Skill Assessment

Australia Skilled Migration is a multi-stage process. The steps required for a successful Permanent Residency application are lengthy and complex, with Skill Assessment stage being one of the hardest. The good news however, is that securing a positive skill assessment is a major milestone in an Skilled Migration application.

The Australia Immigration program seeks to attract good quality applicant who can make a real different to the Australian economy and society. They have strict rules in place to ensure they attract the right kind of applicants. It is this ‘toughness’ that makes Australia an attractive option for many skilled migrants because they know they have the correct skills to ‘make the grade’.

An Australian Skill Assessment is mandatory for all skilled migration applications, being the 189 and 190 visa. A skill assessment is also required for any 491 visa applications.

An Australian Skill Assessment is a process of validating your skills, experience and qualifications. It’s a checking process that ensures you have

1. the right skills
2. the correct qualifications
3. verifiable experience in your occupation

Every occupation, be it trade, professional, medical or managerial have their own Skill Assessment authority. In the case of some professions the skill assessment authority will also be the Australian regulatory body for that profession. For example, the AIQS (Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors) is the regulatory body for Quantity Surveyors in Australia, and it is also responsible for conducting skill assessment checks on individuals moving to Australia as a Quantity Surveyor.

Outside of the professions, Vetassess is the Skill Assessment authority for many trades and non-trades occupations. Vetassess skilled trades occupation assessments are conducted jointly with TRA (Trades Recognition Australia).

Skill Assessment is a mandatory requirement for these  Australian Visas

• 189 Visa
• 190 Visa
• 491 Visa

The TSS Visa is Australia’s Temporary Skilled Stream. It is a 4-year work permit that can be extended for an extra 4-years. If a TSS visa holder also has an occupation in the MLTSSL then the TSS Visa can convert into full Permanent Residency and eventually Australian Citizenship. If a TSS visa holder also has an occupation on the STSOL then the TSS visa can never be upgraded to PR status.

The TSS Visa does not routinely require an applicants to have a positive skill assessment. However, there may be times when a skill assessment is required for a TSS application and this is based on occupation and the country of residence of the applicant. The following table explains which skill assessments are needed by Temporary Skill Shortage Visa applicants.

The following table contains all eligible Skilled Migration occupations and the corresponding Skill Assessment codes for occupations on the MLTSSL

The following table contains all eligible Skilled Migration occupations and the corresponding Skill Assessment codes for occupations on the STSOL

Use the codes above to check the full list of Australia Skill Assessment Authorities:

Every skill assessment in Australia has their own unique set of documentation requirements. Some elements are consistent between the Australia assessment authorities including:

• Passport
• Qualification Certificate
• Qualification Transcript
• Professional References
• Change of name documents (if applicable)
• Proof of salary

ACS stands for the Australian Computer Society. The ACS is the professional body responsible for the computer skill assessment processing for Skilled Migration to Australia.

An ACS Skill Assessment evaluates the skills, knowledge and work experience an apoplicant has in the ICT field. If you do not have a university degree, you can apply for a PR visa to Australia after ACS reviews a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) report. The ACS assesses skills on the basis of experience at ICT level with or without an undergraduate computer related degree. Only IT experts are assessed by the ACS and the Australian Computer Society, and this assessment body will inform you if you are suitable for your chosen or nominated profession.

The ACS Skill Assessment costs $500AUD

For a full step-by-step guide to the ACS Skill Assessment see here

There are two streams to the Vetassess skill assessment process

• Vetassess assessment for General Occupations
• Vetassess assessment for Trades Occupations

Both streams have different requirements and criteria. If your occupation is a skilled trade then you will be in teh Trades Occupations stream. All non-trades occupations require a General Occupation assessment.

Vetassess is responsible for the following Trades occupations:

• Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
• Automative Electrician
• Baker
• bricklayer
• Cabinetmaker
• carpenter
• Carpenter Joiner
• Chef
• Cook
• Diesel Motor Mechanic
• Electrician General
• Electrician Special Class
• Electronic Equipment Trades Worker
• Fitter and Turner
• Fitter Welder
• Hairdresser
• Joiner
• Metal Fabricator
• Metal Machinist
• Motor Mechanic
• Panel beater
• Pastry Cook
• Plumber
• Sheet Metal Trades Worker
• Toolmaker
• Vehicle Painter
• Welder First Class

If you have a Skilled Trade not listed above then the Skills Assessment is directly with Trades Recognition Australia

For a full and complete guide to the process see here

Teachers wishing to move to Australia must complete an AITSL (Australian Institute of Teaching and Learning Services) skills assessment. Qualifications must be checked by the AITSL before a Teacher can apply for a skilled visa.

To receive a positive Teacher Skill Assessment an applicant must prove they have:

• a 4-year education degree
• an unrelated 3-year degree + 1-year post graduate teaching qualification
• completed a minimum of 45 days supervised teaching practice
• completed compulsory teacher training

Occupations covered by the Teacher Skill Assessment are:

• Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (ANZSCO 241111
• Primary School Teacher (ANZSCO 241213)
• Middle School Teacher (ANZSCO 241311)
• Secondary School Teacher (ANZSCO 241411)
• Special Needs Teacher (ANZSCO 241511)
• Teacher of the Hearing Impaired (ANZSCO 241512)
• Teacher of the Sight Impaired (ANZSCO 241513)
• Special Education Teachers (nec) (ANZSCO 241599)

For a step-by-step guide to Teacher Skill Assessment success click here

Occupations covered by an Engineer Australia Skill Assessment:

• Engineering Manager (ANZSCO Code 133211)
• Chemical Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233111)
• Materials Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233112)
• Civil Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233211)
• Geotechnical Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233212)
• Structural Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233214)
• Transport Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233215)
• Electrical Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233311)
• Electronics Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233411)
• Industrial Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233511)
• Mechanical Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233512)
• Production or Plant Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233513)
• Mining Engineer -excluding Petroleum (ANZSCO Code 233611)
• Petroleum Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233612)
• Aeronautical Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233911)
• Agricultural Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233912)
• Biomedical Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233913)
• Engineering Technologist (ANZSCO Code 233914)
• Environmental Engineer (ANZSCO Code 233915)
• Naval Architect (ANZSCO Code 233916)
• Telecommunications Engineer (ANZSCO Code 263311)
• Telecommunications Network Engineer (ANZSCO Code 263312)
• Electrical Engineering Draftsperson (ANZSCO Code 312311)
• Telecommunications Field Engineer (ANZSCO Code 313212)
• Telecommunications Network Planner (ANZSCO Code 313213)
• Telecommunications Technical Officer or Technologist (ANZSCO Code 313214)

Engineers who immigrate to Australia must pass the Engineer Australia skill assessment test before applying for a visa or making an Expression of Interest. Foreign engineer qualifications must be equivalent to Australian recognized technical qualifications such as a Bachelor of Engineering (BAE) or Master of Science (MSA).

Step-by-step guide to Engineer Australia Skill Assessment: Here

Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is a skills assessment service provider specializing in assessing trading skills acquired abroad to facilitate the recognition of skills through migration.

Under the Migration Regulation 1994, the Home Secretary appointed TRA to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection as a professional assessment service. Trade Recognition Australia (TRA) is a member of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACCU) and the Australia – New Zealand Trade Association (ANZTA). TRA provides a range of skills assessment services, which vary depending on the applicant’s circumstances.

Under the MSA program, TRA only issues professional licenses to individuals that are believed to have the skills and experience to work in Australia in their nominated profession. Professional licenses are issued under the terms of the Trade Recognition Australia Professional Licence (TRL) program.

For ore information on TRA click here

To move to Australia as a Registered Nurse or Midwife an applicant will first have to secure a positive ANMAC skill assessment. ANMAC is the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council. Not to be confused with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency). AHPRA is responsible for actual nursing registration and regulation in Australia while ANMAC is responsible for vetting international nurses moving to Australia.

The process of Australia Immigration for a nurse of midwife is:

1. Secure a positive skill assessment with ANMAC
2. Lodge an Expression of Interest
3. Receive Invitation to apply
4. Lodge AHPRA application
5. Australia visa granted
6. AHPRA granted
7. Visit AHPRA office in Australia within 90 days to activate registration

AHPRA Skill Assessment is for the following occupations:

• Nursing clinical director [134212]
• Midwife [254111]
• Nurse educator [254211]
• Nurse researcher [254212]
• Nurse manager [254311]
• Nurse practitioner [254411]
• Registered nurse (aged care) [254412]
• Registered nurse (child and family health) [254413]
• Registered nurse (community health) [254414]
• Registered nurse (critical care and emergency) [254415]
• Registered nurse (developmental disability) [254416]
• Registered nurse (disability and rehabilitation) [254417]
• Registered nurse (medical) [254418]
• Registered nurse (medical practice) [254421]
• Registered nurse (mental health) [254422]
• Registered nurse (perioperative) [254423]
• Registered nurse (surgical) [254424]
• Registered nurse (paediatrics) [254425]
• Registered nurses (nec) [254499]
• Enrolled Nurse [411411]

Step-by-Step Guide to ANMAC Skill Assessment Success

The AASW uses five assessment criteria to assess whether qualifications abroad are compatible with qualifications under its Social Work Capabilities Assessment Programme (SGP).

Qualification must be a special qualification in social work and must take into account the skills, abilities and abilities of the social worker as a whole, not just his specific abilities. There should be at least one recognized qualification within the social work profession that must have learning outcomes.

You must have completed at least 980 hours of field training in the last 12 months, with at least one internship in direct practice. Good English is required, as is a good understanding of the profession of social worker and the demands placed on the profession.

For more information visit the AASW

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