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For Brits moving abroad
Trades in demand in Australia
All of these trades are on Australia's Core Skills Occupation List, used for employer-sponsored visas.
Electrical
Electrician (General), Electrician (Special Class), Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic, Electrical Linesworker
Plumbing and gas
Plumber (General), Gasfitter, Roof Plumber, Drainer, Fire Protection Plumber
Building
Bricklayer, Stonemason, Carpenter, Joiner, Carpenter and Joiner, Floor Finisher, Painter, Glazier, Plasterer (Wall and Ceiling), Renderer (Solid Plaster), Roof Tiler, Wall and Floor Tiler
Visa options for UK tradespeople
There are a few main routes for tradespeople. Which one fits depends on your trade, your age and whether you have a job offer.
With a job offer
An Australian employer sponsors you. The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) lets you live and work in Australia temporarily for that employer, and may lead to permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).
Without a job offer
Some visas use a points test so you can apply on your own skills.
The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) needs no sponsor, while the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) needs a state or territory to nominate you.
Living outside the big cities
Regional visas (subclass 491 and 494) are for people willing to live and work outside Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. They may lead to permanent residence through subclass 191.
Different visas use different occupation lists, and the rules change regularly. Before you apply, speak to a registered migration agent about your own situation.
Moving to Australia from the UK with your family
The good news for families is that most skilled and employer sponsored visas let you include your partner and children in the same application, so they move with you rather than applying separately.
Your partner can be your husband, wife or de facto partner. Children usually need to be dependent on you, and older children have to meet extra conditions.
Everyone on the application normally has to pass health and character checks, so it’s worth starting early on things like medical appointments and police certificates.
Moving a whole family also means shipping your belongings, finding schools and sorting your money. Plan these alongside your visa, not after it.
Questions about moving to Australia as a tradesperson?
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Trades in Australia
Last checked: October 2026
Electricians, plumbers, builders and dozens of other trades are on Australia's Core Skills Occupation List, which is used for employer-sponsored visas. For UK tradespeople, that opens real doors.
But getting there takes more than just being good at your job. Most trades need a skills assessment and an Australian licence before you can work and the rules differ from state to state.
This guide covers which trades are wanted, the main routes Brits use to get there, and what you'll need to sort before you land.
Metal and engineering
Sheetmetal Worker, Metal Fabricator, Pressure Welder, Welder (First Class), Fitter (General), Fitter and Turner, Fitter-Welder, Toolmaker
Vehicles
Automotive Electrician, Motor Mechanic (General), Diesel Motor Mechanic, Panelbeater, Vehicle Painter
Food and other trades
Baker, Pastrycook, Butcher or Smallgoods Maker, Chef, Cook, Hairdresser, Cabinet Maker, Arborist, Landscape Gardener, Locksmith.
This isn’t the full list. Check the official Core Skills Occupation List on the Australian Home Affairs website for every eligible occupation.
Skills assessment and licences for UK tradespeople
Before you can work in your trade in Australia, you’ll usually need a skills assessment. For most trades, this is done through Trades Recognition Australia, known as TRA.
Electricians, plumbers and some other licensed trades are assessed by a TRA approved training organisation. If you pass, you get an Offshore Technical Skills Record, which lets you apply for a provisional licence from the state or territory where you’ll be working once you arrive.
Each state has its own licensing rules, so check them early, especially if you’re not sure where you’ll settle.
Not sure where to start? A registered migration agent can tell you which assessment you need.
