If you are considering skilled migration to Australia, you may hear the term “skills assessment” very early in the process. It is an important requirement for many skilled visa pathways, but it is often misunderstood.
A skills assessment is not a general review of whether you are good at your job. It is a formal assessment carried out by an approved assessing authority to determine whether your skills meet the standards established for a particular occupation.
Who Conducts a Skills Assessment?
Australia has different assessing authorities for different occupations.
The Department of Home Affairs maintains occupation information identifying the relevant assessing authority for eligible skilled occupations. Each authority sets its own procedures, evidence requirements, processing times and fees.
For example, the organisation assessing an engineering professional will not necessarily be the same organisation responsible for assessing an IT specialist, healthcare professional or tradesperson.
This is why identifying the correct nominated occupation is so important before beginning the assessment.
What Does the Assessing Authority Look At?
Requirements vary significantly between occupations and authorities.
Depending on the profession, an assessment may consider your academic qualifications, subjects studied, level of education, employment history, job responsibilities and length of professional experience.
Some occupations may have additional requirements.
A qualification with a particular title does not automatically mean that it will be considered equivalent to the Australian standard for a nominated occupation. Similarly, having worked under a particular job title does not necessarily mean that your duties match the occupational criteria.
The details matter.
Why Is the Skills Assessment Important?
For points-tested General Skilled Migration visas, applicants generally need a suitable skills assessment for their nominated occupation.
This includes the Skilled Independent subclass 189, Skilled Nominated subclass 190 and Skilled Work Regional subclass 491 pathways. The Department of Home Affairs also specifies that a skills assessment must be valid when required for the relevant visa process.
A positive skills assessment does not mean that a visa will automatically be approved. It is one part of the broader eligibility process.
Applicants may still need to meet requirements relating to points, age, English proficiency, health, character and other visa-specific criteria.
Prepare Before You Apply
Before paying for an assessment, make sure you have identified the appropriate occupation and the correct assessing authority.
Review the authority’s requirements carefully and understand which documents are needed to demonstrate your qualifications and professional experience.
At IC Australia, looking at the relationship between an applicant’s experience, occupation and potential migration pathway is an important part of understanding the overall picture.
A skills assessment can be a critical milestone, but it makes the most sense when it forms part of a properly considered migration strategy.