APC-FAQ

Updated on 7 Nov 2019

 

What If I Don’t Meet the Application Requirements?
If you do not currently meet any of the above requirements you will need to go through the necessary steps to qualify for a Skills Assessment. This could be by:

Completing a Board Approved Program of Study at an accredited Australian university
Successfully completing the Standard Assessment pathway or Equivalence of Qualification pathway with the Council to obtain a Final Certificate or Certificate of Substantial Equivalence.

What Type of Skills Assessment Do I Need?
The type of Skills Assessment you need will depend on the visa you are applying for. We offer Skills Assessments for Temporary Graduate Visas as well as Permanent Residence/Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visas. Please see the ‘Further Assessment Information’ section below for further details on the application process for a Skills Assessment for each of these types of visa.

Which Visa Should I Apply For?
Please note that the Council unfortunately cannot provide specific migration advice or information on appropriate visa selection, as this is outside our scope. Advice and information on migration processes and requirements should be obtained from DHA; an Australian Embassy, Consulate, or High Commission; or a migration agent registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority.

WHAT IS THE PERMANENT RESIDENCE VISA / SKILLED REGIONAL (PROVISIONAL) VISA?
The Skills Assessment – Permanent Residence Visa/Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa is a document-based assessment designed to assess your qualifications and work experience. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will then use this information to evaluate whether you meet the educational and/or skilled employment requirements for your visa, or to award you points in these areas if your visa includes a Points Test.

Successful candidates will be awarded with a Skills Assessment Certificate to allow them to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) and/or submit their visa application.

Do I Need to Provide Any Work Experience?
You do not need to provide evidence of skilled employment to be eligible for a Skills Assessment in support of a Permanent Residence/Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa. However, you may wish to claim skilled employment as part of your visa application – this will need to be included in your Skills Assessment. The amount of skilled employment you need to include will depend on your visa’s requirements regarding this – for example, if you are applying for a points-based visa you would need to include in your Skills Assessment all the work you wish to claim points for in your visa application. If you’re unsure what the skilled employment requirements for your visa are, please check the relevant page on DHA’s website.

When Should I Make My Skills Assessment Application?
You should ensure that you meet all the requirements for your intended visa and have completed any specific period of work you wish to claim as skilled employment before submitting your Skills Assessment application. For example, if you wish to claim 3 years of employment for your visa, you should wait until you have completed 3 full years in relevant roles before lodging your Skills Assessment application. If you wish to make further claims of skilled employment after a Skills Assessment outcome has been issued, you may need to make another application and could be liable for additional fees.

Please allow up to 6 weeks to hear from us once your payment and supporting documentation has been received. Your assessment will be delayed if:

Detail in your application (especially regarding your skilled employment) cannot be verified by the supporting documentation
You do not provide the required supporting documentation
To be fair to all candidates, applications are processed in the order which documentation is received. Where further clarification/evidence has been requested, an application will be returned to the end of the queue once this has been received. To prevent any potential delays to your application, please ensure that this is as complete as possible upon submission.

What Happens When My Application Has Been Processed?
We will issue you with a Skills Certificate. This is a report that details your education and work history to help DHA evaluate whether you meet the requirements for your visa application – this includes the awarding of points for these areas (if applicable). You will also be provided with a Skills Assessment Certificate reference number which is used to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) if necessary for your visa.

Will My Skills Assessment Expire?
There’s no expiry date of the Skills Assessment Certificate. However, DHA may only accept your Skills Assessment Certificate if you make your visa application within a specific time frame from the date of issue. Contact DHA directly if you have any concerns about this.