Australian Skills Assessments Explained: What You Need to Know Before Applying for a Skilled Visa

For many people seeking skilled migration to Australia, obtaining a positive skills assessment is one of the first and most important stages of the process.

A skills assessment is not the same as a visa application. It is a separate assessment conducted by an authorised organisation to determine whether an applicant’s qualifications and professional experience meet the Australian standards for a particular occupation.

Without a suitable assessment, an applicant may be unable to submit a valid Expression of Interest or claim relevant skilled-employment points.

This guide explains how skills assessments work, what documents may be required and which common mistakes to avoid.

What Is a Skills Assessment?

A skills assessment is an independent evaluation of a person’s qualifications, training and employment experience.

It is completed by a designated skills-assessing authority rather than directly by the Department of Home Affairs.

The assessing authority checks whether the applicant’s background meets the assessment requirements for the occupation they intend to nominate. The Department describes an assessing authority as an organisation that checks whether a person’s skills meet the standards set for the relevant occupation.

Each authority establishes its own:

• qualification requirements;
• employment requirements;
• document standards;
• English-language requirements, where applicable;
• assessment pathways;
• professional-registration requirements;
• fees; and
• processing procedures.

A positive assessment from one authority does not automatically make an applicant suitable for every skilled visa.

Why Is a Skills Assessment Required?

A suitable skills assessment is commonly required for points-tested skilled visas (see our guide comparing the Subclass 189, 190 and 491 visas), including:

• the Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189;
• the Skilled Nominated Visa Subclass 190; and
• the Skilled Work Regional Provisional Visa Subclass 491.

Applicants normally need an assessment for the occupation they nominate before submitting their Expression of Interest. The Department’s SkillSelect guidance states that applicants need to obtain a skills assessment in their nominated occupation before submitting an EOI.

Evidence of the assessment may also need to be provided with the eventual visa application.

Step One: Choose the Correct Occupation

Before applying for an assessment, you must identify the occupation that best matches your qualifications and professional experience.

This is not necessarily:

• your current job title;
• the title printed on your employment contract;
• the most senior position you have held; or
• the occupation that appears to offer the easiest migration pathway.

The nominated occupation should reflect the actual tasks and responsibilities you perform.

For example, a person described by an employer as a “project manager” may perform duties that align more closely with a construction professional, ICT business analyst, management consultant or engineering professional.

Choosing an occupation based only on its title can lead to an unsuccessful assessment.

The occupation must also be eligible for the intended visa pathway. The Department maintains skilled occupation information identifying relevant visa subclasses and assessing authorities. You can also review our guide to occupations in demand in Australia.

Step Two: Identify the Correct Assessing Authority

Different occupations are assessed by different organisations.

Depending on the profession, the relevant authority may assess:

• academic qualifications;
• professional registration;
• trade training;
• practical employment;
• competency standards;
• English-language ability; or
• a combination of these factors.

Examples of assessment bodies include organisations responsible for:

• engineering;
• teaching;
• nursing;
• accounting;
• information and communications technology;
• trade occupations;
• health professions;
• management occupations; and
• general professional occupations.

Applicants must use the assessing authority specified for the nominated occupation and visa pathway.

Some occupations may have more than one assessing authority depending on the visa or assessment purpose, so the selection must be checked carefully.

Step Three: Select the Correct Assessment Pathway

Many assessing authorities offer several pathways.

The correct pathway may depend on:

• the country where the qualification was completed;
• whether the qualification is formally recognised;
• whether it is closely related to the nominated occupation;
• the applicant’s employment history;
• whether the applicant completed an Australian qualification;
• whether the occupation is regulated;
• the applicant’s trade licensing history; or
• whether prior learning must be recognised.

Selecting the wrong pathway can result in delays, additional fees or an unsuccessful outcome.

An applicant should review the authority’s current criteria before lodging rather than relying on another person’s previous experience.

What Qualifications Are Usually Required?

Qualification requirements differ considerably between occupations.

An authority may require:

• a bachelor’s degree;
• a diploma;
• a trade certificate;
• a professional registration;
• a specified major or specialisation;
• particular subjects;
• supervised practice;
• practical training; or
• a minimum number of academic years.

A qualification at the correct academic level may still be unsuitable if its content is not sufficiently relevant to the occupation.

For example, a general business degree may not necessarily satisfy the requirements for an occupation requiring a specialist accounting or information-technology curriculum.

Likewise, a qualification with an appropriate title may not be accepted if it lacks sufficient academic depth or practical content.

Can Work Experience Compensate for an Unrelated Qualification?

In some occupations and assessment pathways, extensive relevant employment may compensate for a qualification that is not closely related.

However, this is not universal.

An assessing authority may:

• require additional years of employment;
• deduct a period of employment as necessary to reach the required skill level;
• accept only experience gained after a particular qualification;
• refuse to recognise employment completed before the applicant was considered appropriately skilled; or
• require both a relevant qualification and professional experience.

This distinction is extremely important when calculating skilled-employment points under the Australian visa points test.

An applicant may have worked in an occupation for ten years, but the assessing authority may determine that only the most recent six years represent employment at the required skill level.

Employment Evidence

Employment evidence is often one of the most challenging parts of a skills assessment.

Applicants may need to provide:

• detailed employer reference letters;
• employment contracts;
• payslips;
• bank statements showing salary deposits;
• tax records;
• social-security or pension records;
• promotion letters;
• organisational charts;
• job descriptions;
• invoices;
• business-registration documents;
• client contracts; and
• evidence of hours worked.

A strong employer reference should generally confirm:

• the employer’s legal name;
• the applicant’s position;
• exact dates of employment;
• whether the work was full-time or part-time;
• weekly working hours;
• salary;
• employment location;
• detailed duties;
• the name and position of the signatory; and
• the employer’s contact information.

The duties should reflect the work actually performed. They should not simply copy an occupational description word for word.

Evidence for Self-Employment

Self-employed applicants normally need more than a personal statement or business-registration certificate.

Depending on the assessing authority, they may need to provide:

• business registration;
• tax returns;
• financial statements;
• invoices;
• client contracts;
• client reference letters;
• bank statements;
• advertising materials;
• professional insurance;
• licences;
• evidence of business premises; and
• records showing the services performed.

The evidence should demonstrate both that the business existed and that the applicant personally performed work aligned with the nominated occupation.

Qualification Documents

Applicants may need:

• final qualification certificates;
• academic transcripts;
• subject descriptions;
• course syllabuses;
• completion letters;
• evidence of practical placement;
• apprenticeship records;
• professional-registration documents; and
• evidence of changes to the institution’s name.

If a certificate or transcript is unavailable, the applicant may need to contact the educational institution or relevant archive.

Documents not written in English generally require an acceptable English translation.

When Is Employment Considered “Skilled”?

The date on which employment becomes recognised as skilled can affect the points test.

An assessing authority may identify a “deemed skilled date” or determine that part of the applicant’s employment was required to satisfy the occupational standard.

Employment used to meet the assessment threshold may not always be available to claim separately for migration points.

Applicants should therefore avoid calculating employment points based solely on the number of years listed on their CV.

The employment must also satisfy the visa rules applying at the time of invitation.

How Long Is a Skills Assessment Valid?

Validity rules can differ.

An assessment outcome may state an expiry date, while migration regulations may impose additional requirements concerning when the assessment was issued and whether it remains valid at the relevant stage.

Applicants should check:

• the expiry date on the assessment;
• the visa subclass requirements;
• whether the occupation or authority has changed;
• whether a renewal is possible; and
• whether an updated assessment is needed for later employment.

An expired or otherwise unsuitable assessment may prevent a successful visa application even if it was valid when first issued.

Does a Positive Skills Assessment Guarantee a Visa?

No.

A positive skills assessment confirms only that the applicant has met the assessing authority’s requirements for the nominated occupation.

It does not guarantee:

• sufficient migration points;
• state or territory nomination;
• an invitation to apply;
• satisfaction of health and character requirements;
• acceptance of every claimed employment period;
• acceptance of all points claimed in the EOI; or
• a visa grant.

The Department of Home Affairs makes the final decision on the visa application.

Common Skills Assessment Mistakes

Choosing the wrong occupation

Applicants sometimes nominate the occupation with the most attractive visa prospects rather than the occupation supported by their actual duties.

Relying on job titles

Assessing authorities generally consider the duties performed, not just the title used by an employer.

Providing brief reference letters

A letter that confirms only a job title and dates may not demonstrate that the work was relevant.

Submitting no independent payment evidence

Reference letters alone may be insufficient, particularly where employment must be independently verified.

Claiming all years of employment for points

Some experience may be deducted or considered below the required skill level.

Applying under the wrong pathway

This can cause unnecessary costs and delays.

Allowing documents to expire

English tests, skills assessments and other documents may have different validity periods.

Lodging an EOI before checking the assessment carefully

The dates and employment recognised in the assessment should be compared with the points claimed in the EOI.

What Happens After a Positive Assessment?

After receiving a suitable assessment, the applicant may be able to:

1. complete any required English-language test;
2. calculate their migration points;
3. submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect;
4. seek state or territory nomination, if relevant;
5. wait for an invitation;
6. lodge the visa application within the invitation period; and
7. provide health, character and supporting documents.

SkillSelect is the Australian Government system through which skilled workers express interest in applying for relevant visas.

An EOI is not a visa application and does not itself give the applicant permission to enter, remain or work in Australia.

Final Thoughts

A skills assessment is the foundation of many skilled migration applications.

Selecting the correct occupation, authority and assessment pathway is often more complicated than applicants initially expect. Qualification content, employment duties, documentary evidence and the date on which a person became skilled can all affect the result.

Errors made at this stage may later affect an applicant’s points, state nomination prospects or visa eligibility.

Before applying, applicants should carefully compare their qualifications and employment history with the current requirements of the relevant assessing authority and intended visa subclass.

If you would like professional guidance on your skills assessment and skilled visa options, contact our MARA-registered migration team for a consultation.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or migration advice. Skills-assessment requirements and Australian migration rules can change. Applicants should obtain advice based on their individual qualifications, work history and intended visa pathway. Consider speaking with a Registered Migration Agent before applying.