TRA (Trades Recognition Australia)
Trades occupations: cooks, chefs, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, welders, and others. Practical assessments often required.
TRA · VETASSESS · ACS · Engineers Australia · AHPRA
Skill assessment is the foundation of skilled migration.
Almost every skilled visa, from 189 to SID to the 485 pathway, needs a positive skill assessment. Getting it right is the foundation of the whole migration pathway. Getting it wrong wastes months.
Major assessing authorities
Five authorities handle most occupations.
Each assessing authority has different rules, evidence standards, and appeal rights. The right authority is determined by your ANZSCO code.
VETASSESS
Most professional occupations. Business, accounting, teaching, health (non-AHPRA), social science, and many others. Qualification-focused assessments.
ACS (Australian Computer Society)
IT occupations. Software engineers, analysts, developers, ICT managers, cyber security, and data roles.
Engineers Australia
Engineering occupations. Civil, mechanical, electrical, mining, chemical, biomedical, environmental. Chartered status can fast-track.
AHPRA and health boards
Nurses, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, allied health. Separate registration process, often parallel with migration.
Others
CPA Australia, CA ANZ (accountants), Teaching (TQ and states), Social Work, and several small-occupation specialists.
What a strong assessment looks like
Four evidence categories.
Regardless of authority, strong applications cover qualifications, experience, duties, and authenticity.
Qualifications evidenceTranscripts, certificates, and where requested, syllabi. Must match Australian standards for the occupation.
Employment evidenceReference letters from each employer with duties, hours, dates, and supervisor contact. Payslips and tax records where relevant.
Duty statements mapped to ANZSCOEach role duties mapped to the ANZSCO description. Most assessment failures come from duty-ANZSCO mismatch.
Identity and authenticityPassports, ID, translated and apostilled documents where required. Each authority has specific rules.
Strategic code selection
The wrong code means the wrong authority.
Some occupations overlap across codes. The right choice can change the authority, evidence expectations, and downstream visa pathway.
Duties-based code selection
Start with actual duties, not job title. Analyst Programmer (261311) vs Software Engineer (261313) come down to duty mix.
Authority-based strategy
Different authorities have different interpretations. Sometimes the same person qualifies under two codes with different visa implications.
Timing and validity
Skills assessments have validity periods (typically 3 years). Plan visa lodgement within the validity.
A negative skill assessment is not always the end.
Most assessing authorities have review processes, and in some cases fresh assessments with different evidence can reverse negative outcomes. Pathways also include alternative ANZSCO codes, DAMA pathways, or non-CSOL employer sponsorship.
Common questions
The questions we hear most.
For skill assessment strategy, book with Gurjeev Bhalla or Sourabh Aggarwal.
Do I need to do a skill assessment before the EOI or after?
Before, in almost every case. The EOI asks for a positive skills assessment reference number. Without one, you cannot submit a compliant EOI for 189/190/491.
How long does a skills assessment take?
Varies by authority. VETASSESS 10-12 weeks typically. ACS 4-6 weeks. Engineers Australia 4-8 weeks. TRA 4-8 weeks plus any practical. Plan at least 3 months buffer.
Can I appeal a negative skill assessment?
Most authorities have internal review. Some allow fresh assessment with new evidence. External appeal rights are limited. Advice required.
Does my skill assessment need to be for the same occupation as the visa?
Yes. The assessed occupation and the nominated occupation on the visa must match. Changing occupations requires a fresh assessment.
Some information on this page has been sourced from the Department of Home Affairs and has been interpreted and approved by Principal Migration Agent Sourabh Aggarwal (MARN 1462159). Last reviewed: May 2026.