Role Snapshot

ANZSCO Code: 322111 — Boilermaker
Role Variants: Boilermaker-Welder, Pressure Vessel Fabricator, Structural Steel Fabricator, Coded Welder, Welding Inspector, Boilermaker Supervisor, Shutdowns Specialist
Parent Category: AU Trades & Construction Roles
Skill Level: 3
Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL): Yes — eligible for TSS 482 visa with an employer sponsor
Skills Assessment Body: TRA (Trades Recognition Australia) for overseas trade qualifications

🇳🇿Also available for New ZealandBoilermaker Roles in New ZealandNZQA · Skill Shortage→

The boilermaker shortage in Australia is structural, not cyclical. The mining, oil and gas, and energy sectors cannot fill boilermaker and coded welder positions from the domestic workforce alone — a gap that has widened as the existing trade workforce ages. WA Pilbara shutdowns (iron ore crushing and screening, LNG processing plants), QLD and NSW coal and gas processing, and an emerging renewable energy fabrication sector (wind tower fabrication, solar thermal, hydrogen plant construction) all compete for the same small trade workforce. FIFO (Fly-In Fly-Out) boilermaker roles are among the highest-paying trade positions in Australia, and the gap between FIFO and residential rates creates a practical incentive for overseas tradespeople to relocate.

• Fabricate, assemble, and repair boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, and associated pipework
• Weld structural steel, pressure-rated components, and exotic materials to coded weld standards
• Read and interpret engineering drawings, weld procedure specifications (WPS), and isometric drawings
• Perform non-destructive testing (NDT) preparation and support QA inspection processes
• Apply AS/NZS welding standards and pressure vessel fabrication codes
• Operate cutting, grinding, forming, and fitting equipment to tight tolerances
• Work within shutdown planning frameworks including permit-to-work, SIMOPS, and isolations

Typical employers: Civmec, Monadelphous, BHP Maintenance and Technical Services, Rio Tinto Operations Services, Woodside Petroleum contractors, SRG Global, NRW Civil & Mining, Thiess, mining maintenance contractors, pressure vessel fabrication workshops

Salary Benchmark

Typical Range: $80,000 – $160,000+ AUD per year. The FIFO premium is significant — a Pilbara-based boilermaker on a 2:1 roster earns substantially more per year than a residential fabrication shop equivalent.

• Early career / trade-level residential: $72,000–$92,000
• Experienced boilermaker (4+ years, residential or site-based): $95,000–$125,000
• FIFO / coded welder / shutdowns specialist: $125,000–$160,000+

Source: SEEK AU — Boilermaker Salary | Hays Salary Guide AU 2026 | Data reviewed May 2026

Shutdowns premium: Planned shutdowns at major processing facilities (Pilbara iron ore, QLD coal wash plants, LNG trains) run for fixed durations at premium day rates. Experienced shutdowns boilermakers with coded weld tickets command the highest rates in the market, often on short-notice mobilisation.

Cost of living: For an independent comparison, see Numbeo — Australia. TEFI provides clients with a detailed financial planning workbook to model living costs by city and lifestyle — ask Tate for a copy.

Where Demand Is Strongest

• Perth / WA (Pilbara FIFO): By far the dominant market. Pilbara iron ore operations (BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue) and the North West Shelf and Ichthys LNG facilities generate year-round shutdowns and maintenance demand. Most FIFO roles fly from Perth, Karratha, or Port Hedland
• QLD (Bowen Basin coal, Gladstone LNG): CQLD coal processing plants, wash facilities, and the three Gladstone LNG trains (APLNG, QCLNG, GLNG) all run regular scheduled shutdowns. Mackay and Rockhampton are FIFO hubs for this market
• NSW (Hunter Valley coal, Port Kembla steelworks): Hunter Valley coal processing and BlueScope Steel at Port Kembla maintain significant boilermaker demand. Not FIFO — residential trade roles with good stability
• SA / VIC (fabrication workshops): Structural steel fabricators and pressure vessel shops in Adelaide and Melbourne employ boilermakers on residential terms. Rates are lower than FIFO but the work is consistent and non-remote
• Darwin (NT): Growing Defence infrastructure programme, offshore oil and gas support, and Northern Australia pastoral infrastructure driving demand for boilermakers and structural welders

Licensing & Professional Registration

TRA (Trades Recognition Australia) assesses overseas trade qualifications for boilermakers. A positive TRA assessment is required for immigration purposes and strongly expected by Australian employers before progressing applications.

TRA assessment process:

1. Submit trade qualification, employment history, and supporting evidence to TRA
2. TRA assesses against the Certificate III in Engineering — Fabrication Trade (MEM05047A or equivalent)
3. Positive assessment issued (typically 8–12 weeks from complete submission)
4. State/territory may require additional registration for pressure vessel work (see below)

State-specific pressure vessel requirements: WA, QLD, and SA all have specific boiler and pressure vessel registration requirements for work on high-pressure systems. After TRA recognition, candidates targeting these states should check with WorkSafe WA, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, or SafeWork SA for registration requirements applicable to their intended work.

Coded weld tickets: Weld qualification coding to AS 2980 (Qualification of Welders) and AS/NZS ISO 9606 is a critical commercial credential for pressure vessel and structural roles. Overseas weld qualifications may require re-testing against AS 2980 — this is typically done through the Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA) or a registered welding inspector at a recognised test facility.

Professional body: Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA) — the authority for welder qualification and coded weld tickets in Australia.

Immigration Pathway

Skills assessment required: Yes — TRA (Trades Recognition Australia) for ANZSCO 322111.

Visa options:

• Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa — Subclass 482 (Medium-Term Stream) — Employer sponsor required. Duration: up to 4 years.
  Home Affairs — TSS Visa 482
• Skilled Independent Visa — Subclass 189 — Points-based, no sponsor required. Permanent residence directly.
  Home Affairs — Skilled Independent 189
• Skilled Nominated Visa — Subclass 190 — State nomination, points-based, permanent residence.
  Home Affairs — Skilled Nominated 190
• Skilled Work Regional Visa — Subclass 491 — Regional Australia, 5-year temporary visa with PR pathway.
  Home Affairs — Skilled Work Regional 491

Important: TEFI does not provide immigration advice. We recommend working with a registered Australian migration agent. We refer clients to New Zealand Shores — contact Fabien Maisonneuve at Fabien@newzealandshores.com and mention Tate sent you.

Migrant Readiness Signals

• TRA assessment submitted or in preparation — this is the first step before any Australian application; employers and agencies will ask for it immediately
• Coded weld tickets documented by process (MIG, TIG, SMAW, FCAW), position (1G through 6G), and material (carbon steel, stainless, duplex) — be specific; Australian operators assess this in detail
• FIFO roster readiness clearly communicated in CV — if you’re willing to do FIFO, say so explicitly; it opens the highest-paying segment of the market
• AS 2980 / AS/NZS ISO 9606 equivalence mapped — understand how your home-country weld qualifications align to Australian standards before your first interview
• Shutdowns experience highlighted if applicable — turnaround and shutdown experience (including permit-to-work, isolations, and condensed-duration high-intensity work) is highly valued and should be described clearly

Where to Find Roles

• SEEK AU — Boilermaker — the primary Australian job board; most mining and fabrication employers post here; FIFO roles are prominently listed
• LinkedIn — Boilermaker Australia — useful for connecting with Monadelphous, Civmec, and major maintenance contractors directly
• Hays Australia — Boilermaker — specialist trade and industrial recruitment agency with strong Pilbara and QLD mining coverage
• Tradesmen.com.au — specialist Australian trades job board with boilermaker and coded welder postings across all states

Direct to employer: Civmec, Monadelphous, and SRG Global all manage large direct trade recruitment programmes. Mining maintenance contractors (BSR Group, MACA Mining, Thiess) post FIFO roles directly. For offshore LNG shutdowns, Woodside and INPEX maintain approved contractor panels that you can access through tier-one maintenance contractors.

A note on cold applications: The WA Pilbara shutdowns market moves quickly — FIFO boilermaker roles are sometimes filled within 48–72 hours of posting. Candidates who have their TRA assessment in hand, coded weld tickets documented, and a CV that clearly states FIFO readiness get called first. If you’d like a view on how your CV presents to Australian mining operators, upload your CV for no-cost, practical feedback — Tate typically responds within one business day.

“I came in with my NZQA trade cert and eight years of structural steel and pressure vessel work. TRA assessed me in about ten weeks. Two weeks after I got my recognition letter, I had three WA FIFO offers. The shortage is real — don’t wait.”