Australiaโs Skilled Migration Program offers hundreds of occupations from all professional fields. However, in order to prove your qualifications for a preferred occupation, you must be assessed for your work experience and skills and receive a positive assessment so that you can move forward with your migration application.
Some skilled migration visas are –ย Skilled Independentย Visa (Subclass 189), Skilled Nominatedย Visa (Subclass 190) or the Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491).
Employer-sponsored visa subclasses like 482, 186 and 187 are also skilled migration visas because they require a skill assessment.
Here are the main skills assessing authorities for Australiaโs skilled migration program and the occupations they assess frequently:
Engineers Australia (EA):
Engineers Australia is one of the most experienced bodies for assessing engineering occupations. This organisation assesses the qualifications and experience of engineers in various disciplines, i.e., civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics, chemical, petroleum, biomedical and aeronautical engineering etc. to name just a few.
There are 4 broad categories that are assessed by EA.
- Professional engineer; those with a 4-year professional degree in engineering from an EA-accredited institute or overseas equivalent.
- Engineering technologist; those who attained a 3-year degree in any form of engineering technology with EA-accreditation or comparable overseas equivalent.
- Engineering associate; has a 2-year associate degree or advanced diploma in the engineering
- Engineering manager; not necessarily an engineering occupation, this is an alternative option for those who do not qualify for the previous three. Applicants still need to hold a Bachelorโs in any engineering discipline.
Processing time for skills assessment: 4 weeks
VETASSESS:
VETASSESS is a skills assessment authority that assesses a wideย range of occupations. Much like Engineers Australia (EA), VETASSESS has a wider grip on a range of occupations.
Frequently assessed occupations range in automotive trades specialists, actuaries and auditors, hospitality management professionals, construction managers, chefs, hairdressers journalists, economists, life and natural science experts, marketing specialist, research analysts, consultants, human resource advisers, industrial pharmacists, occupational health and safety advisers etc.
Processing time for skills assessment: 12 – 20 weeks
Australian Computer Society (ACS):
The ACS assesses information and communication technology (ICT) occupations. Professionals working in occupations such as software development, systems analysis, database administration, computer networking, and other ICT-related roles are candidates for their evaluation.
About 35 occupations (see here) are assessed as listed on the ACS website as of September 1st, 2021.
ย Frequently assessed occupations include:
- ICT Support Engineer/Project Manager/Security Specialist
- Database Administrator & Analyst
- Computer Network & Systems Engineer
- Software Engineer & Developer Programmer
Processing time for skills assessment: 8 – 10 weeks
Institute of Managers and Leaders (IML):
Managerial occupations have a very high priority in the Australian job market. IML evaluates the qualifications, skills, and experience of professionals in managerial roles. Occupational fields such as executive management, project management, supply and distribution management, human resources, business development, and sales and marketing management are the main areas that IML authorities assess.
These fields were previously assessed by the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) until IML took over 23rd March 2021 onwards.
Frequently assessed occupations include:
- Sales & Marketing Manager
- Human Resource manager
- Supply, Distribution & Procurement manager
See here for more occupations.
Processing time for skills assessment: 8 weeks (2 months)
Trades Recognition Australia (TRA):
Vocational skills such as carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, metal fabrication etc., are all assessed by the TRA. If you are applying as a professional with vocational training, you will be required to first get a certification from the TRA in order to be eligible for skilled migration.
Frequently assessed occupations include
- Electrical Engineering Technician
- Automotive Electrician
- Motor Mechanic (General)
- Power Generation Plant Operator
- Telecommunications Technician
- Metal Fabricator
- Chef
- Cook
- Roof plumber
- Fitter-Welder
More occupations can be found here.
Processing time for skills assessment: 120 days (~ 4 months)
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC):
ANMAC assesses nursing and midwifery occupations. They review the qualifications, registration, and experience of individuals in the nursing and midwifery fields to ensure they meet Australian standards.
Frequently assessed occupations include
- Registered Nurse (Aged care/Child care/Community Health)
- Registered Nurse (Disability care)
- Registered Nurse (Surgical aid)
ย Processing time for skills assessment: 12 weeks (~ 3 months)
ย Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL):
AITSL is responsible for assessing teaching occupations. They evaluate the qualifications and teaching skills of individuals who wish to migrate to Australia as teachers, including primary and secondary school teachers.
ย Frequently assessed occupations include
- Pre-school, Primary/Middle school & Secondary School Teachers
- Specials Needs Teacher (to aid children with autism, e.g., hearing or sight impairment)
The completeย list of occupations can be found here.
Processing time for skills assessment: 4 – 6 weeks (~ 1.5 months)
Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
ย AASW evaluates social workers based on related academics and actual experience in social work. The assessment has multiple criteria for issuing a positive assessment, but generally, is within the boundaries of social policy, human rights activism, environmental cause and animal welfare contribution.
AASW assesses only one occupation by the name of โSocial Workerโ.
Processing time for skills assessment: 4 – 15 weeks
CPA Australia (CPAA) / Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) / Institute of Public Accountants (IPA):
Accounting and finance professionals are at the core of Australia’s banking and private corporate industry. The CPAA, CAANZ and IPA assess accounting and finance professionals for their eligibility to serve in Australiaโs financial institutions. With only 5 occupations, the CAANZ/CPAA/IPA trio is very specific with its assessment.
Occupation assessed by these authorities are
- Accountant (General)
- External Auditor
- Finance Manager
- Management Accountant
- Taxation Accountant
Processing time for skills assessment: 60 business days
Medical Board of Australia (MedBA)
Medical professionals will be assessed by this board based on the institutions where they completed medical schooling, expertise, duration of practise etc.
MedBA assesses perhaps the most comprehensive range of medical occupations compared to all other authorities. Occupations include cardiologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, haematologist, endocrinologist etc.
Processing time for skills assessment: 8 – 10 weeks
National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI)
NAATI mostly serves as an accomplice to other assessing authorities for testing the language aptitude of professionals from a wide range of occupations. Therefore, a positive assessment from NAATI by itself has limited scopes, however, in most cases it is an indispensable criteria in order to complete your assessment from other bodies.
ย Two occupations are assessed by NAATI
- Translator
- Interpreter
Processing time for skills assessment: 8 – 10 weeks (for certification)
As of this article, the Australian Department of Home Affairs have authorised 42 private institutions to assess the skill and professional eligibility of applicants. We have listed the names of authorities tasked with the assessment of the most in-demand occupations based on the track record of our very own clients.
The skills assessment authorities for Australian skilled migration play a crucial role in evaluating the qualifications and skills of individuals applying for migration visas. Each authority specialises in assessing specific occupations and ensures that applicants meet the required standards. It’s important to consult the official Australian government websites or seek guidance from a registered migration agent for the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding skills assessment and migration requirements.