Skills Assessment for Australian Skilled Migration — ACS, Engineers Australia, ANMAC (2026)

A positive skills assessment is the gateway to skilled migration in Australia. Without it, you cannot submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect for a 189, 190, or 491 visa. This guide covers the skills assessment process for the most common occupations among Indian migrants.

What Is a Skills Assessment?

A skills assessment is an evaluation of your qualifications and work experience against Australian standards for your nominated occupation. The assessing body determines whether:

• Your qualifications are equivalent to the Australian standard for that occupation
• Your work experience is genuine, relevant, and at the required skill level
• You are suitable to work in that occupation in Australia

A positive assessment means you meet the standard. A negative assessment means you do not — at least at this point. You can reapply after addressing the gaps.

Which Body Assesses Your Occupation?

Each occupation is assessed by a designated authority:

Occupation group	Assessing body	Website
IT professionals	ACS (Australian Computer Society)	acs.org.au
Accountants	CPA Australia or CA ANZ or IPA	cpaaustralia.com.au
Engineers (all disciplines)	Engineers Australia	engineersaustralia.org.au
Registered Nurses	ANMAC	anmac.org.au
Doctors	AMC (Australian Medical Council)	amc.org.au
Teachers	AITSL	aitsl.edu.au
Architects	AACA	aaca.org.au
Social workers	AASW	aasw.asn.au
Chefs	TRA (Trades Recognition Australia)	tradesrecognition.gov.au
Electricians, plumbers, other trades	TRA	tradesrecognition.gov.au
Pharmacists	APC	pharmacycouncil.org.au
Physiotherapists	APC (Australian Physiotherapy Council)	physiocouncil.com.au

For your specific occupation, check the ANZSCO code at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au to find the designated assessing body.

ACS Skills Assessment for Indian IT Professionals

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) assesses IT professionals. For Indian applicants, the most important distinction is between:

ACS Pathway 1 — Formal Qualifications

If you hold an IT or computer science degree from an Indian university, ACS assesses whether your qualification is equivalent to an Australian IT degree.

ACS will review:

• Your degree transcripts and syllabus
• The subjects covered and their weighting
• Whether the qualification is at Bachelor level or higher
• Whether the core IT content meets their benchmark

Common issue for Indian applicants: ACS frequently determines that an Indian Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Science/IT) is equivalent only at AQF6 level (Advanced Diploma) rather than AQF7 (Bachelor), particularly for older graduates. If this happens, your qualification does not meet the requirement for most migration occupations. Adding an ACS-aligned Master's degree or pursuing the RPL pathway may help.

ACS Pathway 2 — Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

If your qualification is not IT-related (e.g., you have a commerce or engineering degree but work in IT), the ACS RPL pathway lets you demonstrate your skills through work experience.

RPL involves writing:

• Two career episode reports describing specific IT projects you worked on
• A summary statement linking your experience to the ACS competencies

Tips for a strong RPL:

• Be very specific — dates, tools, technologies, your specific role and contributions
• Cover planning, execution, and outcomes for each project
• Do not describe the company's work — describe what you specifically did
• Have your reports reviewed by a migration agent familiar with ACS RPL before submitting

ACS processing time: 8–12 weeks typically. Priority processing available for additional fee.

Engineers Australia Skills Assessment

Engineers Australia (EA) assesses all engineering disciplines. Indian engineering graduates commonly apply under:

Washington Accord Pathway

If your Indian engineering degree is from a university whose program was ABET-accredited (US) or from an Indian university with an accredited program, EA may recognise it more directly.

Important: EA does not automatically recognise Indian engineering degrees, even from IITs. Each application is assessed on its merits — the depth and relevance of your coursework, and the quality of your work experience.

Competency Demonstration Report (CDR)

Most Indian engineers need to submit a CDR — similar to the ACS RPL, consisting of:

• 3 career episodes (specific engineering projects you worked on)
• A summary statement
• A continuing professional development (CPD) list

CDR tips:

• Engineers Australia has strict plagiarism detection — your CDR must be entirely your own writing describing your own work
• Do not use CDR writing services that recycle reports — EA has detected and rejected these, and a plagiarism finding can ban you from reapplying
• Describe the engineering problem, your specific design decisions, and the technical outcome

EA processing time: 8–12 weeks. Fast-track available.

ANMAC Skills Assessment for Indian Nurses

ANMAC assesses registered nurses and midwives. Indian nurses face an additional step:

1. English test first — IELTS Academic 7.0 in each band (or OET B in each subtest)
2. ANMAC application — qualifications assessment
3. AHPRA registration — after a positive ANMAC assessment, you need to register with AHPRA to actually work as a nurse in Australia
4. Competency assessment — depending on your Indian nursing qualification, you may need to complete a bridging program or competency assessment in Australia

The entire pathway from Indian nursing qualification to working as a registered nurse in Australia typically takes 2–4 years and requires substantial English proficiency.

Common Reasons for Skills Assessment Rejection

Insufficient work experience: Most assessing bodies require 1–3 years of post-qualification work experience in the nominated occupation at the skill level.

Mismatched qualification: Your degree does not align with the occupation's requirements (common for Indian engineering graduates applying in IT occupations).

Poor documentation: Missing degree transcripts, incomplete employment references, or employment letters that do not describe the level of responsibility.

RPL quality: Vague, generic, or plagiarised RPL reports.

Occupation mismatch: Your day-to-day work is not actually at the skill level of the nominated ANZSCO occupation.

What If Your Assessment Is Rejected?

A negative assessment is not permanent. You can:

1. Request a review — if you believe the assessment was made in error or key evidence was not considered
2. Reapply with additional documentation — address the specific gaps the assessing body identified
3. Change occupation — consult a migration agent about whether another ANZSCO code better matches your experience

A migration agent experienced with your assessing body is invaluable if your assessment is negative.

Find MARA-registered migration agents who specialise in skills assessment strategy: → Find a Migration Agent

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a skills assessment valid?

Most assessments are valid for 3 years from the date of issue. If your visa is not lodged within this period, you will need a new assessment.

Can I get a skills assessment for multiple occupations?

Yes — you can apply for assessments from different bodies for different occupations, and each assessment is independent. This can be a strategy if you are unsure which occupation is most competitive.

My Indian employer's reference letter is on company letterhead but has no company seal. Will ACS accept it?

ACS typically accepts letters on company letterhead signed by a supervisor or HR manager. A seal is not required, but the letter must include the employer's contact details so ACS can verify it if needed.

I worked in India, Singapore, and the UK. Does all my experience count?

Yes — overseas work experience is assessed. You need employment references from each employer and payslips or other evidence of employment.

My ACS assessment says my degree is at AQF6 level, not AQF7. What are my options?

Options include: completing an AQF7-equivalent qualification (Graduate Diploma or Master's in IT); pursuing the ACS RPL pathway instead of the formal qualification pathway; or consulting a migration agent about alternative ANZSCO codes where your current qualification may meet the requirements.

Verify current processing times and documentation requirements directly with the relevant assessing body before applying.