TRA Skills Assessment for Shoemaker (ANZSCO 393114) — 2026 Guide

This is the 2026 TRA skills assessment guide for ANZSCO 393114 — Shoemaker. For visa pathway selection see the 393114 pathway guide; for cost / timeline see the case study. For state nomination see the comparison; for invitation patterns see the invitation rounds trends.

TRA pathway summary

393114 routes through TRA, not VETASSESS.

For overseas shoemakers applying for 186 / 494 / 482, OSAP is the relevant pathway. Cost: ~AUD 3,000-3,500 technical + AUD 600-900 practical = ~AUD 4,000-4,500 total.

Benchmark qualification

Australian benchmark:

• Cert III in Footwear Production / Manufacture (MSF30418) — covers shoemaking trade skills.
• Cert III in Footwear Manufacturing (older code variations) — also recognised.
• Higher: Cert IV in Footwear Manufacture for supervisor / lead roles.

Specialist Australian qualifications:

• Bespoke shoemaking apprenticeship at established Australian workshops (limited).
• RM Williams in-house training — strong industry credential.

Overseas qualifications that map

Without Cert III equivalent qualification, TRA may require RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) with extended employment evidence (5+ years post-trade at established shoemaker).

Required documents

1. Qualification certificate with academic transcripts — certified copies. Apprenticeship completion certificate if applicable.
2. Detailed CV mapped to ANZSCO 393114 — every workshop, dates, hours/week, shoe types made, materials handled, equipment operated.
3. Employment reference letters on shoemaker workshop letterhead — duties, shoe types, role responsibilities.
4. Identity — passport bio page.
5. Payslips / tax records / employment contracts — for cross-checking.
6. Photographic portfolio — completed shoes / boots, construction details, leather selection, last work, final finished products. Ideally 15-20 pairs.
7. Equipment operator records — Goodyear welter (Sutton / DESMA / Niagara Custom Shoe Last), McKay machinery, lasting machine, edge trimmer, sole press, sewing machines (Adler 30, Pfaff 335 for closing).
8. Trade certifications — Cordwainers' membership, Compagnons du Devoir, vendor / brand training.
9. WHS / OHS training — sharp tools, machine safety.
10. English test — IELTS / PTE / OET / TOEFL / Cambridge (Vocational English minimum for OSAP).

Employment evidence — what TRA wants

TRA looks for 3 years post-qualification trade employment. Reference letters must specify by shoe type and construction:

• Bespoke shoemaking — "Constructed bespoke Goodyear-welted dress shoes from customer-measured lasts (custom wooden / plastic lasts); cut and clicked uppers from full-grain calfskin / shell cordovan; closed uppers on Adler 30 / Pfaff 335; lasted on bespoke wooden last (4-7 day mulling); welted by hand (8-10 stitches per inch holdfast); attached oak-bark sole; finished waist and edge."
• Goodyear-welt machinery — "Operated Sutton Goodyear Welter / DESMA Goodyear / Niagara Custom Shoe machinery; welt-attaching and sole-stitching production at 30-60 pairs per day."
• Hand-welted construction — "Hand-welted dress shoes; 8-10 stitches per inch holdfast / inseam; welt cut from skirting leather; cork filler; oak-bark or veg-tanned leather sole; sole-stitched by hand or via outsole stitcher."
• RM Williams-style chelsea boot construction — "Cut one-piece leather uppers; constructed elastic-sided chelsea boots; pull-on construction; Goodyear-welted to leather sole / commando sole; finished with edge dressing."
• Western boot construction — "Built higher-shaft western boots; vamps and tops in tooled / inlay leather; piping; pull straps; lasted on western-boot lasts; Goodyear-welted; stacked-leather heel."
• Orthopaedic shoes — "Constructed orthopaedic shoes to podiatrist prescriptions; custom-moulded lasts; built-in rocker soles, wedges, lifts; diabetic-friendly seam-free interiors; worked with podiatrist / orthotist gait analysis."
• Theatrical / ballet shoes — "Constructed pointe shoes (handmade — block of paste, glued layers, shaped, hand-finished); character shoes for theatre; period costume footwear."
• Pattern-making for footwear — "Developed patterns from last shells (taping / paper / CAD); standard / custom sizing; production-grade pattern grading."
• Last-making (bespoke) — "Hand-shaped wooden lasts from customer measurements; modified production lasts; foot-pressure mapping integration."

Generic "made shoes" wording does not pass TRA review. Detail by shoe type, construction technique, equipment, and leather selection.

OSAP — what to expect

OSAP runs in two phases.

Phase 1 — Technical interview

1-2 hours via video. Covers:

• Shoemaking construction methods (Goodyear-welt, hand-welt, Norwegian welt, Blake-stitch, Blake-rapid, McKay, stitch-down, direct-attach, vulcanised).
• Leather selection (calf, kid, suede, shell cordovan, exotic; full-grain vs corrected-grain).
• Last theory (last shape, fit, grading).
• Pattern-making for footwear.
• Lasting and closing (upper construction).
• Sole attachment methods.
• Edge finishing and burnishing.
• Equipment operation (Goodyear welter, McKay, lasting machine, sole press, edge trimmer, closing machines).
• Safety (sharp tools, machine guards, chemical handling for adhesives).
• Quality control (fit, finish, durability).

Phase 2 — Practical assessment

1-2 days at approved RTO test centre. Tasks:

• Pattern cutting from supplied design.
• Closing demonstration (upper assembly on industrial closing machine).
• Lasting demonstration (pull last onto wooden / plastic last).
• Welt attachment (machine or hand, depending on specialty).
• Sole attachment.
• Edge finishing.
• Quality control of finished pair.

Both phases must be passed.

Vendor / industry certifications

Strongly recommended:

• Cordwainers' Company (UK) membership / training.
• Compagnons du Devoir (France) for bespoke shoemaking.
• PIA / FDIA (US) — Pediatric Footwear specialty.
• Italian luxury house apprenticeship records (Bottega Veneta, Tod's, Salvatore Ferragamo).
• R.M. Williams in-house operator training records (for Australian crossover candidates).
• Australian Footwear Industry Network membership.

English requirements

TRA OSAP: Vocational English minimum (IELTS 5.0 overall, no band below 5.0).

Home Affairs 186 / 494 / 482: Competent English (IELTS 6.0 each band, PTE 50 each, etc.) typical.

Common pitfalls

• Trying VETASSESS. VETASSESS does not assess 393114. TRA is the pathway.
• Pure cobbler / shoe-repair background without new-shoe construction trade work. May not satisfy 393114 (which is shoemaking trade). Pure repair work may not meet construction-trade evidence requirements.
• Footwear designer (CAD only) without making hands-on. Designer-only work doesn't fit 393114 — consider 232411 Graphic Designer or 232311 Fashion Designer.
• Factory assembly-line operator on single machine task. This is closer to 393311 Footwear Production Worker, not 393114 Shoemaker (which requires breadth across construction).
• No portfolio. Photographic portfolio essentially required.
• Family-business letters only. TRA scrutinises related-party employer letters. Get arms-length employer letters where possible.

Tools

• Document checklist
• Points calculator
• Visa fee calculator
• Eligibility wizard
• ANZSCO search

Authoritative sources

• Trades Recognition Australia (TRA)
• TRA OSAP
• Home Affairs visa pricing
• Australian Footwear Industry Network
• Cordwainers' Company (UK)

Next step

Need a MARA agent to plan your TRA OSAP submission? Book a 30-minute free strategy call with Global Select.