Start with the purpose
A migration skills assessment, registration to practise, an employer’s qualification check and admission to study answer different questions. Select the purpose first. This directory links the official starting point and flags common mistakes; it does not predict an assessment outcome or establish work rights. Department of Education recognition guidance.
Selected occupation and authority directory
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.
| Exact occupation / ANZSCO | Migration authority | Process and current requirements | Separate practice check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Worker 272511 | AASW | Official assessment pathway | Check AASW international qualification recognition and the employer’s requirements. Also check any registration law in the state or territory where you will practise. Practice/employment route |
| Psychologists (nec) 272399 | APS | Official assessment pathway | Registration is through the Psychology Board of Australia via Ahpra. An APS migration outcome is not registration. Practice/employment route |
| Clinical Psychologist 272311 | APS | Official assessment pathway | APS says this specialist migration code requires the corresponding Ahpra area-of-practice endorsement. General registration and endorsement must be checked with the Psychology Board. Practice/employment route |
| Primary School Teacher 241213 | AITSL | Official assessment pathway | Apply to the teacher regulator for your state or territory. AITSL does not register teachers. Practice/employment route |
| Secondary School Teacher 241411 | AITSL | Official assessment pathway | Teacher registration/accreditation is a separate state or territory process. Use the regulator for where you plan to teach. Practice/employment route |
| Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher 241111 | ACECQA | Official assessment pathway | Check NQF qualification recognition and state or territory teacher-registration requirements. Migration and NQF outcomes serve different purposes even where one application covers both. Practice/employment route |
| Software Engineer 261313 | ACS | Official assessment pathway | Ask the employer what qualification evidence it accepts and check any role-specific requirements. A migration assessment is not a job offer or a visa. Practice/employment route |
| Civil Engineer 233211 | Engineers Australia | Official assessment pathway | Check the registration rules for the location and engineering services you will provide. Migration assessment and state registration are separate processes. Practice/employment route |
| Registered Nurse (Medical) 254418 | ANMAC | Official assessment pathway | To practise as a nurse, apply for NMBA registration through Ahpra. ANMAC assesses migration skills, not permission to practise. Practice/employment route |
| Marketing Specialist 225113 | VETASSESS | Official assessment pathway | Ask the employer what evidence it accepts. Do not buy a migration assessment solely because a job application asks for your degree. Practice/employment route |
| Electrician (General) 341111 | TRA | Official assessment pathway | Confirm the TRA program and the licensing requirements in the state or territory where you will work. A migration outcome is not an electrical licence. Practice/employment route |
| Solicitor 271311 | State or territory legal admissions authority | Official assessment pathway | Qualification assessment, admission and a practising certificate are separate stages. Use the admissions authority and professional regulator for your intended jurisdiction. The linked example is NSW. Practice/employment route |
Build your own evidence checklist
- 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.
Treat these as folders to prepare, not a universal mandatory-document list. Each authority sets the details. For example, an authority may require records sent directly from an institution, specific supervised placements, or a different assessment product for a graduate visa. Read the current checklist before obtaining paid translations or certifications.
Example: avoid the wrong assessment
You work as a social worker and an employer asks for qualification recognition. First clarify whether the employer wants AASW eligibility, a migration outcome, a jurisdictional registration or another document. If the task is migration under Social Worker 272511, use AASW. Do not select a generic community-work authority because the job happens to be in community services.
Likewise, an overseas nurse’s ANMAC migration result does not replace NMBA registration. Keep the visa, practice and employer decisions as separate checklist items, even when the underlying documents overlap.
Fees, timing and validity
No generic price or processing guarantee is shown. Open the linked authority’s current process and fee pages for your exact product. Check tax, extra employment assessments or exams, review fees, refund conditions and whether processing begins only after all evidence arrives. ACS fees, AASW fees, ANMAC fees and AITSL fees are examples of official schedules.
Validity must be checked against the outcome letter and the applicable visa rules. Do not assume a graduate/provisional assessment can be used for another visa, or that a positive migration result guarantees registration or employment.
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. Official occupation lookup; Assessing authorities; Occupation-code mappings; Recognition purposes. Check the current official pathway before paying or applying.