What is the skills assessment requirement?

If someone is looking to apply for a Points Tested Skills Migration visa for Australia, they must select a listed occupation, and they must do this at the time of application. There is a list of relevant skilled occupations on offer and after having made a choice, the applicant has to provide evidence that their skills have been assessed as being suitable for their stated occupation.

This means that the applicant has to provide a full (permanent) skills assessment, from the relevant authority. The assessing authority sets the criteria for assessing skills, and these skills are classed in relation to relevant professional standards. The skills assessment is only valid until the specified expiry date, or three years from the issue date, whichever comes first.

A provisional or subclass 485 skills assessment, associated with graduates of Australian educational institutions, is provided by some assessing authorities. The key difference comes with the subclass 485 skills assessment not requiring employment in the stated occupation of the application, which is not the case in the permanent or full skills assessment. It should be noted that the provisional skills assessment which is issued for the subclass 485 is not considered as a suitable assessment of skills for the Points Tested Skills Migration visa.

With respect to doctors, their registration is sufficient evidence of them holding the appropriate skills with respect to the Points Tested Skilled Migration. Certain certificates issued by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency are included as sufficient for registration and these include:

For doctors, evidence of full registration is a suitable skills assessment for Points Tested Skilled Migration. We will accept one of the following certificates issued by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency as evidence of full registration:

• Full/Unconditional/General Medical Registration
• Conditional Specialist Registration which allows the Doctor to practice in their stated area of specialty without needing any further supervision or training

Solicitors can provide admission to practice in a relevant State or Territory as being evidence of their suitable skills.

Who can assess skills?

The relevant assessing authorities for each role and occupation are stated on either the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) or the Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (CSOL).

The applicant is responsible for getting in contact with the relevant authority for their nominated occupation and requesting and obtaining a skills assessment. Given that every individual authority will have its own procedures, charges and timescales, it is important to contact them as quickly as possible and find out the true cost and timescale for your selected skill. It is recommended that all applicants contact the relevant authority to arrange a skills assessment far in advance of any intention to submit an Expression of Interest.

How are skills assessed?

In the vast majority of cases, the relevant authority will ask for the applicant to have undertaken further educational, such as Trade or University, qualifications. This will act as a basis for a positive assessment of a person’s skills.

In some cases, work experience may be suitable, but each individual authority will be able to provide information on what is acceptable with respect to qualification requirements.

It should be noted that while assessing authorities hold responsibility for assessing your skills with respect to migration, they do not act as an employment agency. This means that the assessing authority you work will not be able to respond to any requests for job placement, and they will be unable to offer guidance with respect to the likely outcome of your visa application.

Submitting more than one skills assessment

When the Points Tested Skilled Migration application is lodged, it is only possible to nominate one occupation. However, before the Expression of Interest has been submitted, you can apply to a range of skills assessing authorities, which should help you ensure you obtain a suitable assessment. Once you are invited to make an application for a Points Tested Skilled Migration visa, you will be unable to alter the occupation your nominated.

If you are invited to apply, it is your responsibility to provide a scanned certificate copy of the relevant skills assessment, supplied by the appropriate authority, for the occupation you have nominated.

If you work in the trade industry, and you would like to talk to someone about a skill assessment, email us at [email protected] with Migration in the subject. Your enquiry will be passed on to a registered Australian Migration agent who will be able to help.

Alternatively, if you would like to book in a skills test or speak to someone about your options email [email protected] or visit www.downundercentre.com