Skills assessment
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You must obtain a positive skills assessment before you lodge your application for this visa. This is an evaluation of your qualifications to make sure that you are sufficiently qualified for your nominated occupation.
Important: The skills assessment must be performed by the approved assessing body for your nominated skilled occupation. Contact details for these assessing bodies can be found in the Australian Skills Recognition Information (ASRI) website.
See: Australian Skills Recognition Information
It is your responsibility to contact the relevant assessing authority for your nominated occupation to arrange for an assessment of your skills. Each assessing authority has its own assessment procedures, timeframes and charges. You need to contact the relevant assessing authority about your skills assessment well before you intend to lodge your application.
If your nominated occupation is 'Medical Practitioner', you should read the specific information on skills assessments for medical practitioners.
See: Migration of medical practitioners under the General Skilled Migration Program
Important: You must lodge evidence of a completed positive skills assessment with your application.
Post-secondary qualifications
In most cases, assessing bodies will require that you have post-secondary qualifications, such as university or trade qualifications, in order to receive a positive assessment of your skills.
In a small number of occupations, substantial relevant work experience may be accepted instead of formal qualifications. Each assessing authority will be able to advise you on what is required.
Important: Assessing authorities are responsible for undertaking skills assessments for migration purposes and are not employment agencies. The assessing authorities will not reply to requests for job placement. They cannot give advice on the likely success of your visa application.
Australian qualifications must be gained from CRICOS registered courses
If your skills have been assessed by a relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation on the basis of a qualification obtained in Australia while you were the holder of a student visa, there is an additional requirement that the qualification was obtained as a result of studying a CRICOS registered course.
Skills assessment validity dates
Some assessing authorities may impose a validity date on a skills assessment. If your assessment is only valid for a certain period, you will need to make sure that your application is lodged within this timeframe.
Submitting more than one skills assessment
You can only nominate one occupation in your visa application and you must provide a suitable skills assessment for that occupation to be granted a General Skilled Migration visa. However, prior to lodging your application, you may apply to any number of skills assessing authorities until you obtain a suitable skills assessment.
Evidence to attach to your application
At the time of making your application, you must lodge with the department:
- a certified copy of a positive skills assessment issued by a relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation
- certified copies of all the documents you provided to the assessing body including:
- your post-secondary qualifications, such as your degree or diploma certificate and your transcripts or mark sheets
- if you have worked in an occupation where substantial work experience may be accepted instead of formal qualifications, references from your employers that outline the positions you held, and the duties you performed.
Before lodging an application, please read all related eligibility requirements.
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