Butcher or Smallgoods Maker 351211: skills assessment and visas

Key considerations

• TRA is the assessing authority for ANZSCO 351211. The correct assessment program depends on your circumstances and visa.
• The occupation is on the STSOL for points-tested migration, not the MLTSSL. Do not assume access to independent subclass 189.
• An ANZSCO experience substitution does not automatically satisfy TRA’s qualification and evidence requirements.

Does your work fit 351211?

The occupation covers skilled preparation of meat for sale or supply and production of smallgoods. Typical work includes preparing cuts, using processing equipment and controlling stages such as seasoning, curing or sausage production. The role is classified at ANZSCO skill level 3.

Describe your own responsibilities rather than relying on a payroll title. Explain the products you prepare, equipment you operate, technical decisions you make and the proportion of time spent on skilled processing. A role dominated by packing, basic labouring or sales needs careful comparison rather than an assumption that any meat-industry job is a butcher role.

Check the TRA program before applying

TRA’s Migration Skills Assessment program is a documentary assessment for relevant occupations and applicants who are not required to use another TRA program. Its current guidance excludes assessments for subclass 482 and 485 from that program. Use the official Pathfinder with your passport, training and intended visa details.

Australian-trained applicants should also check whether the Job Ready pathway is appropriate to their situation. A preliminary graduate assessment and a completed migration assessment serve different purposes. Do not choose a program solely because someone with the same job title used it.

Qualification and employment evidence

The July 2026 MSA guidelines require relevant qualification or apprenticeship evidence and at least three years of paid occupational work, measured on a full-time-equivalent basis. They also require at least twelve months of recent work within the three years immediately before applying.

Prepare the qualification certificate, transcript and any apprenticeship records, plus an employer form for each claimed job and the required independent pay evidence. Self-employment needs verifiable business and financial records. Follow the current checklist for your employment type rather than submitting only a reference letter.

TRA does not issue a trade qualification or occupational licence through this assessment. ANZSCO’s general description of experience substituting for qualifications should not be read as an automatic exemption from the chosen assessment program’s rules.

Which visa routes can be considered?

LIN 19/051 lists Butcher or Smallgoods Maker 351211 on the STSOL and specifies TRA as its assessor. This can support consideration of subclass 190 or state-nominated 491 when the remaining federal and state requirements are met. It does not make this occupation eligible for points-tested 189 or family-sponsored 491.

The occupation also appears on the current Core Skills lists for subclass 482 and subclass 186 Direct Entry, and in the separate subclass 494 regional occupation instrument. These are potential employer-sponsored routes, with their own position, employer, work-experience, salary, English and assessment rules. Listing is not approval of a particular job or applicant.

Plan around evidence and a real opportunity

For state nomination, establish whether a program is open and whether it is considering your occupation and applicant category. An Australian job, regional residence or a high points estimate does not guarantee an invitation. Keep your EOI consistent with the evidence you can produce at the relevant time.

For an employer-sponsored position, compare the actual job description with your experience before treating sponsorship as a solution. Ask which business will employ you, where the work occurs and which visa stream is proposed. Do not assume that an offer alone meets nomination requirements.

Employment points need a separate review. A successful skills assessment does not mean every year in your CV can be claimed as skilled employment for the points test. Training periods, part-time hours and overlapping jobs should be identified clearly.

A useful preparation checklist

Build a dated work history showing each employer, location, weekly hours, qualifications and major changes in duties. If you worked in a family business, explain the employment relationship and how payments can be independently verified.

• Separate trade duties from supervisory, retail and general production tasks.
• Identify missing payroll, tax or apprenticeship records early.
• Check the current assessment instructions before arranging translations or paying fees.
• Review visa expiry and lawful-status options separately from any assessment or EOI.

How we can help

Ausdirect can review whether your evidence supports the occupation, identify the relevant TRA pathway and assess the practical requirements of state nomination or employer sponsorship.

Questions to consider

Your next step

Prepare your trade qualification, employment history and intended visa route for an assessment-focused consultation.