How to get a skills assessment for skilled migration

A positive skills assessment is a hard requirement for the 189, 190, 491, and the Direct Entry stream of the 186. It confirms your qualifications and, for many occupations, your experience match the Australian standard for your nominated occupation.

Find your assessing authority

Each occupation on the skilled lists is tied to one authority. Common ones:

• ACS for ICT occupations
• Engineers Australia for engineering
• CPA Australia, CA ANZ, or IPA for accounting
• VETASSESS for a large range of professional and trade occupations
• AHPRA and the relevant board for health professions
• TRA for trades, usually with a practical assessment

What they check

Most assess whether your degree is comparable to an Australian qualification and whether it is closely related to the occupation. Several also deduct a block of your early work experience as "not skilled", which affects your points. ACS, for example, commonly deducts two to four years.

Timing

Straightforward assessments take four to ten weeks. Trades assessments with a practical component take longer. Your assessment is generally valid for three years.

Common problems

A degree that is comparable but not closely related to the occupation is the usual sticking point, along with employment references that do not spell out duties in enough detail. Get reference letters that describe tasks, hours, and dates precisely before anyone you worked with becomes hard to reach.