Skills Assessment


What is the Skills Assessment?

Australian Immigration only accepts a skills assessment issued by the relevant assessing authority. Having your skills assessed as suitable is a requirement for General Skilled Migration (GSM), Employer-Sponsored, Temporary Skill Shortage visa (TSS) and Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) visas to Australia. It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain a skills assessment if required.

If suitable skills assessment is required for your occupation and the visa you are interested in applying for, you must have your skills assessed as suitable for the nominated occupation by the relevant assessing authority. At the time of the invitation, the applicant must provide suitable skills assessment for the nominated occupations.

Skills assessment Authority and requirements!

Skills assessments are issued by relevant skills assessing authorities. The skilled occupation list sets out all relevant occupations and their skills assessing authority. A skill assessing authority is an organisation that checks that your skills meet the standards they set to work in a relevant occupation. Each assessing authority has its assessment procedures, timeframes, and charges. The criterion by which an assessing authority undertakes skills assessments is determined by the assessing authority following relevant professional standards. In general, applicants require to have a post-secondary qualification, such as university or trade, qualifications to receive a positive assessment for their skills.

For some trade-related occupations, relevant work experience is acceptable and could cover the academic qualification. Related assessing authority websites may have information regarding what qualification and experience required to assess for the occupations and the type of assessment.

Please note: Most assessing authorities do not request/suggest for further documents to finalize their assessment. Applicant must make sure they provide all the supporting documents with their application at the time of application.

Can I assess more than one skill?

If you are qualified and fulfil each skills occupations requirement, then you could assess your skills against each occupation. For some occupation, there are more than one assessing authority. You may apply to any of the skills assessing authorities until you obtain a suitable skills assessment. You will be able to use only one valid suitable skills assessment for one nominated occupation.

How long your skills assessment valid for?

A skills assessment is only valid until the expiry date specified on the assessment. If no expiration date specified on the assessment, then in most cases valid for three years from the date of issue.

What is the Subclass 485 skills assessment?

Some assessing authorities issue a provisional/subclass 485 skills assessment for recent Australian graduates applying for a subclass 485 visa. The primary difference between provisional (subclass 485 skills assessment) and a full assessment is that subclass 485 skills assessment does not require employers in the applicant’s occupation at the skilled level, unlike a full or permanent skills assessment. Suitable skills assessment issued for subclass 485 is not a suitable skills assessment for a Points Tested Skilled Migration visa.

Migration point and Job guarantee?

Suitable assessment does not guarantee your job in that related occupation in Australia. To secure a job in Australia, for many occupations, you do not require a suitable skills assessment. Skills assessment is for visa/migration purpose and for those occupations which required registration and licencing. Assessing authorities are responsible for undertaking skills assessments for migration purposes, not for employment. Assessing authority does not guarantee your migration point related to your assessment and work experience. Applicant must satisfy the immigration to claim those points for their visa/migration matter.

How we can help?

Vista migration and Education services have experience helping clients succeed with their skills assessment.

We are devoted and well equipped to guide you through preparing your skills assessment supporting documents, and lodging your assessment application with the appropriate authority. Feel free to contact us for our assistance.

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