A positive skills assessment from the right assessing authority is required for most skilled and many employer-sponsored visas. The authority is fixed by your occupation – not your choice.
ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, TRA, ANMAC, AITSL, CPA / CA ANZ / IPA, AHPRA councils and more – migration, 485, employer-sponsored and RPL assessments.
Qualification + skilled employment assessed against your nominated occupation. Needed for 189, 190 and 491, and used to claim employment points. Usually valid for 3 years (or as stated on the outcome).
Some authorities offer a cheaper qualification-only assessment for the 485 Temporary Graduate visa where an assessment is required. Not usually accepted for permanent skilled visas.
Required for certain occupations and nationalities under 482, and generally for 186 Direct Entry and 494 (unless exempt). Some authorities run a separate TSS-style program.
Trade occupations are assessed by TRA through approved RTOs – e.g. Migration Skills Assessment, Offshore Skills Assessment Program (OSAP) and TSS pathways, often including a technical interview and practical test.
For applicants without a relevant qualification (e.g. ACS RPL), where work experience is used to show skills at the required level.
Some bodies (e.g. VETASSESS) assess qualifications for points purposes only, for people whose occupation is assessed elsewhere.
Australia needs evidence that your qualification and work meet Australian standards for the occupation you nominate.
For 189, 190, 491, 186 Direct Entry and 494 you must hold a suitable assessment at the time of invitation / application – without it the visa cannot be granted.
Assessing bodies decide when you became “skilled” – only experience after that date counts for employment points.
Wrong occupation choice is a common reason for refusals. Choosing the right ANZSCO code first saves time and fees.
Fees as published by each body (checked recently). Fees change – always confirm on the authority's website before paying.
| Authority | Occupations assessed | Fees (AUD) | Processing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Generated automatically from the Home Affairs skilled occupation list, so no authority is missed. Click one to see all occupations it assesses.
| Instrument | What it covers | Link |
|---|---|---|
| LIN 19/051 – Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities | Occupations & assessing authorities for 189, 190, 491 and 485 | View ↗ |
| LIN 24/089 – Specification of Occupations, Subclass 482 | Occupations for the Skills in Demand (482) visa | View ↗ |
| LIN 24/093 – Occupations and Assessing Authorities, Subclass 186 | Occupations & assessing authorities for 186 | View ↗ |
| LIN 19/219 – Occupations for Subclass 494 | Occupations for the 494 visa | View ↗ |
| LIN 19/260 – Assessing Authorities for Subclass 494 | Assessing authorities for 494 | View ↗ |
| LIN 19/050 – Specification of Occupations, Subclass 407 | Occupations for the 407 Training visa | View ↗ |