interpreting technical drawings, and applying quality standards to fabricated or joined metal components. It's an ANZSCO skill level 3 trade — a formal trade qualification or substantial documented experience, not a degree-level occupation.

The occupation sits on both the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), including the Direct Entry stream of the subclass 186 — broad list membership by trade-occupation standards, which is part of why welding is one of the more workable trades pathways.

The TRA skills assessment

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is the designated assessing authority for Welder (First Class), generally through the Offshore Skills Assessment Program for applicants applying from outside Australia, or the Job Ready Program for applicants already in Australia on a visa with work rights.

TRA looks for a qualification comparable to an Australian Certificate III in Engineering — Fabrication Trade, and current, verifiable welding experience. At least three years of relevant experience can substitute for the formal qualification where you don't hold one — but the experience needs to be well-documented, not just claimed. Employer references describing the specific welding processes you've used (MIG, TIG, stick/arc, or a combination), the materials worked with, and the industries involved (construction, manufacturing, fabrication, resources) are the strongest supporting evidence.

Visa pathways for a Vietnamese welder

Welder's dual MLTSSL and CSOL listing gives real optionality: the points-tested Skilled Independent (189), Skilled Nominated (190, with state nomination) and Skilled Work Regional (491) visas, alongside the employer-sponsored Skills in Demand visa (482) and the Direct Entry stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme (186).

Regional construction, manufacturing and infrastructure projects across Australia have consistent demand for qualified welders, which makes the 491 regional pathway — with its route to permanent residence via the subclass 191 — genuinely worth considering alongside a metropolitan job search.

Costs and English requirements

TRA assessment fees vary by pathway and stage — budget several hundred to over a thousand Australian dollars across the offshore skills assessment process, and confirm the current schedule directly with TRA since it's reviewed periodically.

For the points-tested visas, Competent English (broadly IELTS 6.0 in each band, or the PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT or Cambridge equivalent) is the baseline, since Vietnam isn't on the Department of Home Affairs' passport-based English exemption list.

Verifying your Vietnamese documents

Vietnam is not a Hague Apostille Convention member, so your trade qualification, training certificate and any employer reference letters generally need consular legalisation through Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a Vietnamese diplomatic mission, rather than a single apostille stamp — build this lead time into your planning.

Non-English documents need NAATI-certified translation before TRA or Home Affairs will accept them. The separate police/criminal record certificate (Phieu Ly Lich Tu Phap) has, since 1 March 2025, been issued by Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security and provincial police rather than the Ministry of Justice — a change worth being aware of if you've read older guides.

What makes an application succeed

Gaps in employment history, or references that describe only general labouring rather than specific welding duties, are common reasons a TRA assessment stalls. Be precise about what you actually did — the specific welding process, the material, the project type — rather than a generic job title.

A portfolio of work — photographs, project records, or quality certifications you've held — strengthens a borderline application and is worth assembling before you apply rather than after a request for more evidence arrives.

Next steps

Start gathering detailed, process-specific employer reference letters early — this is the step most likely to determine how smoothly your TRA assessment goes. Confirm whether your documents need Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation and NAATI translation, and plan for that combined lead time.

A MARA-registered migration agent can review your qualification and experience against TRA's current requirements and advise on the strongest visa pathway for your circumstances. On Migratio you describe your situation once and compare consultation fees from MARA-registered agents (comparing is free; consults are typically $150–$300 and you pay only if you book).

What ANZSCO code applies to welders migrating to Australia?

Welder (First Class) is ANZSCO 322313. It sits on both the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List and the Core Skills Occupation List, opening the 189, 190, 491, 482 and 186 visas.

Who assesses welding skills for Australian migration?

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is the designated assessing authority, generally through the Offshore Skills Assessment Program or the Job Ready Program.

What qualification does TRA require?

A qualification comparable to an Australian Certificate III in Engineering — Fabrication Trade, or at least three years of well-documented relevant experience where a formal qualification isn't held.

Do Vietnamese welders need an English test?

Yes. Vietnam isn't on the Department of Home Affairs' passport-based English exemption list, so an approved English test is required for the points-tested visas.

Do Vietnamese trade documents need an apostille?

No — Vietnam is not a Hague Apostille Convention member. Documents generally need consular legalisation through Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a Vietnamese diplomatic mission instead.

Who issues a Vietnamese police clearance now?

Since 1 March 2025, Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security and provincial police issue the criminal record certificate (Phieu Ly Lich Tu Phap), having taken over from the Ministry of Justice.