Skills assessment: how it works and why you need one
A positive skills assessment is the gateway to nearly every skilled visa Australia offers - 189, 190, 491, 482, 186, 494 and several others. It's a formal sign-off from an Australian assessing authority that your overseas qualifications and work experience meet the standard of an Australian worker in the same occupation. Without one, your skilled visa application is dead on arrival.
The assessment is occupation-specific, which means which authority you apply to depends entirely on your ANZSCO code - not your nationality, your visa type, or where you studied. An IT business analyst goes to ACS; a high-school teacher goes to AITSL; an electrician goes to TRA. Pick the wrong authority and your assessment is invalid for migration purposes.
Major assessing authorities
| Authority | Covers | Typical fee (AUD) | Typical turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS | ICT occupations (developers, analysts, engineers, network admins) | $530 | 8-12 weeks |
| Engineers Australia (EA) | All engineering occupations | $1,235 | 12-16 weeks |
| VETASSESS | ~360 general professional & trade occupations | $1,260 | 10-15 weeks |
| TRA | Trade occupations (electricians, plumbers, chefs, hairdressers, etc.) | $1,070-$2,510 | 10-20 weeks |
| AITSL | Early childhood, primary, secondary, special education teachers | $945 | 10 weeks |
| AHPRA / national boards | 14 health professions (nurses, doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, etc.) | $700+ | varies widely |
| CPA / CA ANZ / IPA | Accountants and auditors | $528-$795 | 6-10 weeks |
| ANMAC | Registered nurses, enrolled nurses, midwives | $498 | 10-12 weeks |
| ACWA | Social workers | $880 | 10-12 weeks |
Sources: each authority's official website. Fees and times as at 2025; check current figures before applying.
The general assessment process
- Identify your ANZSCO occupation using the ABS classification. Match your real-world job duties to one ANZSCO description - don't pick based on job title.
- Confirm the assessing authority for that ANZSCO code on the official skilled occupation list.
- Gather your documents: passport, qualification transcripts and degrees, employment references with detailed duties, CV, English test results (some authorities need them, others don't).
- Apply online through the authority's portal and pay the fee.
- Receive your outcome letter - positive assessments are valid for 3 years for most authorities (longer for some).
What gets you a negative assessment
- Your degree is in a field that doesn't match the ANZSCO duties (e.g. an accounting degree assessed for a marketing role)
- Your work references are vague, missing letterhead, or don't list specific duties
- Your experience is below the minimum required (often 1-3 years post-qualification)
- You can't prove the qualification is comparable to an Australian Bachelor's/Diploma equivalent
- You haven't met an English requirement that the authority sets independently from DHA
Frequently asked questions
Can I get assessed without work experience?
Some assessments - like ACS for ICT - let you apply with qualifications alone but will deduct years of "skill" from your assessed experience that you can later claim for points. For example, ACS may say your degree is fine but require 2-4 years of post-qualification experience before they count any of it for the migration points test. Other authorities (Engineers Australia via the CDR pathway) assess on academic competencies only and don't require work experience at all.
How long is a skills assessment valid?
Most authorities issue assessments with a 3-year validity period. You must lodge your visa application (or in some cases your EOI) before the expiry date. If your assessment expires, you have to reapply from scratch with updated documents. Engineers Australia and TRA outcomes are typically valid for 3 years; ACS for 2 years; VETASSESS for 3 years.
What's the difference between provisional and full skills assessments?
Some authorities offer a provisional skills assessment for new graduates of Australian programs who haven't yet completed the work experience component required for full assessment. A provisional outcome is enough to lodge a 485 Temporary Graduate visa application, but you need to upgrade to full before applying for a permanent skilled visa.
I'm a nurse / doctor / teacher - what extra steps apply?
Regulated health professions and teachers also need registration with the relevant Australian board before you can work in your profession, separately from the skills assessment. Nurses need AHPRA registration; doctors need Medical Board of Australia registration via AMC exams; teachers need state-level teacher registration on top of AITSL assessment. Plan for these as parallel processes that can take many months.
Can I appeal a negative assessment?
Yes. Most authorities offer a paid review or reconsideration process within a strict deadline (often 60-90 days from outcome). It costs roughly half the original assessment fee and is decided by a different assessor. Reviews succeed when you provide new evidence - a fresh reference letter with better duty detail, missing transcript pages, or a properly translated qualification - not when you simply disagree with the outcome.
What this tool doesn't cover
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessments for trades - these typically need a separate Job Ready Program through TRA
- Country-specific qualification rules - some authorities have stricter requirements for degrees from certain countries
- Bridging courses - overseas pharmacists, doctors, and others often need to complete an Australian bridging program before registration
- Industry licensing - even with a positive assessment, regulated trades need separate state-level licences (electrical, plumbing, refrigeration)
- English requirements - these vary by visa, authority, and registration body, and can be cumulative
For your specific occupation, always cross-check the official DHA Skilled Occupation List and the assessing authority's own website.