Overview
A positive skills assessment is the gateway to skilled and employer-sponsored visas. Each assessing authority (VETASSESS, Trades Recognition Australia, Engineers Australia, ACS, ANMAC and others) has its own evidence rules — getting it right the first time avoids months of delay.
Eligibility requirements
- Qualifications comparable to the Australian standard for your ANZSCO occupation
- Required years of post-qualification employment
- Occupation-specific evidence (e.g. employment references, CDR for engineers, OSAP for some trades)
Document checklist
- Qualification certificates and transcripts
- Detailed employment references (duties mapped to ANZSCO)
- Payslips, tax records, contracts as employment proof
- Licences or registrations where held
- English evidence where the authority requires it
Frequently asked questions
Which assessing authority handles my occupation?
It depends on the ANZSCO code: VETASSESS covers most professional and general occupations, TRA handles trades (with pathways like OSAP and MSA), Engineers Australia assesses engineering, and the ACS covers ICT. Choosing the right code is as important as the evidence itself.
Further reading