Skills Assessment

In the Australian immigration system, Skills Assessment is a crucial step, particularly for skilled migration, employer-sponsored migration, and various other visa categories. According to Australian immigration law, applicants must provide a valid skills assessment before proceeding.

Why is a Skills Assessment necessary before applying for migration?

The main purpose of a skills assessment is to ensure that the applicant’s skills and qualifications meet Australian occupational standards. This assessment is indispensable for several reasons:

1. Ensuring local occupational requirements are met: The Australian Department of Home Affairs needs to ensure that the skills brought by immigrants align with local occupational demands. Since education systems and qualification standards vary across countries, the assessment ensures that applicants meet Australia’s requirements in terms of qualifications, experience, and competencies.

2. Confirmation of occupational relevance: Australian immigration policies rely on occupational lists (such as MLTSSL, STSOL, and ROL). Skills assessment authorities verify whether the applicant’s occupation matches these lists and assess its relevance.

3. Preventing ineligible applications: The skills assessment prevents appli
cants lacking sufficient expertise from being processed through the skilled migration program, thereby maintaining the quality of migrants.

4. Providing a basis for visa applications: Most skilled migration visas (e.g., subclasses 189, 190, and 491) require applicants to submit a skills assessment report. This document is crucial for the Department of Home Affairs to evaluate whether the applicant qualifies for their nominated occupation. Without a skills assessment, the visa application cannot proceed.

Common Australian Skills Assessment Authorities

Below are the major skills assessment authorities in Australia:

1、AACA (Architects Accreditation Council of Australia):
Responsible for assessing Architects (ANZSCO 232111). Requirements: A bachelor’s degree or higher in an approved architecture program recognized by Australia, with no English language requirements.

2、ACS IT (Australian Computer Society):
ACS assesses 24 ICT-related occupations, including Software Engineer, Network Engineer, Systems Analyst, ICT Business Analyst, and Database Administrator. No specific requirements for qualifications or English language; however, depending on factors such as degree type and major, applicants may face a deduction of 2 to 8 years of relevant experience

3、CPA (CPA Australia):
Responsible for assessing accounting occupations such as Accountant (General), Management Accountant, Taxation Accountant, External Auditor, and Internal Auditor. Requirements include IELTS 7 in all bands, a bachelor’s degree or higher, and completion of core coursework (7 out of 9 core subjects for general accounting, 8 for auditing and tax).

4、EA (Engineers Australia):
Engineers Australia assesses engineering occupations, primarily based on a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Requirements include a diploma or degree in engineering, IELTS 6 in all bands, and no mandatory work experience.


5、VETASSESS (Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services):
VETASSESS handles assessments for over 300 occupations, the largest among all assessment authorities. Occupations are divided into six groups (A-F), each with specific requirements. For Group A and E occupations, work experience before graduation is not recognized, whereas other categories may accept it under certain conditions.

6、AASW (Australian Association of Social Workers):
AASW evaluates social work qualifications. Only educational qualifications are assessed, with no requirement for work experience.

7、ACWA (Australian Community Workers Association):
ACWA is responsible for assessing Welfare Workers (ANZSCO 272613), focusing on welfare and community work occupations in Australia.

8、AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership):
AITSL assesses teacher-related occupations for migration purposes.

9、ACECQA (Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority):
As of December 7, 2024, ACECQA is responsible for assessing early childhood education occupations. Under ACECQA, applicants need only complete one year of accredited coursework to waive the IELTS 7, 7, 8, 8 requirements for early childhood assessment.

10、ANMAC (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council):
ANMAC evaluates nurses and midwives to ensure their eligibility for legal practice and migration to Australia.

11、AIM (AIM Managerial Assessment):
AIM assesses senior managerial roles. There are no formal requirements for qualifications or English language; however, significant senior management experience is necessary. Applicants cannot apply for more than two occupations simultaneously.

12、AIQS (Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors):

AIQS assesses Quantity Surveyors (ANZSCO 233213). Requirements include a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, at least two years of post-graduation work experience, and IELTS 6 in all bands.

13、APC (Assessment of Professional Competence):
The Australian Physiotherapy Council is the designated body for assessing physiotherapists for skilled migration. Applicants can request assessments with or without work experience, depending on whether they seek additional points in the migration scoring system.

14、APharmC (Australian Pharmacy Council):
The Australian Pharmacy Council assesses pharmacists to ensure compliance with Australian professional standards for migration purposes.

15、TRA (Trade Recognition Australia):TRA handles assessments for trade occupations, particularly those related to crafts, construction, engineering, and related fields. Common occupations include electricians, mechanics, chefs, welders, and carpenters. TRA assessments are categorized into four types: traditional TRA assessments, RTO assessments, 457 visa assessments, and migration points advisory. The first two types are most commonly encountered.