How Long a Skills Assessment Takes, by Authority

Skills assessment processing times vary widely between authorities, and this is something many people underestimate. Because the assessment result is often a condition for lodging the visa, this step can easily become a bottleneck if left late.

Indicative timing by authority

ACS (IT occupations): processing time varies by assessment type and the volume of applications — check the current figures on the official ACS website.

VETASSESS (professional and general occupations): processing time varies by assessment type and the volume of applications — check the current figures on the official VETASSESS website.

TRA (technical trades, final step): processing time varies by assessment type and the volume of applications — check the current figures on the official TRA website; in addition, the total Job Ready Program is much longer because it includes a period of actual work.

Engineers Australia (engineers): processing time varies by assessment type and the volume of applications — check the current figures on the official Engineers Australia website.

ANMAC (nurses and midwives): processing time varies by assessment type and the volume of applications — check the current figures on the official ANMAC website.

Why the figures are only indicative

Actual time depends heavily on the quality of your file: missing documents, unclear job descriptions, or requests for further information all extend it. A well-prepared file is usually noticeably faster than the “worst case”.

Work backwards from the date you need

The safe approach is to work backwards: decide when you need to lodge the visa, subtract the assessment time and the time to prepare your file, and you have the date you should start. Because every occupation is different, a registered migration agent (MARA) can help you sequence the steps so you do not get caught short on time.