Skills Assessment form part of the application process for skilled visas and some employer-nominated visas.
The Australian Government has authorised various assessing bodies to conduct skills assessments for migration purposes. VETASSESS, Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) and a number of registered training organisations (RTOs) have been authorised to conduct skills assessments.
Skills assessments involve assessing an applicant’s qualifications and employment experience.
VETASSESS compares qualifications to the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) while employment experience is assessed to determine whether it is relevant and at an appropriate skill level.
A Trades Recognition Australia assessment evaluates whether an applicant’s trade skills and qualifications meet Australian standards for a nominated occupation.
These assessing authorities evaluate the applicant’s qualifications and work experience against the standards of the specific occupation to determine if they meet the requirements for the job they are applying for.
Other registered training organisations will work within a similar framework relevant to the specific occupation they are authorised to assess.
To obtain a skills assessment, applicants must provide evidence of their qualifications and work experience. Evidence incudes:
- Proof of identity
- Qualification award certificates with academic transcripts
- Employment evidence including statement of service, payment evidence and any additional documents that may be required for certain occupations
- Occupational licence for those applying for a trades skills assessment
Various assessing authorities may require additional documentation.
Once an application is lodged, the assessing authority will commence the verification process. Once a skills assessment is complete, applicants will be able to download and view their skills assessment outcome.
Ensuring a Smooth Skills Assessment Process
While applicants can’t control how long their skills assessment may take, there are things they can do that can minimise delays in their skills assessment. The following tips can help ensure that a skills assessment application is complete and addresses all requirements.
- Understand the Requirements – Research the assessing authority’s specific criteria and guidelines.
- Organise Documentation – Ensure all necessary documents are accurate, translated, if required and certified
- Seek Professional Advice – Engaging the services of a registered migration agent can ensure the skills assessment application and supporting documentation is complete and meets all requirements.
Skills Assessment Exemptions
While a skills assessment is mandatory there are also other forms of documentation that can be used to verify a qualification and enable applicants to work in Australia.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process that assesses the applicant’s competency acquired through formal or informal learning. It determines if the applicant has met the requirements for a unit of study in Australia.
Passport holders from some countries applying for specific occupations may be eligible for an occupation-based exemption. Mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) recognise qualifications and certifications from international organisations and enables a licence for work in one country or jurisdiction to be used in another.
Some examples of where MRAs apply include:
- Engineers Australia recognises qualifications from several countries including Canada, France, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the USA
- Architects Accreditation Council of Australia recognises qualifications from Canada, Japan, Singapore, the USA and UK
- The Building and Plumbing Commission recognises qualifications from New Zealand
How Current Are Skills Assessment Criteria?
While skills assessment criteria are generally up to date and reviewed regularly, how current they are can depend on the assessing body and the occupation.
When reviewed, the criteria are based on:
- The Australian Qualification Framework (AQF)
- Industry Standards (licensing, accreditation, professional practice)
- Migration Policy Settings
Updates to skills assessment criteria may occur in the following circumstances:
- When industry practice changes (e.g. introduction of new trade standards, health registration requirements etc)
- When Australia signs new mutual recognition agreements
- In response to Department of Home Affairs directions or government reviews
Do Skills Assessments Reflect Today’s Industry Standards?
Skills assessments aim to reflect current industry standards and assist in providing verification of skills and qualifications to fill labour shortages, however, there can be shortfalls in the system.
Skills assessments are tied to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). It can take a significant amount of time for ANZSCO to be updated. The delay in updating ANZSCO filters through to skills assessments causing many to believe that the system is slow to adapt. This can impact emerging skills or new job roles greatly.
A skills assessment will assess an individual’s existing skills to ensure it meets the occupational standards for their visa application. However, skills assessments don’t assess the individual’s ability to potentially perform skills that may be on the rise or are required to fill a new role should the opportunity arise. The process isn’t future proof and can cause the skills assessment process to lag behind.
This lag becomes evident in evolving industries such as sustainability, digital technology, e-Commerce and Biotechnology etc where the advancements in technology move at a rapid rate. If the occupations lists and the skills assessment process can’t keep up with these changes it impacts these industries.
In addition, the extensive wait times on skills assessment processing can impact labour market needs. A long wait on a skills assessment causes a delay in lodging a relevant visa application resulting in employers unable to fill labour shortages promptly.
The skills assessment process is generally straightforward but there are issues and challenges within the system. While a complete overhaul of the skills assessment process may not be feasible in the short term, steps can be taken to alleviate some of the more pressing issues, in particular wait times. As an example, the alignment of international standards or more flexible recognition of comparable overseas qualifications could reduce the high volume of skills assessment applications. This would reduce skills assessment wait times, allow applicants to proceed to the visa application process sooner and help employers fill critical skills gaps without lengthy delays.
To learn more about skills assessments or any other aspect of migration, contact the team of registered migration agents at Visa Solutions Australia. Book a consultation.
