Standards, tickets & careers
How do I get a welding ticket in Australia?
Quick answer
Book an assessment with an authorised examiner, pay the fee (typically $500–$1,500 depending on class), and pass a practical test welding the position and process you're being certified for under AS 1796. Tickets are skills tests, not courses — most welders prepare with a short practice program or on-the-job experience first.
The path in practice
- Pick your class — e.g. 1G/2G structural plate through 6G pipe, arc or TIG
- Practice to the test standard: fit-up, procedure, visual and bend/fracture results
- Sit the assessment with a Weld Australia-authorised examiner (Weld Australia publishes the examiner list)
- Renew on schedule — tickets expire and employers check registers
Which ticket first?
For structural work, employers look for welders qualified to the AS/NZS 1554 procedures (often via AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 position tests — 3G vertical and 4G overhead plate being the common asks). For pressure work, the AS 1796 certificate classes are the currency — pipe classes especially, where the pay ceiling sits. Employers sometimes fund assessments for apprentices and existing staff; ask before paying yourself.