Your passport may start with a skill.
Qualified electricians are in short supply in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. See what the work pays there, what each country asks of you, and where your journey starts from Gauteng.
Free and no obligation. We'll tell you honestly how far you are from each country.
Official labour-market figures, not job offers. Pay depends on experience, location, licence and employer.
Why electricians?
Every country is building, rewiring and moving to renewable power. That work needs licensed electricians, and there aren't enough of them.
electricians work in Australia, and the number grows by about 7,200 a year.
of work in New Zealand as a registered electrician can lead to residence under the Green List.
of Canadian electricians get benefits such as pension or medical cover on top of their wage.
The same skill pays well at home. A qualified, trade-tested electrician has a career in South Africa too, in construction, mining, maintenance, solar, or running their own business. Going abroad is a choice, not a requirement.
Where can the skill take you?
Tap a country to see what it pays, what it will ask of you, and where the figures come from.
Australia
A$2,191 / week
Pathway open
about A$114,000 a year
What Australia will ask for
- A South African electrical qualification and trade test
- Documented work experience as an electrician
- A skills assessment through the Offshore Skills Assessment Program, which is compulsory for electricians seeking permanent migration
- A provisional licence, then Australian gap training and supervised work before a full state licence
- An English test and a visa
Good to know
Your South African qualification won't be accepted as-is. The assessment gives you a record that lets you apply for a provisional licence, and you finish the licence in Australia. Licences are issued by each state or territory.
Earnings: Jobs and Skills Australia, Electricians occupation profile, median full-time weekly earnings. Annual figure is our calculation (weekly × 52). Assessment: Trades Recognition Australia. Checked September 2026.
Canada
C$35 / hour
Pathway open
range C$20–48 an hour
What Canada will ask for
- A recognised electrical qualification and documented experience
- Certification in the province where you'll work, because electrical work is a regulated trade
- An English or French test
- Eligibility for a federal or provincial immigration programme, often with a job offer
Good to know
Pay and rules vary a lot by province. A full-time year at the national median works out to roughly C$73,000 before tax. Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan pay above the national median.
Earnings: Government of Canada Job Bank, construction and maintenance electricians (NOC 72200), wages updated 19 November 2025. Annual figure is our calculation (40 hours × 52 weeks). Checked September 2026.
New Zealand
NZ$34–43 / hour
On the Green List
new to 8+ years' experience
What New Zealand will ask for
- Registration with the Electrical Workers Registration Board, which assesses overseas qualifications
- A job offer from an accredited New Zealand employer
- An English test where required
- After 24 months' work as an electrician, a possible route to residence under the Green List
Good to know
Electrician is a Tier 2 Green List role, which means work first, then residence. Immigration New Zealand's Green List information also says partners of eligible migrants get open work rights.
Earnings: careers.govt.nz, Electrician job profile, citing the Master Electricians Wage and Salary Survey 2023. Green List: Immigration New Zealand. Checked September 2026.
United Kingdom
Under review
Temporary list only
check before planning
Why we're cautious about the UK
Electricians can currently be sponsored only because the job is on a temporary shortage list due to end on 31 December 2026 unless it's extended. Workers sponsored under it can't bring new dependants, and the employer must hold a sponsor licence and pay above a minimum salary.
Our advice
If you're starting your training now, the UK rules will almost certainly have changed by the time you're eligible. We'll update this page as the government decides. For now we recommend Australia, Canada or New Zealand as your first target.
Source: UK Skilled Worker visa rules and temporary shortage list. Always confirm the current position on GOV.UK. Checked September 2026.
Before the visa comes the skill.
Every country asks for the same foundations. The first two steps happen here in Gauteng.
Get qualified
Complete the Occupational Certificate: Electrician, or have your existing experience recognised through ARPL.
Pass your trade test
This makes you a qualified artisan electrician in South Africa. Every overseas pathway starts here.
Build documented experience
Overseas assessors look for proof: payslips, references, and records of the work you did.
Get recognised abroad
A skills assessment or registration in your chosen country, and often extra local training once you arrive.
Apply for work and a visa
Through official channels, with a licensed immigration adviser for that country.
Starting from scratch, this is a journey of several years, not months. If you already have years of electrical experience, it can be much faster. Your free pathway check tells you which one you are.
Where do you start?
Eskilz College is an accredited training and trade test centre in Gauteng. Pick the description that sounds like you.
- NQF Level 4, SAQA 91761, 360 credits
- 24 months, practical and theory
- Trade test is separate
- Payment plans available
- Includes assessment, preparation and the trade test
- You'll need referrals confirming your experience
- Often the fastest way to become qualified
- One day at our trade test centre
- Second attempt R3,880
- Brush-up preparation is available and priced separately
Not sure the trade is for you? Book a free one-hour career session, or try a short introductory course from R995. Introductory courses are a taster, not a qualification.
We'll help with the paperwork.
Once you're qualified, getting your documents ready for another country is detailed, slow work. Our team can do it with you, for a fee we quote upfront.
- Collect and organise your work history, payslips and referral letters
- Prepare certified copies of your qualifications and trade test certificate
- Prepare your skills assessment or registration application, such as Australia's Offshore Skills Assessment Program or New Zealand's electrical registration
- Write a CV that overseas employers understand
- Keep track of deadlines and what each step still needs
The visa itself
Advice on visas and immigration must come from someone licensed for that country. When you reach the visa stage, we'll connect you with a licensed immigration adviser and hand over your prepared documents.
Ask about paperwork supportWhat we promise, and what we don't.
We never sell job offers
Jobs come from employers. We help you become someone employers can hire.
We don't guarantee visas
Only the destination government decides. Anyone who guarantees one is not being honest with you.
Every figure has a source
Earnings on this site come from official government data, and we show you where.
You'll know our fees first
Training prices are on this page. Paperwork support is quoted before you pay anything.
Be careful of job scams. If someone asks you to pay for a guaranteed overseas job or visa, walk away. Real employers don't charge you to hire you.
Questions people ask
How long will it take?
It depends where you start. Someone new to the trade needs the 24-month qualification, a trade test, and then work experience before most countries will assess them. Someone with years of experience and referrals can often qualify through ARPL much faster. A free pathway check will give you an honest estimate.
Will my South African qualification be accepted overseas?
Not automatically. Each country assesses it, and you'll usually need extra local training or supervised work before you get a full licence there. A proper South African qualification and trade test is what gets you into that process.
Do I need an English test?
Usually, yes. Most skilled migration routes ask for a recognised English test result. The test and the score depend on the country and visa.
Can my family come with me?
It depends on the country and the visa. For example, New Zealand's Green List route gives partners open work rights, while the UK's temporary list doesn't allow new dependants. A licensed immigration adviser can tell you what applies to you.
Can I get help paying for training?
Payment plans are available. Funding opportunities depend on programme eligibility and availability. Ask us on WhatsApp and we'll tell you what's open right now.
Do I have to go overseas?
No. The qualification and trade test are just as valuable in South Africa. Many of our graduates build careers here or start their own businesses.
See where your skill can take you.
Tell us where you are today. We'll tell you honestly what it takes to get where you want to go.
Get a free pathway check