Vietnamese workers: could Australia's points test now work better for your trade?

Tips · 2026-09-19 · 3 min read

Good news for people who work with their hands. Australia is changing its skilled migration points test, and trades are getting a stronger place in it. This guide explains what that means in simple words.

What is the points test?

Some skilled visas use a points test. You earn points for things like your work, your qualifications and your English. The more points you have, the stronger your case. Until now, university qualifications often counted for more than trade skills.

What is changing for trades

Trades, especially construction, are being given a boost. Their weight is now comparable to university qualifications. For a Vietnamese electrician, carpenter or builder, this may be encouraging news.

Processing is also being adjusted. Applications in construction, healthcare, agriculture, fisheries and teaching are meant to be handled first. An earlier rule had pushed skilled applications from overseas to the back of the line, and some waits ran past a year. The new settings try to fix part of that problem.

Other changes you may hear about

Australia is also setting firm limits on how many people arrive. The target is 245,000 this financial year and 225,000 the next. Because of this, students and working holiday visitors face new rules too.

Students who want to change course provider will need a new visa.
Most international students will not be able to bring family. Some groups keep an exception, including PhD candidates.
Working holiday visitors who want a second year will enter a ballot with 45,000 places, after 88 days of regional work.

These rules show a clear message. Choose one direct pathway and prepare it well.

Prepare your papers

Your trade skills may need to be checked again in Australia. This is usually done through a skills assessment. Only assume a specific job needs it when the job information says so. Start gathering these items early:

your vocational certificates and proof of work history;
certified English translations of Vietnamese documents, where the visa rules ask for them;
an English test result (IELTS or PTE), if the visa or employer needs one;
a police clearance, which for Vietnamese citizens is usually the Judicial Record Certificate No. 2 (Phiếu lý lịch tư pháp số 2), when a police certificate is requested.

Stay safe

Australia is also warning against migration agents who encourage weak claims, and it plans new penalties for them. Please be careful too. Deal only with licensed organisations and real employers. Never pay an unlicensed broker. Be very careful with anyone who asks for money upfront to secure a job or a visa. No honest person can promise you a result.

A simple plan

First, find out whether your trade appears in the skilled lists. Second, collect your documents. Third, read the official guidance on the skill occupation list. Small steps, taken early, make a big difference.

#vietnamese #australia #points test #trades #skilled visa #safe migration