The McGowan Government will today introduce the Mutual Recognition (Western Australia) Amendment Bill 2021 into Parliament to allow for WA’s participation in the Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) scheme for occupational licences and registrations.
The scheme allows a person who is registered or licensed for an occupation in another jurisdiction to perform the same work in WA without applying for recognition or paying a fee.
It will make it easier for workers to take up jobs in WA and support current skill needs in WA.
Strong safeguards are embedded into the scheme to maintain high standards of consumer and environmental protection, animal welfare, and health and safety.
Individuals subject to disciplinary, civil or criminal action will be excluded from the scheme and regulators will be required to share this information.
Interstate registered and licensed workers will be required to comply with the relevant occupational licensing Western Australian laws.
It is expected the scheme will commence from July 1, 2022, in line with the majority of other States and Territories.
Consultation with key stakeholders will continue before the scheme commences.
The scheme aligns with outcomes from the McGowan Government’s Skills Summit to attract interstate workers to make the move west and fill vacant jobs. This includes the ‘Build a life in WA’ campaign to address skills shortages in the manufacturing and construction industries as WA’s economy continues to boom.
Further information, visit: https://www.buildalifeinwa.com.au or https://www.wa.gov.au
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
“Attracting skilled workers to Western Australia to support our State’s strong economic growth and pipeline of works is a priority for the WA Government.
“This scheme will make it easier for interstate registered or licensed workers to work in WA and aligns with outcomes from my Government’s Skills Summit to help WA businesses recruit employees.
“Strong checks and balances will be in place to ensure the safety of the Western Australian community and workers.
“My Government’s ‘Build a life in WA’ campaign is underway to attract interstate workers to make the move west and take up significant job opportunities in the long pipeline of work in construction and manufacturing industries.”
