Australian Skills Assessment Guide: Occupation Codes, Authorities and Evidence

Start with the decision you need

Before paying anyone, write down what the receiving organisation actually requires. Is it a migration skills assessment, professional registration, general qualification comparison or admission to study? A successful outcome for one purpose may not satisfy another. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations directs applicants to the Home Affairs occupation list and notes that authorities have different procedures, fees and timeframes.

For migration, record the visa subclass and stream and read its assessment conditions. Do not assume every employer-sponsored or graduate pathway has the same requirement as a points-tested route. Check whether the assessment must exist before invitation or application, whether exemptions apply, and whether the chosen product is accepted.

Match the exact occupation and purpose

These are selected examples, not a complete skilled occupation list. Confirm the exact occupation, the ANZSCO version used for your visa, visa stream and current assessing authority in Home Affairs’ skilled occupation list. The code-authority examples were checked against the current LIN 19/051 instrument and authority guidance on 30 September 2026. Different visa programs can use different instruments or occupation versions; a directory entry does not establish visa eligibility.

If your exact code is absent here, use the official list. A similar job title is not enough: duties, qualifications and any specialised requirements matter. “Other professional” does not automatically mean VETASSESS, and “engineer” in an IT title does not automatically mean Engineers Australia.

ACS: document your actual IT work

Software Engineer 261313 is an ACS example; use the ACS occupation definitions to compare your responsibilities rather than relying on your employer’s title. Select the applicable assessment pathway using your qualification and employment history. A single fixed “two/four/six years deducted” table cannot describe every current ACS pathway.

Create a role-by-role evidence sheet: dates, weekly hours, employer, duties, payment evidence and the person who can verify it. Mark overlapping jobs and periods of leave so you do not accidentally double-count experience. After assessment, compare the outcome and any skilled-employment date with the visa points rules; do not assume every year on your CV earns points. ACS fees and payment rules.

Engineers Australia: check accreditation first

Engineers Australia has accredited-qualification pathways, including Australian qualifications and the Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accords, as well as a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway. A CDR is not compulsory for every engineer. Check the exact program, accreditation status and relevant intake or graduation period using EA’s pathway guidance.

Illustrative comparison: Two civil engineers with similarly named degrees may need different evidence. One has a program fully accredited for the relevant graduation year; the other has a non-accredited program. They should confirm their respective pathways before commissioning translations or preparing reports. Nationality alone does not settle accreditation.

If a CDR is required, follow the current instructions and present your own work accurately. Keep the underlying project evidence and explain your personal role. Separately check registration for the state or territory and services you intend to provide.

VETASSESS: use the occupation-specific sheet

Marketing Specialist 225113 is one example assessed by VETASSESS. Read the current information sheet for your exact occupation, including qualification relevance and employment evidence. Social workers and psychologists have their own authorities; do not select VETASSESS just because a role sounds broadly professional.

Make a two-column comparison of the published tasks and your actual work. Note evidence for each substantive duty, not just matching words. If your qualification is in a different field, ask how the chosen occupation’s pathway treats that before paying. Never rewrite a reference to claim duties you did not perform.

TRA: choose the program, not just the trade

Electrician (General) 341111 is a TRA example, but TRA has multiple assessment programs. Visa purpose, occupation, country and training history can affect the program. A documentary migration assessment, offshore assessment and graduate pathway should not be treated as interchangeable.

For a licensed trade, list two separate outputs in your plan: the migration outcome and the permission needed to do the work in the relevant state or territory. Ask what supervised work, gap training or further assessment is needed for licensing; do not book work based on a migration letter alone.

Nursing: ANMAC and NMBA have different roles

ANMAC is the migration assessment authority for the nursing example above. NMBA registration through Ahpra is the separate route to practise as a nurse or midwife. Check your qualifications, registration history and the current pathway before selecting an ANMAC assessment type.

Use a document index with separate columns for ANMAC and Ahpra/NMBA. Some records may support both applications, but verify who must send a transcript or registration verification, where it goes and its required form. An uploaded copy accepted by one organisation may not satisfy another. ANMAC current fees.

Teaching, social work and psychology checks

Primary and secondary school teacher examples go to AITSL for migration assessment. Its checklist separates qualification requirements, supervised teaching practice and English. Do not replace the placement requirement with a blanket “one year of teaching practice” rule. Teacher registration remains a state/territory process. AITSL fees.

Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher 241111 goes to ACECQA. Migration, NQF qualification assessment, provisional and DAMA products have different purposes. ACECQA currently says that if both a migration and NQF qualification assessment are needed, one migration application can cover both; read its instructions before lodging duplicate applications.

Social Worker 272511 goes to AASW; check the route for your qualification and the current AASW fee schedule. Psychology goes to APS for migration assessment. APS says the clinical, educational and organisational psychologist codes require the corresponding Ahpra endorsement; without it the migration outcome is for Psychologists (nec), subject to meeting the assessment requirements.

Prepare evidence and avoid paying twice

• Identity: passport and evidence connecting name variations across records.
• Qualifications: award certificate, complete transcript and any syllabus or placement evidence requested for your route.
• Employment: references showing accurate dates, role, hours, duties and an independently contactable signatory; payment or tax evidence where required.
• Professional history: registrations, licences, supervised practice and good-standing evidence if requested.
• Language and translations: use the exact authority’s current English and translation requirements, including accepted tests and result validity.
• Application control sheet: occupation code, visa purpose, assessment product, document requirements, fee including tax, refund conditions, expected processing basis and review deadline.

Worked evidence example: A reference says “developer, 2021–2024” but the payslips show a part-time period and a promotion. Ask for an accurate updated reference that separates those periods and describes actual duties. Keep the original records and explain discrepancies; do not conceal them. This is an evidence-planning example, not a substitute for an authority’s checklist.

Before submission, ask: Is the occupation correct? Is this the accepted product for my visa? Have I checked expiry and review rights? What happens if I withdraw or receive an unsuitable result? If the result is negative, read the stated reason and the authority’s review policy before paying for a new application. A different code should only be considered if the facts support it.

Frequently asked questions

Does every skilled visa require the same assessment?

No. The need for an assessment, accepted assessment type and timing depend on the visa and stream, occupation and any applicable exception. Check the current visa rules before buying a service.

Who assesses social workers and psychologists?

Social Worker 272511 is assessed for migration by AASW. Psychology codes including Psychologists (nec) 272399 and Clinical Psychologist 272311 are assessed by APS. They should not be routed generically to VETASSESS or a community-work authority.

Is a skills assessment the same as professional registration?

No. Nursing, psychology, teaching, legal practice and other regulated work can require separate registration, admission or licensing. The migration outcome alone does not authorise practice.

How much will the assessment cost?

Use the official page for your exact assessment product at the time of application. Check tax, additional employment assessments, exams, translations, reviews and refund rules. A generic fee range across professions is not a reliable quote.

How long is an assessment valid?

Check both the outcome letter and the visa rules for the stage at which it must be valid. A provisional or graduate-purpose assessment is not automatically interchangeable with another migration assessment.

Source review: 30 September 2026. General information, not a personal assessment. Home Affairs occupation lookup; Current occupation-authority instrument; Assessing-authority guidance. Check the current official pathway before paying or applying.