Skills assessment
How skills assessments work for skilled, employer and graduate visas.
In force
Who it is for
People applying for points-tested visas (189, 190, 491), the 494, the 186 Direct Entry stream, some 482 applicants and the vocational 485 stream.
Main requirements
- Home Affairs only accepts an assessment from the authority listed against your occupation.
- Main authorities include the Australian Computer Society (ICT), Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, Trades Recognition Australia and ANMAC (nurses and midwives). Medical practitioners use registration with AHPRA.
- Points-tested visas: the assessment must be held when you are invited.
- Validity: 3 years from issue, or the shorter period shown on it.
- A provisional assessment issued for a 485 is not suitable for a points-tested visa, a 186 or a 494.
- Each authority sets its own procedures, timeframes and fees.
Where you apply from
Applied for with the assessing authority, from anywhere. It is not a visa.
Your journey, step by step
From the first enquiry to the decision and after, with how a registered migration agent helps at each step. No step promises an outcome.
- Find your occupation and authority
Match your duties to the right occupation code and its authority.
How a registered migration agent helpsA registered migration agent checks that the code genuinely matches your duties, because a wrong code causes failure later. - Service agreement
Before any personal advice or preparation, you receive a written service agreement and the OMARA Consumer Guide.
How a registered migration agent helpsA registered migration agent sets out the work, the fee and the refund policy in writing. No money is taken for visa work before the agreement is signed. - Map your evidence
Qualifications, transcripts and employment evidence against the authority's criteria.
How a registered migration agent helpsA registered migration agent maps evidence to the criteria. - Apply to the authority
Apply online with the authority and pay its fee.
How a registered migration agent helpsA registered migration agent checks the outcome type suits your intended visa. - Outcome and timing
Use the assessment while it is valid.
How a registered migration agent helpsA registered migration agent times the assessment so it is valid at invitation or lodgement.
Government fees
Paid to the Department of Home Affairs, not to us.
| Applicant or item | Charge (A$) |
|---|---|
| Assessment fee | Set by each authority |
Skills assessment fees are set by each assessing authority, not by Home Affairs. Check the authority's website for its current fee. Check every charge in the Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator.
Processing times
Home Affairs Global visa processing times. A guide only, not a promise.
| Processing time | Not published. Home Affairs processing times |
|---|
Common refusal reasons
- Duties do not match the occupation.
- Qualification not comparable to the Australian level.
- Employment not evidenced in the required way.
- Assessment expired before invitation.
Document checklist
Tick items as you gather them. Your ticks stay on this device only.
- Evidence
Recent and upcoming changes
No recent changes are listed for this visa. Check the Home Affairs page for the latest information.
Talk it through before you apply.
The first 15 minutes are free and general. Personal advice starts after a written service agreement.
Information checked 22 October 2026. General information only, not advice for your situation. Rules and charges change; check the official sources before you act.