Skills Assessment for Australian Migration: Complete 2026 Guide

Finding the Right Assessing Authority

Each skilled occupation in Australia's skilled occupation lists is assigned to a specific assessing authority. Using the wrong assessing authority (or failing to check whether your specific occupation is handled by that body) is a costly and time-consuming error. Key assessing authorities and their occupation coverage: Engineers Australia (EA): All engineering occupations — civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, software (as engineering), and related managers. ACS (Australian Computer Society): ICT professionals — software engineers, systems analysts, IT project managers, developers. VETASSESS: The largest authority — covers hundreds of professional, paraprofessional, managerial, and technical occupations not covered by other bodies. ANMAC (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council): Nurses and midwives. AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership): Teachers. CPA Australia, CA ANZ, IPA: Accountants. TRA (Trades Recognition Australia): Trade occupations (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, cooks, etc.). Ahpra (various National Boards): Regulated health professions (doctors, physiotherapists, dentists, pharmacists). The Department of Home Affairs occupation lists specify which assessing authority applies to each ANZSCO code — always verify the correct authority for your specific ANZSCO code before applying.

What Evidence Is Typically Required

Evidence requirements vary by assessing authority, but most assessments require: Qualification documents: certified copies of degree certificates, diplomas, transcripts, and academic records — originals and certified translations for non-English documents. Employment evidence: employment references on official letterhead confirming: employer name and ABN/registration, your job title, start and end dates of employment, full-time/part-time/contract status, your key duties and responsibilities (detailed duty statement). For VETASSESS, the duty statement is critical — it must demonstrate that your role was at the Australian Skilled level (ANZSCO Skill Level 1, 2, or 3, depending on the occupation). For Engineers Australia and ACS, a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) or equivalent narrative document may be required. Reference letters from individual managers (not just HR) are often more useful than form-template references. Identity documents: certified passport copy or other government-issued ID.

Processing Times and Costs by Authority

Fees and processing times are set by each assessing authority and change over time — the figures below are dated so you can check whether anything has moved since. Engineers Australia: $1,034 incl. GST for a standard CDR assessment ($555.50 for an Accord-only pathway). Standard applications generally take 15 weeks to be assigned to an assessor — that's the queue time before assessment starts, not the full outcome time — and a fast-track service costs an extra $396 incl. GST and guarantees assignment within 20 business days, not a faster outcome. ACS: $1,498 excl. GST under the model in place from 3 November 2025, with priority processing included at no extra cost and a stated turnaround of 4–6 weeks; there's no fixed years-of-experience deduction table under this model. VETASSESS: $1,146 for an offshore application or $1,260.60 onshore for a professional-occupation skills assessment; VETASSESS's own published processing time for professional occupations is 7 weeks (as published on vetassess.com.au, September 2026), though it can run longer for a complex file. ANMAC: $395 Modified, $545 Direct Care, or $595 Full skills assessment — check ANMAC's own fees page for current processing time. TRA covers 137 trade occupations; offshore applicants generally use the Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) and onshore international graduates use the Job Ready Program, and fees vary a great deal by trade and pathway — as one example, the OSAP pathway for Electrician (General) runs to about $5,320 across its three stages (documentary evidence, technical interview, practical assessment) and about 15 weeks. Accountants: CPA Australia charges $514 offshore or $565 onshore plus an admin fee, with turnaround around 10 business days (a fast-track option runs about 5 business days); IPA charges $595, around 10 business days, with a 2-business-day priority option. A current fee for CA ANZ couldn't be confirmed from a reachable page — check caanz.com directly. Always check the assessing authority's own website for the fee and processing time current on the day you apply. Priority assessment services are available from some authorities for an additional fee.

VETASSESS Assessments: Special Considerations

VETASSESS covers the widest range of occupations and handles the most applications. A few key points for VETASSESS assessments: VETASSESS uses a two-tier assessment: first, your qualification must be assessed as comparable to an Australian qualification at the required level (usually a bachelor's degree or above for Skill Level 1 occupations). Second, your employment must be assessed as closely related to the nominated occupation and at the required skill level. The occupation definition in the ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) governs what tasks are considered relevant to each occupation. Common VETASSESS refusal reasons: employment in a role that shares some tasks with the nominated occupation but is predominantly a different role; overseas qualifications assessed as below the required Australian equivalent level; employment history that doesn't yet meet the minimum post-qualification skilled-employment period VETASSESS sets for the occupation (this varies by occupation — check the specific requirement on VETASSESS's own site before applying). VETASSESS assessments are often the subject of review applications when initial assessments are unfavourable.

What to Do If Your Skills Assessment Is Refused

A negative skills assessment is not necessarily the end of the road. Options include: Review application: most assessing authorities offer an internal review process where you can submit additional evidence or challenge the decision, and fees and timeframes differ by authority — VETASSESS requires a review request within 90 days of the original decision, and ANMAC's internal review costs $300. Check the specific authority's own review page for its current fee and turnaround before applying. Change occupation: you may be eligible for assessment under a different, closely related ANZSCO occupation that better matches your actual role and duties. VETASSESS in particular has many adjacent occupation codes where the same background may qualify under a different code. Alternative assessment pathway: Engineers Australia, for example, offers multiple pathways (Washington Accord, CDR, foreign national assessment) that have different evidence requirements — an applicant who fails one pathway may succeed under another. Gather better evidence: if the refusal was due to insufficient employment evidence, obtain stronger reference letters with detailed duty statements. Judicial review: for formal determination decisions, a court can review whether the decision was made lawfully — this is a legal-error review, not a fresh look at the merits, and can be expensive. A migration agent who specialises in skills assessments can review your refusal notice and advise on the most practical next steps.

Does my skills assessment expire?

Yes, and Home Affairs sets the rule that actually governs your visa application: if the assessment doesn't state an expiry, it's treated as valid for 3 years from the date of assessment; if it states a shorter validity period, that shorter period applies; and if it states a longer one, Home Affairs still only accepts it for 3 years. Individual authorities can set their own stated validity within that — VETASSESS states 3 years, ACS and ANMAC state 2 years. You must have a current (non-expired) assessment when your EOI is lodged and again when your visa application is submitted.

Can I change nominated occupations after submitting my EOI?

Yes — you can update your EOI to change your nominated occupation. If you change occupations, you must have a new positive skills assessment for the new occupation before updating your EOI. Your queue position in SkillSelect resets from the date of the EOI update.

Do I need a migration agent to handle my skills assessment?

Not required, but beneficial for complex cases. For straightforward assessments (standard qualifications, clear employment history), many applicants self-prepare. For complex cases (international qualifications, mixed employment history, prior refusal, VETASSESS professional occupations), a migration agent's guidance on framing employment evidence can help avoid the gaps that lead to a request for more information or a negative outcome.

What if my overseas qualification is not recognised?

The assessing authority may assess your overseas qualification as equivalent to a lower-level Australian qualification than required. Options include: completing an additional Australian qualification (a Graduate Diploma or postgraduate degree) to raise your qualification level; applying under a different occupation with lower qualification requirements; or providing additional employment evidence to compensate under points assessment pathways.