Dris proposal for national licensing of the plumbing and gasfitting occupations

Victoria

There are some general differences that would apply to new individual worker licence applicants when compared to current licensing arrangements and these include:

inclusion of financial probity checks for individual worker licences in relation to payment of penalties or fines

removal of some personal probity checks, evidence of experience, additional testing requirements

the introduction of a separate contractor level licence – currently licence holders can contract with the public

at the tradesperson level, removal of the option for the regulator to issue a provisional registration in a single category where an applicant has not met the qualification requirements, other than for those who have met the agreed Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR) standards

fire sprinkler systems work would no longer be issued as a restricted form of fire protection

the endorsement for Type A gas conversion work would be removed and form part of general gasfitting

separate registration for gasfitting Type B would be removed

removal of the endorsement for Type A gasfitting work restricted to servicing

a large number of restricted licences and registrations would be removed

incidental design work would no longer form part of plumbing and gasfitting work and construction is not included in the regulated work

work involving subsoil drains, stormwater pits and retention tanks is not included in the national licensing regulated work

ducting, medical gases and split system work would no longer be regulated work under mechanical services.

Table E.2: Changes to existing licensing arrangements – Victoria

Proposed national licence (occupational) categories, eligibility and other requirements	Changes to existing licence categories, eligibility and other requirements
Plumber licence Certificate III in Plumbing or Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) or Plumber tradesperson registration plus four compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Water supply plumber and sanitary plumber (two licences) New requirements: must hold a contractor’s licence if choosing to contract additional two Certificate IV units of competency financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements separate water and sanitary licences mandatory testing personal probity check removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract
Drainer licence Certificate III in Plumbing including the drainage stream and one compulsory unit or Certificate II in Drainage including two compulsory Certificate III units or Drainer tradesperson registration plus four compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Drainage licence New requirements: must hold a contractor’s licence if choosing to contract additional two Certificate IV units of competency financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements separate water and sanitary licences mandatory testing personal probity check removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract
General gasfitter licence Certificate III in Gas Fitting including one compulsory Certificate II unit and two compulsory Certificate III units or Certificate lll in Plumbing including the gas services stream including one compulsory Certificate II units and one compulsory Certificate III unit or General gasfitter tradesperson registration plus four compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Gasfitting licence New requirements: must hold a contractor’s licence if choosing to contract financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements personal probity check mandatory testing removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract removal of need for separate specialised licence for servicing Type A gas appliances
Gasfitter Type B appliances licence General gasfitter licence or qualifications to obtain it plus one compulsory Certificate IV unit Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Type B gasfitting work New requirements: must hold a contractor’s licence if choosing to contract one less Certificate IV unit of competency removal of prerequisite registration financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing requirement to hold disconnect/reconnect licence personal probity check removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract
	Current title: Type B gasfitting advanced New requirements: must hold a contractor’s licence if choosing to contract one less Certificate IV unit of competency removal of prerequisite registration financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing where required personal probity check removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract
Fire protection licence Certificate III in Fire Protection or Fire protection tradesperson registration plus two compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Fire protection licence New requirements: must hold a contractor’s licence if choosing to contract financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing personal probity check removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract removal of restricted licence for fire sprinkler systems work
Mechanical services licence Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) or Certificate lll in Plumbing including the mechanical services stream or Mechanical services tradesperson’s registration plus three compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Mechanical services licence New requirements: must hold a contractor’s licence if choosing to contract financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing personal probity check removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract removal of ducting and medical gases from mechanical services regulated work
Plumber – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Plumbing or Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Water supply registration and Sanitary registration (two registrations) New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of fines Removed requirements: separate water and sanitary registration experience requirements mandatory testing personal probity check
Drainer – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Plumbing including the drainage stream including one compulsory Certificate III unit or Certificate II in Drainage plus two compulsory Certificate III units Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Drainage registration New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing personal probity check
General gasfitter – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Gas Fitting including one compulsory Certificate II unit and two compulsory Certificate III units or Certificate III in Plumbing including the gas services stream including one compulsory Certificate II unit and one compulsory Certificate III unit Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Gasfitting registration New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing personal probity check
Fire protection – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Fire Protection Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Fire protection registration New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of fines new category of licensing Removed requirements: mandatory requirements additional testing personal probity check
Mechanical Services – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) OR Certificate III in Plumbing including the mechanical services stream Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Mechanical services registration New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing personal probity check
Contractor (in any category) One, three or five year licence duration	No contractor licence in this jurisdiction. Licence holders undertake contracting work. New requirement: introduction of contractor licences
Provisional plumber (water and sanitary) Offshore Technical Skills Record successfully assessed against either of: Certificate III in Plumbing or Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) One year licence duration	Provisional licences will only be issued to offshore/onshore migrants. Current Victorian arrangements provide for the issuing of licences to local residents who have not met the qualification requirements to obtain a registration.
Provisional drainer Offshore Technical Skills Record successfully assessed against Certificate III in Plumbing including the drainage stream and one compulsory Certificate III unit One year licence duration	Provisional licences will only be issued to offshore/onshore migrants. Current Victorian arrangements provide for the issuing of licences to local residents who have not met the qualification requirements to obtain a registration.
Provisional general gasfitter Offshore Technical Skills Record successfully assessed against either of: Certificate III in Gas Fitting including one compulsory Certificate II unit and two compulsory Certificate III units or Certificate lll in Plumbing including the gas services stream and one compulsory Certificate II unit and one compulsory Certificate III unit One year licence duration	Provisional licences will only be issued to offshore/onshore migrants. Current Victorian arrangements provide for the issuing of licences to local residents who have not met the qualification requirements to obtain a registration.
Restricted plumber (disconnect/reconnect) Completion of two compulsory units of competency from Certificate III in Plumbing and one compulsory unit from Certificate lV Plumbing and Services Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Water supply restricted to domestic hot water services New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing personal probity check health and fitness check criminal history check removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract
Restricted plumber – urban irrigation work Certificate II in Urban Irrigation including four compulsory Certificate III units or Certificate III in Irrigation including five compulsory Certificate III units and two compulsory Certificate II units or Certificate III in Plumbing including three compulsory Certificate III units and one Certificate II compulsory unit Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Irrigation (non-agricultural) registration New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience requirements mandatory testing personal probity check health and fitness check criminal history check removal of some financial probity requirements if applicant does not choose to contract
Restricted plumber – fire protection (inspecting/ testing) Certificate II in Fire Protection Inspection and Testing Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: No direct equivalent. Victoria has a number of restricted fire protection licences covering hydrants and hose reels, fire sprinklers and fire system pump sets, however the work regulated is broader than inspect and test. Victoria will decide whether a national licence would be issued for this category