VisaChief Australian skills assessment authorities
Every assessing authority, what each one covers, and where the assessment sits in a skilled application.
You do not choose your assessor. Your nominated occupation decides it. 38 authorities cover the 714 occupations on Australia's skilled lists - this page maps each one, and each authority page lists every occupation it assesses.
| Authority | Full name | Occupations | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| VETASSESS | Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services | 360 | www.vetassess.com.au |
| TRA | Trades Recognition Australia | 137 | tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au |
| MedBA | Medical Board of Australia | 34 | www.ahpra.gov.au |
| ACS | Australian Computer Society Incorporated | 34 | www.acs.org.au |
| Engineers Australia | The Institution of Engineers Australia | 30 | www.engineersaustralia.org.au |
| ANMAC | Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council Limited | 20 | www.anmac.org.au |
| IML | Institute of Managers and Leaders National | 8 | managersandleaders.com.au |
| Community Work Australia | Community Work Australia Limited | 7 | communitywork.org.au |
| AITSL | Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Limited | 7 | www.aitsl.edu.au |
| CAANZ | Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/ CPAA Assessing authority CPA Australia Ltd http://www.cpaaustralia.com.au IPA Assessing authority Institute of Public Accountants Ltd | 5 | www.publicaccountants.org.au |
| ACECQA | Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality | 5 | www.acecqa.gov.au |
| APS | Australian Psychological Society Limited | 4 | www.psychology.org.au |
| AMSA | Australian Maritime Safety Authority | 4 | www.amsa.gov.au |
| ASMIRT | Australian Society of Medical Imagery and Radiation Therapy | 3 | www.asmirt.org |
| AIMS | Australian Institute of Medical Scientists | 3 | www.aims.org.au |
| CMBA | Chinese Medicine Board of Australia | 2 | www.chinesemedicineboard.gov.au |
| CASA | Civil Aviation Safety Authority | 2 | www.casa.gov.au |
| Legal admissions authority of a state or territory | Legal admissions authority of a state or territory New South Wales Email: [email protected] Queensland Email: [email protected] South Australia Email: [email protected] Tasmania Email: [email protected] Victoria Email: [email protected] Western Australia Email: [email protected] Northern Territory Email: [email protected] | 2 | |
| ADC | Australian Dental Council Limited | 2 | www.adc.org.au |
| APharmC | Australian Pharmacy Council Limited | 2 | www.pharmacycouncil.org.au |
| NAATI | National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd | 2 | www.naati.com.au |
| AACA | Architects Accreditation Council of Australia | 1 | www.aaca.org.au |
| CCEA | Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia Limited | 1 | www.ccea.com.au |
| CPAA | CPA Australia Ltd http://www.cpaaustralia.com.au IPA Assessing authority Institute of Public Accountants Ltd http://www.publicaccountants.org.au CAANZ Assessing authority Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand | 1 | www.charteredaccountantsanz.com |
| DAA | Dietitians Association of Australia | 1 | daa.asn.au |
| ANZSNM | Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine | 1 | www.anzsnm.org.au |
| OTC | Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Limited | 1 | www.otcouncil.com.au |
| OCANZ | Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand Limited | 1 | www.ocanz.org |
| AOPA | Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association Limited | 1 | www.aopa.org.au |
| AOAC | Australasian Osteopathic Accreditation Council Limited | 1 | www.osteopathiccouncil.org.au |
| APC | Australian Physiotherapy Council Limited | 1 | www.physiocouncil.com.au |
| PodBA | Podiatry Board of Australia | 1 | www.podiatryboard.gov.au |
| AIQS | The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors | 1 | www.aiqs.com.au |
| AASW | Australian Association of Social Workers Limited | 1 | www.aasw.asn.au |
| SPA | The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited | 1 | www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au |
| ISNSW | Institution of Surveyors New South Wales | 1 | www.surveyors.org.au |
| AVBC | Australasian Veterinary Boards Council Incorporated | 1 | www.avbc.asn.au |
| VETASSESS (non-trades) | Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services https://www.vetassess.com.au/ TRA (trades) Assessing authority Trades Recognition Australia | 1 | tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au |
What an assessment actually tests
Two things: that your qualification is comparable to the Australian standard for the occupation, and that your employment history is genuinely at the skill level of that occupation. The second is where most negative outcomes come from - references that describe a job title rather than the ANZSCO duties, or experience that sits below the skill level claimed.
Timing
Assessments take weeks to months and have a validity period. Yours must be valid when you are invited and when you lodge. Start it before you build the rest of the application, not after.
Find your occupation and its authority in the occupation search.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which authority assesses my occupation?
Search your occupation in the occupation list - the assessing authority is fixed by the occupation and shown on its page.
How long is a skills assessment valid?
It depends on the authority, and typically runs to three years. It must still be valid at invitation and at lodgement.
What happens if my assessment is negative?
You cannot use that occupation for the visa. Depending on the reason you may be able to reapply with better evidence, assess for a closely related occupation, or change route.