Becoming a mechanic in Australia

Working as a Mechanic in Australia

Check out what it takes to become a Mechanic in Australia and the steps you need to take to work in the industry.

Becoming a Mechanic

Fill out our questionnaire and we’ll help you find the most suitable mechanics courses in Australia.

Migrating to Australia

Check the available visa requirements and cities to study & work as a mechanic.

Finding Mechanic Jobs

Check out what are the best ways to find high paying mechanic jobs in Sydney, Melbourne, and other cities.

Mechanics in Australia

To work as an automotive mechanic in Australia there are certain requirements that you must meet. This article details the specific requirements that you need to work in automotive field in Australia.

What courses can you study in Australia?
There are several different automotive courses that you can learn in Australia. All of the courses below skill you in occupations that are on the MLTSSL.

  • Light Vehicle Mechanical (General Mechanic)
  • Heavy Diesel/Commercial (Diesel and Heavy Machinery)
  • Automotive Electrical
  • Automotive Panel Beating

There is a lot of work for skilled and qualified automotive mechanics in Australia.

Most adults, own cars in Australia are there all need to be serviced. What’s more, the skills are generally speaking universal. Meaning if you can be a mechanic in the UK or China, your skills will usually be transferrable to Australia. Unlike electricians or plumbers, there’s currently no licensing required to work as a Mechanic in Australia.

If you’re interested in studying Automotive you’ll find the information from the  Automotive Mechanic Course  page and you can also check out the interview with Louis from India.

Why choose mechanics?

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Courses available in multiple cities

Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide

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Relatively short courses

It takes between 12-24 months to become a qualified mechanic in Australia
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Chefs are in demand

Mechanics have a high proportion of full-time jobs (91.9%)
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High paying jobs

A qualified mechanic earns $1,435 a week, on average

As per the government’s job outlook website, the average weekly pay for different automotive professions are listed below:

  • Motor Mechanic – $1435 per week
  • Diesel Mechanic – $1436 per week
  • Automotive Electrician – $1400 per week
  • Panel Beater – $1280 per week

How to become a mechanic in Australia?

International students can become a qualified mechanic in as short a time as 2 years. In fact, because Mechanics are in demand in Australia, you may even be able to obtain the graduate work visa when you finish a course and potentially additional work visas in the future.

Apprenticeship

Can I do an apprenticeship if I am an international student?

Unfortunately, international students cannot undertake an apprenticeship in Australia. However, there are many international colleges that offer the course that allows you to become a qualified tradesperson in Australia. Most of these courses include at least 360 hours of work experience with a qualified trades person.

I have completed half my apprenticeship or trade qualification back home. Can I get qualified in Australia?

If you have completed a partial qualification from outside Australia, you may be able to apply for partial credit transfer, so you get credit for some components of an Australian qualification. A city and guilds level 3 from the UK, may be considered comparable to an AQF level 3 under certain circumstances. This is judged on a case by case basis depending on the content of the course studied.

Getting a work visa in Australia

Please note that mechanic (general), heavy diesel mechanics, panel beaters and auto electricians are all on the Immigration and Border Protection Medium to Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). 

This means that if you are qualified in these automotive positions, you may then be able to apply for independent general skilled migration (Permanent work visas). This means that you may be eligible for Skilled Independent (Subclass 189), State Nominated (Subclass 190) or Regional Nominated (Subclass 491 visas). You may also be eligible for the Temporary Graduate Work visas if you study these courses in Australia.

Apart from this skilled mechanics may also apply for the employer sponsored visas.

What visas require a skills assessment?
For most countries, only general skilled migration visas require a skills assessment. However certain countries require a skills assessment before they can obtain an employer sponsored (482) visa.

  • Most skill assessments are done through Trades Recognition.

Requirements for the skills assessments

  • Have a trade qualification or education equivalent to Australian standards
  • Have at least 3 years post qualification experience
  • Have worked in the field for at least 12 months over the last 3 years
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Skilled Independent (Subclass 189)

189 visa allows the visa holders access to a permanent work visas, without being linked to only one employer.

State Nominated (Subclass 190)

This is a permanent visa that does not require employer sponsorship.

Regional Nominated (Subclass 491 visas)

It’s originally a temporary visa that may lead to PR. It’s not employer sponsored and requires you to commit to living and working in a regional area.

How to find a mechanic job?

The best way to find a job is through networking. The easiest way to do this is to go directly to garages/workshops and ask if they are looking for any workers. You might have to go around to a few locations, but usually, someone at the garage/workshop will be looking for workers or will know someone who is. By going directly to garages and workshops shows you are committed and know how things work in Aus.

In my opinion applying for jobs online is difficult in this line of work. If you get desperate it is worth a try, but I think you will be far better off networking at pubs, bars or better yet onsite.

How much do mechanics earn in Australia?
A qualified mechanic with their own tools who is subcontracting can expect to be paid anywhere from $35 – $45 per hour. A mechanical assistant can expect to be paid roughly $20 – $30 per hour.

What qualification would I need?
You would generally need a Cert III in Light Vehicle Mechanical or equivalent.

Do I need to have a license to work as a mechanic?
motor-vehicle-repair business license is required to operate your own vehicle repair business. However, if you are working for a company then you should not need your own license. You may need a license to do certain types of work such as:

  • Safety certification examiners.
  • Modifying or altering vehicles.
  • Gas installation.
  • Handling refrigerant.

Mechanic Employers

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AutoRecruiter

Location: NSW
Phone: 1300131131
autorecruiter.com.au

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Automotive Personnel

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Bayside Group Recruitment

Location: QLD, NSW, VIC, SA
Phone: 0732216822
sydney@marble.com.au
baysidegroup.com.au

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How to become a mechanic in Australia | Requirements and Courses was last modified: August 11th, 2021 by PTA