Skills Assessments
Guidance through the assessing authority process, choosing the right occupation, documenting your experience, and meeting each body's requirements.
A positive skills assessment is a precondition for most skilled visas, and it is where a surprising number of applications come unstuck. Each assessing authority has its own rules about which qualifications it recognises, how employment must be evidenced, and how closely your duties must match the occupation you have nominated.
We help you choose the occupation that genuinely fits your background and put together an assessment application that reflects it accurately.
How we help with skills assessments
- Identify the occupation and assessing authority that fit your background
- Review your qualifications against that authority's published requirements
- Advise on the employment evidence each body expects to see
- Help you obtain properly worded employment references
- Guide you through document certification and translation requirements
- Advise on qualification recognition and any bridging study needed
- Support re-assessments and reviews where an outcome is unfavourable
Visas in this category
Expand any option below for who it suits and what it involves. These summaries are general. Your own eligibility depends on your circumstances.
The assessing authority for many trade occupations, including electrical, automotive, construction and hospitality trades.
Who it may suit
- Tradespeople with overseas qualifications and experience
- Applicants nominating a trade occupation for a skilled visa
- Workers needing recognition for licensing purposes
Key points
- Programmes include the Offshore Skills Assessment Programme and Job Ready Programme
- Practical and technical assessment may be required
- Employment evidence must be detailed and verifiable
- Some programmes require paid employment in Australia
The assessing authority for most general professional and many technical occupations.
Who it may suit
- Professionals in management, business, education, science and the arts
- Applicants in technical and trade occupations not covered elsewhere
- People needing a qualification-only assessment
Key points
- Assesses both your qualification and your employment against the occupation
- Employment must be at an appropriate skill level and closely related
- Requires detailed position descriptions and payment evidence
- Priority processing is available for some occupations
The assessing authority for information and communications technology occupations.
Who it may suit
- ICT professionals including developers, analysts and network specialists
- Applicants with ICT or closely related qualifications
- Workers whose experience needs to be assessed against an ANZSCO code
Key points
- Assesses the relevance of your qualification to your nominated ICT occupation
- A period of your experience may be deducted as "skill level requirement met" years
- Recognised Prior Learning applications are available in some cases
- Detailed employment references with duties are essential
The assessing authority for engineering occupations.
Who it may suit
- Professional engineers, technologists and associates
- Graduates of accredited and non-accredited engineering programmes
- Engineers seeking recognition of overseas qualifications
Key points
- Accredited qualifications may be assessed under an accord pathway
- Other applicants generally submit a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR)
- A CDR requires career episodes and a summary statement in your own words
- English evidence is required as part of the assessment
Assessing authorities for nursing, midwifery and other registered health professions.
Who it may suit
- Nurses and midwives with overseas qualifications
- Allied health professionals seeking skilled migration
- Practitioners who also need AHPRA registration
Key points
- Skills assessment and professional registration are separate processes
- Bridging programmes may be required before registration
- English requirements for registration are often higher than for the visa
- Registration status can affect visa eligibility
Not sure where you stand?
Book a consultation and get an honest assessment of your options, including the ones that are not open to you yet, and why.
Initial consultations are by appointment, in person in Punchbowl or by video anywhere in Australia and overseas.
- Registered migration agency. MARN 2619475
- Honest assessment, including when a pathway isn't open
- Written quote before any work begins
- In person in Punchbowl, or by video Australia-wide