How to get a skills assessment for skilled migration
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A positive skills assessment is a hard requirement for the 189, 190, 491, and the Direct Entry stream of the 186. It confirms that your qualifications, and for most occupations your work experience, meet the Australian standard for the specific occupation you nominate.
Find your assessing authority
Every occupation on the skilled lists is tied to one authority. You cannot choose; the occupation decides.
| Authority | Covers | Notable rule |
|---|---|---|
| ACS | ICT occupations | Deducts 2 to 6 years of experience depending on how related your degree is |
| Engineers Australia | Engineering | Competency Demonstration Report if your degree is not accredited under an accord |
| CPA Australia, CA ANZ, IPA | Accounting, finance | English test often required at assessment stage, not just visa stage |
| VETASSESS | ~350 professional and trade occupations | Requires a set period of employment at the right skill level |
| ANMAC | Nursing and midwifery | Registration with AHPRA is a separate step |
| AHPRA and the relevant national board | Doctors, allied health | Long lead times, start early |
| Trades Recognition Australia | Trades | Usually a practical or technical assessment, and often an offshore skills assessment before the visa |
What they check
Most authorities assess two things: whether your qualification is comparable to an Australian one at the expected AQF level, and whether it is closely related to the nominated occupation. Many also assess your employment, and several deduct a block of your early career as not yet at skilled level.
Worked example: the experience deduction
Mei has an ICT Major bachelor degree and six years as a software engineer, all overseas. She expects 10 points for 5 to 7 years of skilled work.
| Step | Result |
|---|---|
| ACS finds her degree closely related (ICT Major) | Deducts 2 years |
| 6 years minus 2 | 4 years counted as skilled |
| Points for 3 to 4 years overseas | 5, not the 10 she expected |
If her degree were only closely related at a lower level, ACS could deduct 4 or 6 years, wiping the experience points entirely. Knowing the likely deduction before you lodge lets you plan around it, usually by working an extra year or two on a 485.
What a strong employment reference contains
- Company letterhead, signed and dated, with the signatory's name and position
- Your exact job title and the dates you held it
- Whether the role was full time or part time, and the hours per week
- Your salary or a payslip attached
- A paragraph of real duties, detailed enough to match the occupation description, not a one-line job summary
Get these written before the people who can sign them leave the company or become hard to reach.
Timing and cost
| Assessment type | Typical time | Rough fee |
|---|---|---|
| ICT (ACS) | 8 to 12 weeks | around AUD 550 |
| Engineering (Engineers Australia, fast track) | 4 to 12 weeks | AUD 700 to 3,500 depending on pathway |
| Accounting (CPA or CA ANZ) | 4 to 8 weeks | around AUD 550 to 650 |
| VETASSESS professional | 10 to 14 weeks | around AUD 1,000 |
| Trades (TRA) | several months | AUD 3,000 or more with the practical |
Most assessments are valid for three years. Do not get assessed years before you are ready to lodge an Expression of Interest, or it can expire mid-process.
Common reasons for a negative outcome
A degree that is comparable but not closely related to the occupation, thin employment references, claiming an occupation that does not match your actual duties, and missing documents. If your degree is borderline, some authorities let you sit an extra assessment or submit a project report rather than accept a straight refusal, so ask before you assume the answer is no.