Embarking on a career or migration journey to Australia often requires more than qualifications and work experience. For many skilled migration pathways, obtaining a positive skills assessment is one of the most important steps in the migration process.
Australia has a network of Australian Government-approved assessing authorities responsible for determining whether an individual’s qualifications, employment experience and professional skills meet Australian standards for a nominated occupation. Each authority has its own eligibility criteria, documentary requirements, assessment methodologies, processing times and fees.
Understanding how skills assessments work can help you avoid costly mistakes, improve your prospects of obtaining a skilled visa and increase your opportunities for employment and professional registration in Australia.
Key Takeaways
- A skills assessment is a formal evaluation of your qualifications, employment experience and professional competencies against Australian occupational standards.
- Certain employer-sponsored visas and temporary graduate pathways may also require a skills assessment.
- Every eligible occupation has a designated assessing authority approved by the Australian Government.
- Each assessing authority has different eligibility requirements, documentary evidence requirements, processing times and assessment fees.
- A positive skills assessment does not guarantee visa approval and is only one component of the migration process.
- Skills assessments are generally valid for a specified period determined by the relevant assessing authority. If no validity period is specified, the assessment must generally have been issued within the 3 years immediately preceding the Department of Home Affairs’ decision.
What Are Skill Assessment Bodies in Australia?
Skills assessment bodies, also known as assessing authorities, are organisations authorised by the Australian Government to assess whether an individual’s qualifications, employment history and professional skills meet Australian standards for a particular occupation.
Assessing authorities may evaluate:
- Educational qualifications
- Professional registrations and licences
- Work duties and responsibilities
- Technical skills and competencies
- English language proficiency requirements where applicable
- Industry experience and currency of practice
For example:
- An engineer may require an assessment from Engineers Australia.
- An information technology professional may require an assessment from the Australian Computer Society.
- A registered nurse may require an assessment from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council.
Why Are Skills Assessment Bodies Important?
Ensuring Professional Standards
Skills assessments help ensure that skilled migrants possess the competencies necessary to perform their occupations safely and effectively in Australia.
This process helps protect:
Recognition of Overseas Qualifications
A positive skills assessment provides formal recognition that your qualifications and employment experience are comparable to Australian standards.
This recognition may assist with:
- Skilled migration applications
- Employer-sponsored visa applications
- Professional registration and licensing requirements
- Membership of professional associations
Supporting Australia’s Skilled Migration Programme
Skills assessments play a critical role in Australia’s migration framework by helping ensure that skilled migrants can effectively contribute to the Australian workforce and economy.
Assessing authorities help maintain confidence in Australia’s skilled migration programme by ensuring that applicants possess qualifications and experience that align with Australian occupational standards.
Major Skills Assessing Authorities in Australia
The appropriate assessing authority depends entirely on your nominated occupation.
The Australian Government currently recognises numerous assessing authorities across professional, trade and regulated occupations.
Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services (VETASSESS)
VETASSESS is Australia’s largest skills assessment provider and assesses a broad range of professional and general occupations.
Examples include:
- Cafe or Restaurant Manager
- Program or Project Administrator
- Various professional occupations and general management occupations
VETASSESS generally assesses:
- Skilled employment experience
- Qualification comparability to Australian standards
Certain occupations also require post-qualification employment experience before an applicant can achieve a positive assessment.
Engineers Australia (EA)
Engineers Australia is the designated assessing authority for many engineering occupations, including:
Assessment pathways may include:
- Accredited Australian qualifications
- International engineering accords
- Competency Demonstration Reports (CDR)
- Professional documentation and employment evidence
Applicants are generally required to demonstrate both engineering knowledge and competency.
Australian Computer Society (ACS)
The Australian Computer Society assesses Information and Communications Technology (ICT) occupations, including:
- Cyber Security Specialist
ACS assessments generally involve assessing:
- Relevance of qualifications
- Skilled employment experience
In some circumstances, applicants without formal ICT qualifications may still be eligible if they possess substantial relevant employment experience.
Trades Recognition Australia (TRA)
Trades Recognition Australia assesses numerous trade occupations, including:
- Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
Assessment requirements may include:
- Qualification verification
- Practical demonstrations of competency
- Job-ready assessments for certain applicants
Requirements vary depending on occupation and applicant circumstances.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC)
ANMAC assesses:
Assessments generally consider:
- Educational qualifications
- Professional registration
- English language proficiency where required
Applicants usually need separate registration through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia before practising in Australia.
Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS)
AIQS assesses occupations including:
Assessments generally evaluate:
- Professional competencies
Australian Pharmacy Council (APC)
The Australian Pharmacy Council assesses:
- Overseas-trained pharmacy professionals
The assessment process may involve:
- Qualification assessments
- English language requirements
Separate registration with the Pharmacy Board of Australia is generally required before practising as a pharmacist in Australia.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
CASA assesses certain aviation occupations, including:
- Flight crew professionals
- Aviation personnel holding or seeking Australian aviation qualifications
Requirements vary depending on the occupation and licensing arrangements.
Other Important Assessing Authorities
Other government-approved assessing authorities include organisations such as:
- Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
- Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)
- Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)
- Australian Institute of Medical Scientists (AIMS)
- Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL)
- Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM)
- Speech Pathology Australia (SPA)
- Veterinary Surgeons Board authorities
- Medical Board pathways administered through the Australian Medical Council (AMC)
The appropriate assessing authority depends entirely on the nominated occupation and occupation classification.
Important Note About the Australian Institute of Management (AIM)
Historically, the Australian Institute of Management assessed certain management occupations.
However, most management occupations are now assessed by VETASSESS or other designated assessing authorities, depending on the nominated occupation and occupational classification.
Applicants should always verify the current authorised assessing authority before lodging a skills assessment application.
How the Skills Assessment Process Works
Step 1 – Choose the Correct Occupation
Your nominated occupation should accurately reflect:
- Day-to-day duties and responsibilities
- Level of responsibility and seniority
Selecting an inappropriate occupation is one of the most common reasons for unsuccessful skills assessments and visa complications.
Step 2 – Identify the Correct Assessing Authority
Each occupation has a designated assessing authority.
The relevant authority can generally be identified by referring to the current skilled occupation lists and the occupation details published by the Department of Home Affairs.
Step 3 – Prepare Your Documentation
Requirements vary between assessing authorities, but commonly include the following:
- Educational qualifications
- Employment references, contracts
- English language test results where required
Some assessing authorities may require additional evidence, including:
- Detailed employment statements
Step 4 – Lodge Your Assessment Application
Applications are generally lodged online directly with the relevant assessing authority.
Processing times vary considerably depending on:
- Complexity of the application
- Additional verification requirements
- Priority processing requests
Step 5 – Receive Your Assessment Outcome
Possible outcomes include:
Positive Skills Assessment
Your qualifications and employment experience satisfy the requirements for the nominated occupation.
Negative Skills Assessment
You do not currently satisfy the assessment requirements.
Request for Further Information
Additional documents or clarification may be required before a final decision can be made.
Some assessing authorities also provide review or appeal processes where applicants disagree with an assessment outcome.
Skills Assessment Fees
There is no single government fee for skills assessments.
Each assessing authority independently determines fees and varies according to:
- Priority processing requests
- Review or appeal applications
- Additional services requested
As a general guide:
- VETASSESS professional assessments commonly range from approximately AUD $1,000 to AUD $1,300.
- Engineers Australia assessments commonly range from approximately AUD $1,000 to AUD $1,500.
- Australian Computer Society assessments commonly range from approximately AUD $600 to AUD $1,500.
- Trades Recognition Australia assessments vary significantly and may exceed AUD $2,000 depending on occupation and assessment pathway.
Fees, processing arrangements and requirements change periodically and should always be confirmed directly with the relevant assessing authority before lodging an application.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common errors include:
- Selecting the wrong occupation
- Providing insufficient employment evidence
- Assuming job titles alone determine eligibility
- Lodging incomplete documentation
- Using expired assessments
- Failing to understand occupation-specific requirements
- Overlooking qualification comparability requirements
- Underestimating employment evidence requirements
Careful preparation can significantly improve the prospects of obtaining a positive assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a skills assessment required for every Australian visa?
No. However, it is mandatory for most points-tested skilled migration visas and may also be required for certain employer-sponsored and temporary graduate visa pathways.
Does a positive skills assessment guarantee visa approval?
No. A positive skills assessment is only one component of the migration process. Applicants must also satisfy all other visa criteria, including health, character, English language and visa eligibility requirements.
How long is a skills assessment valid?
Many assessing authorities specify their own validity periods.
If no validity period is specified, the assessment generally needs to have been issued within the 3 years immediately preceding the Department of Home Affairs’ decision.
Can I change my nominated occupation after obtaining a skills assessment?
Potentially, yes. However, changing occupations generally requires a new assessment and may affect visa eligibility, points claims and migration strategies.
How Can CJMigration Assist?
Choosing the correct occupation and assessing authority are among the most important decisions in any Australian skilled migration application.
At CJMigration, our Registered Migration Agents can assist by:
- Assessing your migration eligibility and long-term goals;
- Identifying the most appropriate nominated occupation;
- Determining the correct assessing authority;
- Advising on qualification and employment evidence requirements;
- Reviewing reference letters and supporting documentation;
- Preparing and managing your skills assessment application;
- Liaising with assessing authorities where appropriate;
- Advising on review and reassessment options;
- Developing strategies for points-tested and employer-sponsored visa pathways; and
- Managing your visa application from skills assessment through to visa lodgement.
A carefully prepared skills assessment can significantly improve your migration prospects and help avoid unnecessary delays, refusals and additional costs.
Professional advice early in the process can provide clarity, confidence and a well-planned pathway towards living and working in Australia.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this guide is general only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Australian migration legislation, assessing authority requirements, fees and policies may change without notice. You should seek personalised advice from a Registered Migration Agent before making decisions regarding your skills assessment or visa application.