Skills Assessment Requirement for Chef Occupation

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Last Updated on April 10, 2023 by Ozlinks Education

The most exciting and diverse workplace in Australia is waiting for you to bring your culinary skills and cooking passion to work. Nothing beats working as a chef in Australia for financial security and personal fulfilment. Working as a chef on the TSS visa in Australia under the occupation ANZSCO 351311 is a pathway to permanent residency for many migrants. As a chef in the hospitality industry, you will hone your unique culinary skills while gaining valuable life and work experience in the world’s most developed country.

What is Migration Skills Assessment?

The Migration Skills Assessment, known as the MSA, is an assessment that can be taken by individuals who are applying to the Department of Home Affairs for a skilled migration visa as part of their visa application. The goal of skills assessment is to make sure that a successful applicant has the level of skills needed for their chosen occupation. The skills assessments also give the government, and the person a guarantee that their training and experience are useful and right for the Australian job market.

A skills assessment authority is an organisation that will assess whether your skills meet the standards it sets for working in a relevant ANZSCO occupation. The result of the Migration Skills Assessment will tell you if you have the level of experience and skills to work in your chosen ANZSCO occupation in Australia. Only a positive result from the MSA can be used when applying for a skills visa for migration through the Department of Home Affairs.

Do I need a skill assessment to work as a chef?

If you want to work as a chef in Australia, you must first pass a skill assessment. This is one of the primary requirements for applying for a subclass 482 visa, subclass 491, subclass 494, subclass 190, subclass 189, and subclass 186 direct entry.

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is an organisation within the Australian government’s Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. TRA is the relevant skills assessing authority for ANZSCO 351311, Chef, according to the Department of Home Affairs website.

What are the skill assessment requirements for the chef occupation?

Depending on whether or not you have an Australian qualification, you should take either Pathway 1 or Pathway 2 of the skills assessment process. As part of the application process, you have to provide evidence of your work experience. The evidence must show that you have at least the minimum amount of work experience needed to be a chef. The following are the prerequisites for skill assessment pathway options.

Pathway 1: Skills Assessment Requirement

If you are eligible for a chef skills assessment under Pathway 1, and you don’t have an Australian qualification. As part of the application process, you must have:

  • At least 5 years of full-time or equivalent part-time work experience as a chef with no formal training
  • At least 3 years of full-time or equivalent part-time work experience as a chef with relevant formal training
  • Your proof must show that you worked as a chef for at least a year in the last three years and that it can be verified.

Pathway 2: Skills Assessment Requirement

If you are eligible for a chef skills assessment under Pathway 2, and you do have an Australian qualification. As part of the application process, you must have:

  • An Australian qualification of Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery or;
  • An Australian qualification of Certificate III in Asian Cookery
  • At least 3 years of full-time or equivalent part-time work experience as a chef at the required level of skill
  • Your proof must show that you worked as a chef for at least a year in the last three years and that it can be verified.

What is the skill assessment process?

The skills assessment of a chef is conducted in two stages, as below:

Skill Assessment Stage 1:

Stage 1 of Pathway 1 is the application process:  you will need to provide proof of at least five years of work experience as a chef.

Stage 1 of Pathway 2 is the application process: you will need to provide proof of at least three years of work experience as a chef plus a relevant Australian Certificate IV in commercial cookery.

You are required to provide documentation and evidence in the decision-ready forms, which can be verified. This evidence must show that you have the skills and experience needed for Chef occupation ANZSCO 351311. If proof of work at a part-time job can be counted pro-rata towards the number of full-time hours needed.

Skill Assessment Stage 2:

If you pass Stage 1, you will proceed to Stage 2.

Stage 2 of the skills assessment procedure consists of an in-depth technical interview. The technical interview will be conducted in English and will last around 2 hours, translators will not be permitted.

What is Chef Job description?

A chef is in charge of the kitchen in a restaurant, hotel, club, cafe, or catering business. Chefs have a wide range of skills and knowledge about preparing food for a number of different cuisines. They are in charge of making menus, preparing dishes, and coordinating the work of the rest of the kitchen staff.

Chef’s job duties

  • planning and preparing menus for a variety of cuisines
  • prepare all types of foods from appetizers to main dishes and desserts
  • plan, cost and prepare menus
  • ordering, storing, and maintaining items
  • storing different ingredients and foods.
  • managing, training and leading staff in commercial kitchens
  • manage finances and budgets
  • keep informed of trends and changes in the hospitality industry
  • working safely and following workplace hygiene procedures in their kitchens
  • implement and monitor food safety guidelines and workplace health and safety (WHS) practices.

What will I get after the assessment?

If you successfully pass Stage 2, you’ll get the following:

  • an Australian Certificate IV qualification and a Statement of Results
  • a migration outcome letter if the assessment is to support your visa application.

If you are unsuccessful in Stage 2, you will receive:

  • a Statement of Attainment that lists the units of competency you successfully achieved
  • a Statement of Results.
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Application Fees

The following table provides an outline of the fees that are charged by TRA in accordance with it for the purpose of conducting skill assessments.

Pathway 1 Application Fees

Stage 1 - Documentary Evidence Assessment

AUD $1120

Stage 2 - Technical Interview

AUD $2000

Pathway 2 Application Fees

Stage 1 - Documentary Evidence Assessment

AUD $1120

Stage 2 - Technical Interview

AUD $900

Why do I need skill assessment assistance?

Each assessing authority has its own set of rules, procedures, and time constraints. The criteria are supported by an assessing authority and will apply to your chosen ANZSCO occupation from the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). The assessing authority will assess your chosen occupation based on professional standards. Ozlinks Education is an agency that assists international students and migrants in understanding the skill assessment requirements. We’ll be able to locate the appropriate assessing authority and advise you on what they require based on the ANZSCO occupation you’ve chosen. We are document checking experts, so you can be confident that you have completed all the requirements for the skills assessment application criteria and have the best chance of receiving a positive result.

We can assist you with the skill assessments for migration, for the ANZSCO: 351311 Chef occupation, as well as the ANZSCO: 351411 Cook occupation. Please contact us for more information.

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10 thoughts on “Skills Assessment Requirement for Chef Occupation

  1. shaiful says:

    Hi, presently i am working in australia as cook. but I want to do skill assessment as a chef. I have 12 years fulltime overseas experience. am i eligible for chef skill assessment. its can affect for my present visa. i am now under of sc 482 visa.
    thanks
    shaiful

  2. Matt says:

    I’ve been a fully qualified chef for nearly 10 years, from gastro to michelin star levels, even working for over a year in Aus as a chef on a working holiday visa several years ago, I’m now the owner/director of my own successful catering company and I still have to pay $3120 to prove I can cook?

    • Ozlinks Education says:

      Hi Pema
      A childcare center would be a suitable environment for a cook, but whether you are considered for the occupation of chef or cook will depend on your years of experience and job title during your employment. Please check with your case manager. Need help to submit your skill assessment? Contact Us.

    • Tommy Le says:

      Finishing Cert 3 in Commercial cookery + Diploma of hospitality as a COOK.
      For Chef you need to have a minimum:
      • Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, or
      • Certificate IV in Kitchen Management
      What is your purpose? For skill assessment?

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