Damon Mcknight
Welding is an integral part of several key sectors of the Australian economy, including construction, manufacturing, mining, and maritime, as well as emerging industries like renewable energy. The demand for skilled welders in Australia has been consistently strong, with projections indicating that this trend will continue. To work as a professional welder in Australia, you must complete a Certificate III in Engineering Fabrication Trade and pass a Skills Assessment through Trades Recognition Australia (TRA). The Australian Welding Institute (AWI) also offers a welding certification program that ensures welders fulfill industry standards and requirements. The average salary of a welder in Australia is $60,000 per year, with some companies offering up to $85,000. To apply for welder jobs in Australia, you can use online job platforms such as SEEK, Adzuna, and Recruit.net, which offer a wide range of welder job vacancies across the country.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Australian assessing authority for welders | Vetassess |
| Visa subclass for Permanent Residency | 189 or 190 |
| Time taken for the visa process | 7 to 16 months |
| Cities with welder job opportunities | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth |
| Communities with welder job opportunities | Suburban and rural areas |
| Online platform for welder job opportunities | Top Jobs in Australia™ |
| Age limit for eligibility | Under 45 |
| Score on the Australian Immigration Points Score | 65 |
| Welder qualification for skills assessment | Optional |
| Requirements for skills assessment | Welder apprenticeship certificate or three years of paid work experience |
| Documents required for visa application | Payslips, detailed CV, references, qualifications, photos, and videos |
| Australian Welder Certification Register | AWCR |
| Australian Certificate | III in Welding or III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade (First Class) |
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What You'll Learn
Skills assessment and visa application
To work as a welder in Australia, you must be under 45 and complete a skills assessment to apply for a skilled visa. The skills assessment will check whether you have the necessary welding skills according to Australian guidelines. While it is not mandatory to hold a Welder qualification, you must have either a Welder apprenticeship certificate or three years of paid work experience before or after qualifying for the assessment.
Skills assessment:
The skills assessment includes a review of your practical experience and any relevant certifications you hold. You will need to provide qualification certificates and proof of at least 12 months of employment in the last three years. You will also need to demonstrate that you have the skills required by the Australian welding industry, which you can do by having three years of full-time employment or equivalent part-time employment in the occupation. If you have obtained an international qualification, you will need to demonstrate three years of full-time or equivalent post-qualification experience. Good English skills are vital for work, so you may need to take an English language test such as IELTS, unless you are a UK or USA passport holder.
Visa application:
Once you have completed the skills assessment, you will obtain a TRA skills assessment letter, which will enable you to apply for a skilled visa. The most popular visas for welders are the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) and the Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190). The subclass 189 visa grants immediate permanent residence and does not require sponsorship by an Australian employer, whereas the subclass 190 visa requires welders to be nominated by an Australian state or territory government. You can also apply for a subclass 482 visa as long as you are sponsored by an Australian employer. If you are living and working in regional areas in Australia, you can apply for a subclass 491 visa, which is a regional state or family sponsorship skilled visa.
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Qualifications and apprenticeship
To become a qualified welder in Australia, you must complete an apprenticeship under the supervision of a qualified welder. The apprenticeship typically lasts 42 to 48 months and includes the Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade (MEM30305). This qualification is offered at various Australian educational institutions, allowing you to gain practical skills alongside welding theory. The curriculum is modelled on industry standards, ensuring you develop transferable skills valued by future employers.
The Certificate III course is a great way to start your welding career, providing you with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the industry. You will learn how to cut, shape, combine, and create materials for various purposes, from small-scale projects to large industrial works. While the tasks a welder performs may vary depending on the project, the skills gained during this qualification are transferable.
Although not mandatory, you may consider a pre-apprenticeship course to prepare you for employment as an apprentice. These courses can help you gain the crucial knowledge and skills to seek an apprentice role in the engineering industry and demonstrate your commitment to learning.
Weld Australia, a globally recognised training institution, offers a range of flexible learning courses for aspiring welders. Their courses are designed to provide students with the skills and understanding needed to improve their job prospects on a global scale. Whether you are a beginner or looking for a career change, Weld Australia has training options available.
Once you have completed your qualification and apprenticeship, you can expect your earning potential to increase with experience. A fully qualified welder in Australia can earn an average salary of around $80,000, with the potential to make over $100,000, especially if you specialise in a specific welding technique or work in a niche industry such as underwater welding.
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Job search and employment
Weld Australia is the peak body representing the welding industry in Australia. The Australian Welder Certification Register (AWCR) is an initiative of Weld Australia. It provides a national framework for qualifying and testing welders to International Standard AS/NZS ISO 9606-1. If you want to be a registered welder, you can register with AWCR.
To work as a welder in Australia, you must complete an apprenticeship, which includes Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade, to achieve a "First Class Welder" status. You can also obtain an Australian Certificate III in Welding, which will enable you to continue with your application for a Skilled visa.
Top Jobs in Australia™ is a platform dedicated to helping skilled welders find job opportunities across the country. They focus on connecting welders with reputable employers in various industries, ensuring that candidates have access to a wide range of positions suited to their expertise. Major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth are good places to search for welder jobs as they have a lot of construction work. Suburban and rural areas are also excellent options for welders migrating to Australia because they have a lower cost of living and a better work-life balance. Smaller communities may have a demand for skilled welders in residential construction and artisan woodworking.
To apply for welding jobs in Australia, you must complete the Australian Welder skills assessment and obtain a TRA skills assessment letter. You will need to present this letter and your Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade (First Class) to Australian employers when applying for jobs.
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Welding techniques and specialisation
Welding is fundamental to the construction of bridges, high-rise buildings, mining equipment, space vehicles, ships and submarines, and even household appliances such as fridges and washing machines. There are several certifications that provide welders with advanced skills in welding techniques. These certifications can be gained through organisations such as the Australian Welding Institute, Weld Australia, and TWI Global.
The Australian Welding Institute has developed a certification scheme to meet the needs of stakeholders in the Australian welding and fabrication industry. The scheme offers flexible, logical, and progressive certification and education driven by members and the industry. The Institute also provides technical resources and equipment to its members.
Weld Australia, as an International Institute of Welding (IIW) Authorised National Body (ANB) and an Authorised Training Body (ATB), provides internationally recognised qualifications. Their courses include the IIW International Welding Inspector – Basic (IWI-B) and Standard (IWI-S), as well as AS1796 Certificate 10. The IWI-B certification helps in identifying weak welds and creating testing plans, while the IWI-S covers similar content with a greater focus on managerial lessons.
Weld Australia also offers Welding Supervision and Coordination courses that provide comprehensive knowledge of welding processes, equipment, materials, and their behaviour during welding, construction, design, and engineering. Additionally, they have created two free online Welder Safety Training Courses – one for welders, and the other for welding engineers and supervisors. These courses cover details of hazards that may be encountered and how to manage them in the workplace.
TWI Global, in partnership with the Australian Welding Institute, provides high-quality education that meets current and future student needs. Their certification verifies the competence of personnel intending to conduct fabrication or welding inspections. Welding inspectors assess whether welded structures meet acceptance criteria and select, conduct, or verify appropriate non-destructive tests.
Welding certifications can also provide a welder with the authority to supervise welding operations on pressure vessels, ensuring safety procedures, knowledge of metallurgy, and compliance with building standards. These certifications can lead to roles such as welding supervisors, who plan, staff, monitor, and deliver welding projects, and structural welders, who conduct repairs and maintenance on large industrial structures.
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Health and safety
Welding is a highly skilled and extremely high-risk activity. It is important to be aware of the safety issues and promote safety in the workplace. In Australia, welders must adhere to safety regulations and relevant Australian Standards. However, there are some significant gaps in the compliance framework that have long-term safety implications.
To ensure the health and safety of workers, persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must ensure that workers are not exposed to an airborne contaminant above its workplace exposure standard (WES). The workplace exposure standard (WES) for welding fumes has been reduced from 5 mg/m3 to 1 mg/m3. This reduction is a statutory maximum upper limit, and PCBUs may need to implement additional control measures to ensure that workers are not exposed to welding fumes above the WES.
PCBUs can do the following to protect workers from exposure to welding fumes:
- Identify the hazardous components in welding fumes at the workplace.
- Arrange for air monitoring to assess the risk of welding fumes in the workplace.
- Review the control measures in place to eliminate or minimise workers' exposure to welding fumes.
- Talk to workers and any health and safety representatives (HSRs) about the reduced WES, and any changes to control measures and training.
Other health and safety considerations for welding include:
- Ensuring workers have completed adequate health and safety training to ensure they are competent to do their work and can anticipate and avoid injury from job-related hazards.
- Managing the risk of falls, especially when working from height.
- Preventing suffocation due to a lack of oxygen (asphyxiation) when working in confined spaces.
- Preventing trips, slips, and falls when working in confined spaces.
- Minimising the risk of vibration-induced pain and disorders, especially when needle scaling and grinding.
- Complying with relevant policies and procedures, and legal and regulatory requirements, including health and safety.
- Ensuring the correct use of equipment to prevent potential safety risks.
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Frequently asked questions
To become a welder in Australia, you need to complete a Welder Skills Assessment through Trades Recognition Australia (TRA). You will then receive your Australian Certificate III in Welding. Other key certifications include Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade and AWS certifications.
Welders need to be proficient in a range of welding techniques, from manual metal arc welding to gas tungsten arc welding. It is also important to be familiar with safety practices and be able to work well in a team.
Welders are in high demand across construction, manufacturing, and automotive sectors in Australia. There are also opportunities for welders in residential construction and artisan woodworking in smaller communities.
Some job platforms to find welder jobs in Australia include Adzuna, SEEK, Jora, and Recruit.net. Top Jobs in Australia™ is a platform dedicated to helping skilled welders find job opportunities across the country.
