Mutual Recognition – Construction Occupations

We were notified late last week that the ACT Government has specifically excluded construction occupations from the Automatic Mutual Recognition Scheme until 1 July 2025. This applies to workers who are licensed in another jurisdiction coming into the ACT to work.

The AMR Scheme was an Australia-wide commitment from States and Territories to allow for automatic mutual recognition between jurisdictions. This would ultimately reduce red-tape for many small businesses, and make it simpler and more cost effective for workers to travel between States and Territories without needing to apply for separate licenses.

We are disappointed that the ACT Government has made the decision to exclude construction occupations from this Scheme. This is even more surprising given the recently publicised ACT Skills Needs list, which has expanded the range of construction occupations that are currently in high demand. We will continue to advocate to Government about the need to decrease regulation, and increase skills funding.

For those workers who are licensed in another jurisdiction and want to work in the ACT, you will need to lodge an application with Access Canberra for approval to work in the ACT. If you are licensed in the ACT and travelling to another State or Territory, we recommend you check their licensing requirements prior to carrying out any work. You can also contact the MBA Member Services Team on 6175 5900 for guidance.