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My name is Charles and I am an Australian Migration Agent.
Today I’ll explain what a skills assessment is, and why you may need it for a visa.
If you will have a look at the list of occupations issued by the department of immigration, you will notice that in one of the columns next to the occupation there is a „skills assessment authority” being mentioned.
What is skills assessment authority?
It is a company, or rather an organisation. They are responsible for comparing skills, education and work experience of a visa applicant to Australian standards. They check if your education and previous work experience is relevant to the nominated occupation.
Each occupation has its own assessing authority, and if you are applying for a visa, only assessment issued by that particular organisation will be considered by the department of immigration. Before some of you will start arguing, RPL is a different story. OK?
Different skills assessing authorities may have different standards, so it is very important to follow up with their rules to have a positive skills assessment outcome. Usually it is a matter of providing relevant documentation, but sometimes practical examination is required as well.
If assessing organisation will agree that your experience is satisfactory for Australian standards they will issue with a document. This document is a confirmation of a positive outcome of a “skills assessment”. That certificate will then be presented to the department of immigration as a part of a visa application.
Although skills assessment organisations are chosen by the government, they are independent of department of immigration. Department of immigration must accept skills assessment issued by relevant skills assessing authority in principle.
Do I need a skill assessment? You will ask.
Skills assessment is mandatory for skilled visas 189, 190, 489. It is also required for ENS direct entry stream. For ENS transition stream skills assessment is not required so far. For RSMS visa skills assessment might not be required in some situations.
Skills assessment might be required for some occupations for 457 (employer sponsored work visa) or 485 (student graduate visa). Keep in mind an assessment issued for 457 or 485 temporary visas can be used only for 457 or 485 visa, it can not be used for other permanent skilled visas.
If you are on temporary work visa and want to transfer to permanent residency with your employers help, keep in mind – your employer must sponsor you again for ENS or RSMS visa. They don’t have to. So talk to them and if they are happy to proceed, let them give me a call and let’s start your permanent residency visa process.
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My name is Charles and I am an Australian Migration agent.
Thank you and see you soon.
