New portal for automatic mutual recognition in Vic

The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has launched a new online portal allowing interstate building and plumbing practitioners to apply for automatic mutual recognition (AMR) in Victoria.

The new portal will assist the VBA in monitoring practitioners during the vetting process, and ensure they understand and comply with Victorian regulations.

The VBA says the new portal also offers a “simpler and more user-friendly experience when completing an AMR notification, compared to previously completing a downloadable PDF form”.

AMR is a national scheme that allows individuals to use their home state or territory occupational registration or licence to work in other participating Australian states and territories without the need for that state/territory’s normal registrations or licenses.

Individuals who hold registration or licences in an Australian state or territory can perform those same permitted activities in another part of Australia, subject to some exceptions.

The migration of AMR notifications to the VBA portal also allows practitioners working in Victoria under AMR to be found through the VBA’s Find a Practitioner search engine, where consumers can check that the practitioner they are engaging is appropriately licenced or registered, and can see whether the VBA has taken any disciplinary action taken against them.

More information on the new portal is available here.