394111 Cabinetmaker (394112 Cabinet Maker): TRA Skills Assessment, Code Differences and Visa Options

Cabinetmaker is assessed by Trades Recognition Australia (TRA), and it's on the occupation lists for the main skilled and employer-sponsored visas. But it doesn't carry the same code everywhere. For the 189, 190, 491 and 494 it's Cabinetmaker, ANZSCO 394111. For the 482 and 186 it's Cabinet Maker, 394112. That second code comes from the ABS's 2022 version of ANZSCO.

Which TRA program you use depends on your visa, your passport, whether you trained in Australia and whether you hold a qualification. And unlike carpentry, cabinet making isn't in the construction group for visa processing priority.

Not sure which code and program apply to you? Book a consultation before you pay.

Which code does each visa use?

Use the code the instrument for your visa uses. They come from two versions of ANZSCO. In ANZSCO 2022, the ABS describes 394112 Cabinet Maker as making and installing kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and other fittings from wood and laminates. Its specialisations are installers of cabinets, kitchens and wardrobes. Furniture Maker, 394113, is a separate occupation in the same unit group. TRA lists the Certificate III in Cabinet Making and Timber Technology (MSF30322) as the Australian qualification for Cabinetmaker.

Which TRA assessment do you need?

TRA's OSAP and TSS lists for Cabinetmaker name the same ten countries, and so does the Department's list of passports for which a 482 skills assessment is mandatory. That mandatory-assessment rule has exemptions, such as having already met TRA's OSAP standard.

From 31 July 2024, TRA removed the compulsory OSAP requirement for Cabinetmaker for qualified applicants with a passport from China, Iran, Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates or the United Kingdom. Those applicants use the Migration Skills Assessment (MSA), and applicants from those countries without a qualification can opt in to OSAP. TRA lists Cabinetmaker as a prioritised occupation for assessment.

Worked example, for two qualified cabinetmakers with the same experience applying for the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa:

• Passport on TRA's OSAP list for Cabinetmaker (for example, India): OSAP is compulsory, at $1,120 for the documentary evidence and $2,000 for the technical interview on Pathway 1, and about 15 weeks.
• Passport from one of the seven countries TRA removed from compulsory OSAP (for example, the United Kingdom): the MSA applies, at $795.

On the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa with a passport outside the ten listed countries, there's no mandatory skills assessment, and TRA's TSS assessment isn't offered to you. You still need at least 12 months of relevant work in the 5 years before you apply for the 482, and the Department can require you to demonstrate your skills.

What each program costs and how long it takes

To qualify for the MSA you need a relevant qualification, at least 3 years of paid work in the occupation and at least 12 months full time in the 3 years before you apply. TRA doesn't accept trade tests without verifiable formal training, short courses or an occupational licence in place of a qualification. OSAP Pathway 1 asks for 3 years of full-time work with formal training, or 5 years without, and a successful Pathway 1 outcome in a non-licensed trade also awards the relevant Australian VET qualification.

Where a positive assessment takes you

Cabinetmaker is invited through SkillSelect. Our points calculator shows where you'd sit.

Processing order is different. Here cabinet making departs from carpentry. Ministerial Direction 122 puts construction occupations in the first processing group, and its construction definition covers the Construction Trades Workers sub-major group and a list of named unit groups and occupations. Cabinet and Furniture Makers isn't among them, so a Cabinetmaker application isn't in that first group on the construction ground. That affects only the order applications are picked up, not eligibility.

The occupation is on the lists for the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190), Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491), Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) and Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visas as 394111, and as Cabinet Maker 394112 for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), with no caveats on the 482 or 186 lists. States set their own lists for the 190 and 491. Our Carpenter 331212 post covers the same TRA programs for the carpentry codes.

FAQ

Is cabinet making on the PR list in Australia?

Yes. Cabinetmaker, ANZSCO 394111, is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List used for the permanent 189 and 190 and the provisional 491, and Cabinet Maker, 394112, is on the Core Skills Occupation List for the permanent 186. Trades Recognition Australia is the assessing authority.

What is the difference between 394111 and 394112?

They're codes from two versions of ANZSCO. The lists for the 189, 190, 491, 494 and 485 use Cabinetmaker 394111, while the lists for the 482 and 186 use Cabinet Maker 394112, from the ABS's 2022 version, which also has a separate Furniture Maker, 394113. Use the code in the list for the visa you're applying for.

Can you get a 482 without a skills assessment as a cabinet maker?

It depends on the passport. A TRA skills assessment is mandatory for 482 cabinet makers with a passport from Brazil, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Macau, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam or Zimbabwe, unless exempt. With any other passport it isn't mandatory, though the Department can require you to demonstrate your skills.

How much is a TRA skills assessment for a cabinet maker?

The Migration Skills Assessment costs $795. OSAP, compulsory for cabinetmakers with a passport from ten listed countries applying for a permanent or regional visa, costs $1,120 for the documentary stage and $2,000 for the technical interview on Pathway 1, plus $2,200 if a practical is required. The Provisional Skills Assessment for a 485 costs $130.

How do you become a cabinet maker in Australia through migration?

You need a positive skills assessment from Trades Recognition Australia, then a visa whose list includes the occupation. TRA lists the Certificate III in Cabinet Making and Timber Technology (MSF30322) as the Australian qualification, and the Migration Skills Assessment also needs at least 3 years of paid work, including 12 months full time in the last 3 years.

Can I apply for a skills assessment by myself?

Yes. Trades Recognition Australia lets you apply yourself, through its online portal for the Migration Skills Assessment, Provisional Skills Assessment and Job Ready Program, or through a TRA-approved registered training organisation for OSAP and the TSS assessment. You can also authorise a registered migration agent to act for you.

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Want your code, TRA program and evidence checked before you pay? Book a consultation. Our skills assessment service handles the TRA side and the visa side together.