Skilled Migration
Skills Assessment
A skills assessment is a formal check, by a government-appointed assessing authority, that your qualifications and experience meet the Australian standard for your occupation. A positive assessment is a prerequisite for almost every skilled visa, so getting it right is the foundation of your whole application.
Role
Prerequisite for skilled visas
Assessed by
Occupation's assessing authority
Tied to
Your ANZSCO occupation
Validity
Time-limited (confirm per authority)
How this works
- Us:We get your documents application-ready, match you with a registered migration agent we have vetted, and stay on the matter until it is lodged.
- Registered agent:A registered migration agent gives the migration advice and lodges your application.
- The Department:The Department of Home Affairs decides. No outcome is guaranteed.
Who it is for
- Anyone applying for a 189, 190, or 491, and many employer-sponsored and graduate applicants.
- People who have their occupation confirmed by a registered migration agent and want the evidence prepared properly for the assessing authority.
- Applicants who want their qualifications and experience organised in the strongest, most accurate way.
What this pathway involves
It is occupation-specific
Each occupation maps to exactly one assessing authority. You cannot choose the authority; your occupation decides it.
The right occupation code matters
Your ANZSCO occupation must genuinely match your skills and experience, and it shapes which visas are open to you.
Each authority has its own rules
Criteria, fees, processing times, and validity periods differ. For example, ICT goes to ACS, engineering to Engineers Australia, trades to TRA, and many professions to VETASSESS.
Some pathways need extra steps
Engineers without accredited qualifications may need a Competency Demonstration Report, and some trades use a Job Ready Program.
Health professions need registration too
Nurses, doctors, and similar roles usually also need registration through AHPRA, which is separate from the skills assessment.
Assessments expire
A skills assessment must be valid when your visa is lodged or decided, so timing it correctly matters.
How the process works
- 1
Confirm the right occupation
A registered migration agent matches your qualifications and experience to the most suitable, defensible ANZSCO occupation.
- 2
Identify the assessing authority
Once the occupation is confirmed, we work out which authority assesses it and what it requires.
- 3
Prepare your evidence
We assemble your qualifications, references, and employment evidence in the format the authority expects.
- 4
Lodge the assessment
We submit your assessment application and organise any requests for further information.
- 5
Plan your visa around the result
With a positive assessment in hand, a registered migration agent maps your skilled visa strategy, and we keep the file moving.
Questions about the Skills Assessment
Related visas
Skilled Migration
Skilled Independent (189)
Skilled workers with no sponsor, invited via SkillSelect.
Learn moreSkilled Migration
Skilled Nominated (190)
Skilled workers nominated by a state or territory.
Learn moreSkilled Migration
Skilled Work Regional (491)
Provisional regional visa, a pathway to the 191.
Learn moreNot sure where to start?
Tell us about your situation. We get your file application-ready and match you with a registered migration agent for the advice and lodgement, and we stay on it the whole way. No obligation.