Shipwright Visa Pathway Australia

Australia classifies Shipwright under ANZSCO 399112. Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) conducts the skills assessment. Most overseas-trained shipwrights use the Migration Skills Assessment, while graduates of an Australian VET course who work in Australia can use the Job Ready Program. The occupation appears on both the MLTSSL and the Core Skills Occupation List. Home Affairs lists it for subclasses 189, 190, 491, 494, 485, 482 and 186. SEEK 2026 salaries range AUD $75,000-$90,000 with senior shipwrights and defence-cleared roles substantially higher. Demand is driven by Australia's AUKUS submarine commitment and the multi-decade expansion of the Henderson (WA) and Osborne (SA) defence shipbuilding precincts.

Quick Facts: Shipwright Migration Pathway

What Shipwrights Actually Do in Australia

Shipwrights build, modify, repair and maintain commercial vessels, naval ships, large workboats, ferries and the heavy marine craft beyond the recreational sector. The role covers steel and aluminium hull fabrication, structural alignment, dry-docking, frame and bulkhead construction, hull repair and section replacement, slipway and synchrolift operations, and the complex coordination work that vessel construction demands.

The trade is concentrated in defence-adjacent and commercial-marine precincts. The Henderson Defence Precinct in WA hosts Austal, Civmec and the broader Australian Marine Complex. The Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide is where Australia will begin building its first SSN-AUKUS submarines by the end of the decade. Williamstown in Victoria continues as a long-established naval shipbuilding site. Hobart hosts Incat Tasmania, a global leader in aluminium fast-ferry construction. Sydney has Garden Island and Pyrmont, plus the historic shipwright industry around White Bay and Cockatoo Island. The Brisbane River system supports commercial shipwright work at Cairncross Dockyard and the wider Port of Brisbane.

The defining context for shipwright migration in 2026 is the AUKUS submarine programme. Total planned investment under AUKUS Pillar 1 has risen to AUD $71-96 billion. Up to AUD $25 billion will be spent on Henderson over the next decade. These commitments are creating sustained, structural demand for marine trade workers — and the existing Australian workforce cannot satisfy it.

The ANZSCO 399112 Code: What It Covers

ANZSCO 399112 sits inside Unit Group 3991 Boat Builders and Shipwrights alongside 399111 Boat Builder and Repairer. The two codes share an assessing body and visa eligibility but cover different vessel types and skill emphases. Shipwright work focuses on commercial, naval and larger vessels — generally above 24m and frequently above 100m — and emphasises hull integrity, structural alignment, frame and bulkhead work, and the coordination demands of large-vessel construction or refit.

The official ANZSCO description for 399112 covers reading plans and specifications, setting out work to designs, fabricating and assembling structural components, aligning and joining hull sections, dry-docking and slipping vessels, conducting hull repairs, and overseeing the precise tolerances that large marine craft require. Skill level 3 applies.

If your work is predominantly on small recreational craft, yachts, tenders and motor cruisers, 399111 Boat Builder and Repairer is the correct code. If it is predominantly on ferries, naval ships, commercial workboats or vessels typically over 24m, 399112 Shipwright is the better fit.

Skills Assessment Through Trades Recognition Australia

The Job Ready Program (Australian VET Graduates)

The Job Ready Program is for international graduates of an Australian VET course who are working in Australia. It is not an offshore route: all JRP employment must be in Australia. It starts with the Provisional Skills Assessment, then three Job Ready Program steps. The workplace assessment is observed against the shipwright competency standard rather than boat building.

Stage 1 — Provisional Skills Assessment (PSA): TRA checks that your Australian qualification, completed at a CRICOS-registered training organisation, is at the required level. It costs AUD130 in total and is processed typically within 12 weeks of submission, once all required evidence is provided.

Stage 2 — Job Ready Employment (JRE): At least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid shipwright work with a TRA-approved Australian employer. You send TRA employment verification reports, skills progress reports and pay evidence.

Stage 3 — Job Ready Workplace Assessment (JRWA): An independent TRA-approved assessor observes you working against the relevant Australian competency standard, typically structural fabrication, alignment, dry-docking or hull repair work.

Stage 4 — Job Ready Final Assessment (JRFA): TRA finalises the assessment and issues the skills letter for visa lodgement.

Total program cost: TRA lists the Job Ready Program cost (stages 2 to 4) as AUD3,410 in total (AUD490 for Job Ready Employment, AUD2,845 for the Job Ready Workplace Assessment and AUD75 for the Job Ready Final Assessment), and more if you need more than one Workplace Assessment. Fees are paid at the start of each step.

Total program duration: The Job Ready Program takes at least 12 months, because it needs 12 months of full-time (or equivalent) work with a TRA-approved employer, unless you have eligible prior employment. The JRE work-hours stage drives the timeline.

Common rejection reasons: References that describe smaller craft work suitable to 399111 rather than 399112; thin evidence of structural and alignment work as opposed to fit-out only; trying to count yacht-rigging or sailmaking experience as shipwright duties.

Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) for Overseas-Trained Applicants

Shipwright is on the MLTSSL, so most overseas-trained shipwrights can use TRA's documentary Migration Skills Assessment (MSA). It is not available if your passport and occupation must go through the Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP), and it is not used for the 482. TRA lists the MSA cost as AUD795 in total and says applications are processed typically within 120 days of submission. You need a relevant formal qualification: TRA does not accept work experience in place of one. No English test is needed for the MSA itself. Use TRA's Pathfinder to confirm which program applies to your passport and occupation.

Visa Pathways for Shipwrights

Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand Visa

For offshore shipwrights, 482 employer sponsorship is the dominant route. Defence-precinct employers at Henderson and Osborne are actively sponsoring offshore marine trades at scale. The salary threshold is easily met because shipwright wages in defence precincts comfortably exceed the Core Skills threshold. The Specialist Skills stream is not open to this occupation group.

• Visa fee: AUD4,015 for the main applicant
• Salary threshold: Core Skills Income Threshold AUD79,423 (from 1 July 2026). The Specialist Skills stream is not open to this occupation group
• Processing time: Core Skills stream: 50% of applications processed within 4 months and 90% within 9 months
• Quirk that matters: Defence-cleared work at Henderson and Osborne typically requires Australian citizenship for the highest classifications — driving most foreign shipwrights toward the 482-to-186 pathway as a multi-year route to clearance eligibility

If your 482 needs a skills assessment, TRA runs a separate Temporary Skills Shortage Skills Assessment Program; check its current fee and time on TRA's website.

Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme

The TRT stream usually needs at least two years of full-time eligible sponsored employment, typically on a 482. The defence-precinct employers run well-organised TRT pipelines because their workforce strategy depends on converting 482 holders to permanent residency.

• Visa fee: AUD6,140 for the main applicant
• Processing time: Direct Entry stream: 50% of applications processed within 21 months and 90% within 25 months; Temporary Residence Transition stream: 50% of applications processed within 21 months and 90% within 25 months
• Quirk that matters: Henderson sits in a regional postcode under some classifications and Osborne is metropolitan Adelaide — confirm postcode treatment with your migration agent before assuming regional priority applies

Home Affairs also lists Shipwright for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (subclass 494) visa, an employer-sponsored regional visa (AUD6,140 for the main applicant).

Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional Visa

Tasmania (Hobart, Incat) and parts of WA outside Perth metro qualify as regional. The 15-point boost can be decisive.

• Visa fee: AUD6,140 for the main applicant
• Processing time: State or territory nominated: 50% of applications processed within 5 months and 90% within 18 months; Family sponsored: 50% of applications processed within 4 months and 90% within 7 months
• Quirk that matters: Hobart's Incat Tasmania is one of the most experienced shipwright employers in the regional system and has hosted many migrant tradespeople

Subclass 190 — State Nominated Visa

WA, SA and TAS all currently nominate Unit Group 3991. The 5-point boost is smaller than the 491's 15 points, but the upside is unrestricted permanent residency.

• Visa fee: AUD6,140 for the main applicant
• Processing time: 50% of applications processed within 4 months and 90% within 16 months
• Quirk that matters: WA's nomination program is well aligned with the Henderson workforce strategy and has historically been one of the more accessible programs for marine trades

Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent Visa

Shipwright sits on the MLTSSL, so 189 is available. Low applicant volume keeps invitation thresholds in the 65-75 range, well below the 90+ that ICT applicants face.

• Visa fee: AUD6,135 for the main applicant
• Processing time: 50% of applications processed within 61 days and 90% within 8 months
• Quirk that matters: The 189 is genuinely competitive for shipwrights. The bottleneck is usually the skills assessment, not the points score

Points Test Strategy for Shipwrights

Realistic Score Scenarios

Scenario 1: 28-year-old UK-trained shipwright, City & Guilds Level 3, IELTS 7.5, 6 years naval shipyard experience Age 30 + English 10 + Qualification 10 + Experience 10 = 60 points With 491 WA regional nomination (+15) = 75 points — strongly competitive

Scenario 2: 34-year-old Philippines-born shipwright with an Australian Certificate III, JRP-completed, Competent English, 4 years Australian experience Age 25 + English 0 + Qualification 10 + Australian Experience 10 = 45 points With 491 (+15) and a partner with Competent English (+5) = 65 points — would benefit from improving English to Proficient

State Nomination for Shipwrights

Western Australia

WA's Henderson Defence Precinct is the single most significant employer of shipwrights in Australia. The Government has committed up to AUD $25 billion over the next decade to expand Henderson, with initial AUD $12 billion in immediate funding. Henderson is expected to support 10,000 direct jobs over the next two decades. The state's WASMOL Schedule includes Unit Group 3991, and WA received 3,400 nomination places for 2025-26.

South Australia

Adelaide's Osborne Naval Shipyard is the home of the AUKUS submarine programme. Australia will begin building its first SSN-AUKUS by the end of the decade, supported by an expansion of the existing shipyard area. South Australia opened all skilled occupations to its 2025-26 nomination program from 30 September 2025. Construction trades sit in the state's priority sector group, and SA has historically been more flexible on English thresholds than NSW or VIC.

Tasmania

Hobart's Incat Tasmania is a major aluminium fast-ferry builder with a long history of sponsoring overseas shipwrights. The entire state qualifies as regional under the postcode definitions, which makes the 491's 15-point boost available. Tasmania received 1,200 places for 190 and 650 for 491 in 2025-26.

Victoria

Williamstown's long-established naval shipbuilding history continues to generate shipwright demand, with BAE Systems Australia maintaining a workforce there. Victoria received 3,400 places for 2025-26 — the state's 190 list is generally selective but Unit Group 3991 has historically been included.

Salary and Employment Outlook

What Shipwrights Earn in 2026

Source: SEEK Career Advice salary data 2026 (AUD $75,000-$90,000 range across all roles), ERI SalaryExpert AUD $81,066 average and AUD $91,379 median, PayScale 2026 hourly rates.

Total package generally includes 12% superannuation. Defence-cleared roles command a meaningful premium because security-cleared trade workers are rare. Overtime and shift loadings on dry-dock and slipway work commonly add 15-30% to base salary in peak project periods.

Highest-Demand Sectors

• AUKUS submarine programme — Osborne Naval Shipyard (Adelaide), Henderson Defence Precinct (WA)
• Naval shipbuilding — Austal, Civmec, BAE Systems Australia, ASC Pty Ltd
• Commercial ferry construction — Incat Tasmania (Hobart)
• Vessel refit and dry-docking — Cairncross Dockyard (Brisbane), Garden Island (Sydney), Henderson commercial yards
• Major workboat construction — Birdon (Port Macquarie), Strategic Marine (WA)

Skills Australia Outlook

Jobs and Skills Australia rates marine trades as in shortage. The AUKUS workforce build alone is expected to require thousands of marine trade workers through the 2030s, on top of existing commercial demand. Industry surveys describe time-to-fill for experienced shipwrights as significantly extended through 2026. The defence shipbuilding strategy is among the most aggressive workforce expansion programmes in Australian industrial history, and shipwrights sit at the front of the demand curve.

Tips for a Successful Application

1. Choose Shipwright over Boat Builder if your work is on larger vessels

If your career has been on vessels over 24m — ferries, naval ships, large workboats — choose 399112 Shipwright rather than 399111 Boat Builder. The salary ceilings are higher, the defence-precinct visa pipeline is more developed, and the demand curve is steeper. Your references must consistently describe shipwright duties — structural fabrication, alignment, dry-docking, hull section work.

2. Target Henderson or Osborne for 482 sponsorship

The two defence precincts are the most aggressive sponsors of offshore marine trades in Australia. Austal, Civmec, ASC and BAE Systems Australia have all sponsored 482 workers in the past 24 months. The pay is high, the pathway to 186 is established, and the long-term career upside is the strongest in the trade.

3. Plan around the citizenship pathway if you want defence-cleared work

The highest-level defence work at Henderson and Osborne requires Australian citizenship, which takes four years from PR. Start the 482-to-186-to-citizenship roadmap from day one if your career goal is the cleared roles. Migrants who do not plan for this can spend years on a 482 only to discover the most lucrative positions remain closed to them.

4. Document structural and alignment work specifically

TRA assessors weight evidence of structural fabrication, hull alignment, frame work and major repair much more heavily than evidence of fit-out or surface work. Photographs of structural projects with dates, vessel names where possible, and project captions strengthen the PSA significantly.

5. Push for Proficient English before lodging

The defence-precinct employers prefer applicants with strong English because the work involves reading complex plans, naval drawings and safety documentation. Proficient English also strengthens a 190 nomination. Home Affairs defines it as at least 7 in each IELTS band, or PTE Academic scores of 58 listening, 59 reading, 69 writing and 76 speaking (for PTE tests taken from 7 August 2025). The investment in PTE preparation pays back across the assessment, the visa and the workplace.

Step-by-Step Migration Roadmap

1. Confirm 399112 is the right code — review the ANZSCO code finder and compare against 399111 Boat Builder and Repairer
2. Gather qualification evidence and your shipwright employment history: payslips, contracts, structural-work portfolio
3. Choose your TRA program: the MSA if you trained overseas (or the OSAP if your passport and occupation require it), or the PSA then Job Ready Program if you completed an Australian VET course and work in Australia
4. Sit your English test: aim for Proficient or higher to unlock state nomination and defence-precinct sponsorship
5. Lodge your TRA application through TRA's online portal
6. Job Ready Program only: complete 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid Australian shipwright work with a TRA-approved employer
7. Job Ready Program only: complete the Job Ready Workplace Assessment, an observed competency assessment on-site
8. Receive your skills assessment outcome letter: the document you lodge with the visa
9. Submit an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect — for 189, 190 or 491
10. Apply for state nomination — target WA, SA, TAS based on preferred precinct
11. Alternatively, secure 482 employer sponsorship — defence-precinct employers actively sponsoring
12. Receive invitation and lodge your visa within the time your invitation allows: complete health and character checks

Frequently Asked Questions

How is AUKUS reshaping the shipwright migration pipeline?

AUKUS Pillar 1 commits AUD $71-96 billion to nuclear-powered submarine capability. Up to AUD $25 billion will be spent on Henderson WA over the next decade. Osborne SA is being expanded to build Australia's first SSN-AUKUS submarines. Both precincts have effectively unlimited workforce demand for trade workers through the 2030s. The 482 visa programme is the dominant entry route, with 186 progression after two years standard for sponsored workers.

Can I work on classified defence projects on a temporary visa?

Generally no for the most sensitive work, and partially yes for less sensitive work. Australian Government Security Vetting Agency clearances above Negative Vetting Level 1 typically require Australian citizenship. Workers on a 482 can perform unclassified or low-clearance work but cannot enter classified zones. Most foreign shipwrights start in unclassified roles and progress toward cleared work as they advance through 186 PR and eventual citizenship.

Should I apply as a Shipwright or a Boat Builder?

It depends on the vessels you actually work on. Shipwright covers commercial and naval vessels, usually above 24m, with emphasis on structural and alignment work. Boat Builder and Repairer covers recreational and smaller commercial craft. Your reference letters must match the code you nominate — TRA will not accept a Shipwright nomination if your references describe yacht and tender work.

Which precinct should I target — Henderson or Osborne?

Henderson (WA) is the larger and broader workforce demand, covering surface combatants, amphibious vessels, submarine maintenance and Austal's commercial vessel work. Osborne (SA) is more concentrated on the SSN-AUKUS submarine programme but offers depth in submarine-specific work that does not exist elsewhere in Australia. Henderson has more 482 sponsorship volume because the demand is broader; Osborne has stronger long-term career potential for submarine specialists.

How does Incat Tasmania fit in the shipwright pathway?

Incat is a global leader in aluminium fast-ferry construction and one of Australia's most experienced employers of offshore shipwrights. The entire state of Tasmania qualifies as regional for the 491 visa, which adds 15 points. Incat has a strong track record of sponsoring 482 visa holders and converting them to 186 PR. For applicants drawn to commercial rather than defence work, Hobart is an excellent target. Review the naval architect and marine designer pathway for an adjacent professional route, the skills assessment process, and the broader most in-demand occupations hub.