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Employer guide

Hire an Electrician in Australia

To hire an electrician, verify the electrical licence or registration issued in the state where the work happens, decide the type of electrical work you need and confirm the award or agreement. Each state has its own regulator, licence names and public register. CrossNation recruits electricians for employers across Australia. The fee is 12% of the annual salary, charged only on a successful placement.

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By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 6 October 2026.

  • 12% of annual salary

    Charged only when a placement succeeds. No placement, no fee.

  • 90-day placement guarantee

    See our terms.

Official data

Key facts from official sources

What you need to know

How do you verify an electrician's licence in each state?

Electrical work is regulated by each state and territory, and the right licence class depends on the work: a worker licence or registration for employees and a contractor licence for a business. Ask for the licence number and check it with the regulator where the work will be done. Victoria publishes a search of its public register through Energy Safe Victoria, Queensland offers an electrical licence holder search, Western Australia has an online licence search through Building and Energy, and South Australia lets you check an occupational licence holder through Consumer and Business Services. New South Wales publishes a licence register for contractor licences, qualified supervisor certificates and tradesperson certificates. Note the class, conditions and expiry, and keep a record. Never allow licensed electrical work to start before the licence is confirmed.

What does your business need in each state?

The business rules differ from the worker rules. In Victoria a business that employs electricians to do installation work for profit must be a Registered Electrical Contractor, with a technical supervisor and a business supervisor, while a manufacturer or property owner that employs licensed electrical workers only to maintain its own sites can register as an employer of electrical workers at no cost. In Queensland a business that does electrical work for others needs an electrical contractor licence, which is issued for one year and needs a qualified technical person, a qualified business person and the insurance the regulation sets. In South Australia a contractor's licence and a worker registration are separate, and in Western Australia licensed electrical contractors must employ licensed electricians. Check the regulator's page for your state before you brief a recruiter.

What type of electrician do you actually need?

Construction electricians wire new buildings from drawings, maintenance electricians diagnose faults and keep sites running, industrial and mining electricians work on motors, switchboards and control systems, and solar and battery installers may need extra accreditation on top of a licence. State which you need, the kind of sites, the tools and vehicle supplied, and whether the role is on call. Add site tickets such as a white card, working at heights and confined space, and the driver licence class. The more exactly you describe the work, the more precisely a recruiter can search.

Which award or agreement applies to electricians?

Electricians employed by electrical contractors are generally covered by the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award [MA000025], while those employed by manufacturers, mining companies or hospitals may be covered by another award or an enterprise agreement, because coverage follows the employer's industry. In Western Australia, employers in the state system such as sole traders and unincorporated partnerships follow the state Electrical Contracting Industry Award instead. The national award has ten grades, overtime and shift penalties, an industry allowance, a licence allowance and a tool allowance. Our electrician pay guide prints the minimums with the date they apply from. Decide the classification, confirm whether your agreement sets different rates and cost the role using the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

What are your duties if you employ apprentices?

Regulators treat apprentice supervision as the employer's responsibility as well as the electrician's. In New South Wales the Supervision Practice Standard has been a mandatory condition of an electrician's licence since 1 September 2024, with ratios of one electrician to one apprentice under direct supervision, one to three under general supervision and one to five under broad supervision, and an employer commits an offence by instructing an apprentice to do a task without the right level of supervision. Queensland limits what a first-six-months apprentice can do and requires supervision at all times by an appropriately licensed worker. Confirm the rules for your state before you ask a recruiter to look at apprentice roles, and note that CrossNation's focus is qualified and licensed trades.

How should you onboard a new electrician?

Even a licensed electrician needs to learn your sites and systems. Walk through switching and isolation procedures, test equipment, permit and lock-out processes and the standards your work follows. Confirm which tools, test instruments and vehicle the person uses, and how certificates of compliance and records are completed, because New South Wales uses an online portal for certificates and South Australia an electronic certificate system. Pair newcomers with an experienced colleague for the first jobs and review early work. Electrical safety relies on consistent procedure, so record the induction and keep it current as rules and equipment change.

Before you brief a recruiter: electrician checklist

Checklist

  • Verify the licence class, number and expiry with the state regulator's public register
  • Confirm your own business registration or contractor licence for the state
  • Define the work type: construction, maintenance, industrial or solar
  • List required site tickets and driver licence
  • Confirm the award or agreement and classification, including the WA state award if it applies
  • Decide tools, vehicle and on-call arrangements
  • Keep a record of licence checks and renewal dates

Tell us the role, location and start date

The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can an electrician with an interstate licence start straight away?

Only after you confirm the person's licence is recognised where the work is done. Some states have automatic mutual recognition and some need an application or a notification first. Check with the regulator in that state before allocating electrical work.

Can an apprentice do licensed electrical work?

Apprentices work under the supervision of a licensed electrician in line with the regulator's rules. Confirm supervision ratios and limits for your state.

Is an electrical fitter the same as an electrician?

Electrical fitters usually hold a full electrical licence and work on industrial equipment, so the licence check is the same. In Queensland, an electrical fitter licence is a separate class from the open electrical mechanic licence, so check the class.

Where can I see what an electrician must be paid?

Our electrician pay guide shows the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award minimums by grade, with the allowances and overtime, the date they apply from and a link to Fair Work. Check Fair Work for the latest rates and for any enterprise agreement.

How does CrossNation charge to recruit an electrician?

The fee is 12% of the candidate's annual salary, charged only when a placement succeeds, and placements carry a 90-day placement guarantee. There is no charge to send a brief. CrossNation recruits electricians for employers across Australia, and you can send the role, location and start date through the employer enquiry form.

Can I recruit an overseas electrician through CrossNation?

CrossNation recruits sponsorship-ready overseas candidates for employers that want them. Electricians also need a state electrical licence and often a trades skills assessment, which are separate from any visa. The employer holds or obtains its own approval, and CrossNation cannot promise a visa, an approval or a job. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.

Related

Sources (accessed 6 October 2026)