Skills Assessment
What is Skill assessment and the visas that need it?
The skill assessment is the process of getting your skill validated by an authorized assessment body for a particular occupation. Your skills might need to be assessed for the purposes of skilled migration by the relevant assessing authority for the occupation you nominated when you apply for:
- 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme
- 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme
- 189 – Skilled Independent (Points tested stream)
- 190 – Skilled Nominated
- 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage
- 485 – Temporary Graduate Work Stream
- 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional)
The assessment needs to say you have the skills and be valid to support your application. An assessing authority is an organisation that checks you meet the standards they set. The standards include university or trade qualifications for your occupation.
Assessments are valid until whichever comes first:
- 3 years from their issue date unless a shorter period is listed on the assessment
- The expiry date on the assessment
Getting a skills assessment
Determine if you need to do a skills assessment. For Temporary Skill Shortage visas, check the relevant legislative instrument.
Step 1
Contact the assessing authority
Contact the assessing authority for your occupation. The list of eligible skilled occupations tells you the relevant assessing authority for each occupation. Organise your own skills assessment well before you apply for the visa. Each authority has its own assessment procedures, timeframes and charges. The assessment of your qualifications and experience by the assessing authority can take some time.
Step 2
Provide documents
Provide the assessing authority with all relevant documents, information and fee.
Step 3
Assessment
Provide a scanned certified copy of the suitable skills assessment with your visa application.
If you don’t get a positive assessment result, you can get another skills assessment from different authorities until you get a positive result.