EA-FAQ

Updated on 4 Nov 2019

I am a member of Engineers Australia. I want to apply for my Migration Skills Assessment. What should I do?
You are required to apply online for a Migration Skills Assessment, choosing the pathway relevant to your membership eligibility.
If you have Australian Accredited Qualifications, choose the Australian Qualifications pathway;
if you have Accord Qualifications, choose the Accord pathway;
if you have been through a Stage 1 Assessment, choose the CDR pathway.
Provided this is your first Migration Skills Assessment and you are seeking an assessment in the same engineering category as your membership, this service incurs an Administration Fee as per our fee schedule.
If you require additional services (such as assessment of Skilled Employment and/or PhD comparability, etc) the relevant assessment fees will apply.
Please also note that the Engineering Occupation and Category of the Migration Skills Assessment outcome may be different from the Stage 1 assessment outcome.

I have gained a successful Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) outcome. How do I become a Member of Engineers Australia?
Go to the Membership section of our website.

I have obtained permanent residency in Australia and wish to become a member of Engineers Australia. How do I become a Member of Engineers Australia?
Go to the Membership section of our website.

I need to assess my engineering qualification for migration purposes. What do I need to do?
The first step is to read the Migration Skills Assessment Booklet and choose your assessment pathway. Please read the instructions regarding an online application.
The instruction booklets can be found here.
You can then login to myPortal and start lodging your application.

Do I need to provide evidence of my English language competency?
Yes, all applicants applying to have their skills assessed by Engineers Australia are required to provide evidence of their English Language competency. Refer to MSA Booklet, Section A.

Which English test results can I provide as part of my skills assessment?
IELTS, TOEFL iBT® and PTE are the three test results we currently accept.

Please note: TOEFL PBT and Cambridge English test are currently not accepted.

For PTE, you must send your PTE Academic score through Pearson’s online secure portal to “Engineers Australia” so that we can verify your result. Please refer to Pearson’s website for the detailed instructions on how to do it.

What are the accepted scores for my English competency test?

All applicants applying to have their skills assessed by Engineers Australia are required to provide evidence of their English language competency through one of the following tests:

 

	IELTS	TOEFL iBT	PTE
Listening	6	12	50
Reading	6	13	50
Writing	6	21	50
Speaking	6	18	50

 

The following applicants may be exempt from the requirement to provide an English language test:

• Applicants who have completed an Australian undergraduate engineering qualification or a 2 year Masters degree (92 weeks full time) or PhD program at an Australian university. Documentary evidence of successful completion of the Australian qualification is required for exemption on this basis;

• Applicants who are native English speakers. A native English speaker is a person who lived and was educated (primary, secondary and tertiary education) in the country where the official language is English: Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada (excluding Quebec). Please note, exemptions are determined on a case by

case basis and Engineers Australia reserves the right to request an English language test result at any stage of the assessment.

Does Engineers Australia accept combined test results?
We may, on a case by case basis, accept multiple test results, provided that all the tests results are valid at the time of submission of the application, and the required score is reached for each module at least once.
We may accept a combination of multiple TOEFL iBT® or multiple IELTS, but NOT a mixed combination of the two different tests.

For Example:

Providing both test results below would be satisfactory, as long as both tests are valid at the time of submission.

	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
Test 1	13	15	19	20
Test 2	10	14	22	20

How long is my English test result valid for?
Your English test result needs to be no more than two years old on the day we receive your application.

I have limited engineering experience. Can I still apply for an assessment of my Engineering qualification?
Yes, you can still apply. Please note that Work Experience is not a mandatory requirement. It is possible for you to demonstrate your competencies by referring to your undergraduate engineering qualification and the project/work experience elements of your academic study.

Note that you must provide an employer reference letter if you have relevant experience of twelve months or more, or if the work experience provides a basis for a Career Episode.

I am not sure whether my qualification is accredited or not. What do I need to do?
Please refer to the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) website Qualification Checker to make sure your qualification is accredited through the representative body of the signatory country.
Please note it is your responsibility to make sure your qualification is indeed an accredited program before you apply through the Accredited Qualifications pathway. No refund will be provided if your qualification has later been assessed as not accredited.

What does "Fast Track" mean?
If you chose our “Fast Track” service, your application will be expedited and will be assigned to an assessor within the Fast Track timeframe as advertised on our website. The current processing time for a Migration Skills Assessment can be found here. You will be able to select the Fast Track service option at the time of your application lodgement or you may submit your Fast Track service request online after the lodgement. The time frame for receiving an outcome, however, depends solely on the quality of the lodged application. This means that if the application is completely decision ready, it can be finalised within a few days of being assigned to a case officer. However, if the assessor requires additional documentation, then it is up to you to provide the additional documentation as swiftly as possible. Returning applications are assigned directly to the assessor and do not go into the queue again.

Engineers Australia is not responsible for the length of time to finalise assessments as a result of incorrect or incomplete applications.

What if I have different spelling of my names on different documents?
Generally, Engineers Australia will consider the name appearing on the passport as your official name. If there are discrepancies in your name across the different documents, or if you are using different spellings of your names, you need to provide an official name change documents.

What if I have further questions?
If you have any issues or questions which are not addressed by the website you may contact the Migration Skills Assessment team:

Telephone: [phone]
[e-mail]
Please make sure you have read all the information on the website before contacting us directly.

Can a migration agent create an EA ID on my behalf?
If you already have an EA ID number, a CID number or a membership number you must provide it to your agent. If you do not yet have a number, your agent will be able to create one for you.

I already have a CID number or a membership number. Should I apply for a new EA ID number?
No, you should use your existing ID number with Engineers Australia and only apply for a password. You can log into myPortal using your existing ID number and password, and start lodging an online application.

I have applied but not yet received an Engineers Australia ID (EA ID). What should I do?
If you have applied online and have not received your EA ID number within 5-7 working days, please email us.

Can I add additional services (e.g. Work Experience assessment or a PhD assessment) to an already initiated or lodged application?
If you intend to add the additional services to an initiated but not yet submitted application, you need to cancel the un-submitted application by pressing cancel and start a new application. At the beginning of any new application, you can select the type of service you require and can add the additional services to your new application at this point.
Note that you cannot add additional services to a submitted application. However, along with receiving a positive outcome for your submitted application a link will be provided on the status bar of your myPortal where you can lodge a secondary application and request the additional services. (Refer to the relevant User Guides)

Can I add documents to my application after I have submitted and paid for it?
You will not be able to add documents after the application has been submitted. If you wish to send us important information before your application reaches an assessor, you may email your request to [e-mail]. Your email will be attached to your application for your assessor’s attention.

Can I cancel my application and get a refund?
If your application status is “Awaiting Assessment” and you believe that the application was submitted incorrectly, you may send an email to member services requesting to cancel your application. However, we will require you to submit and pay for the correct application before a refund can be arranged for the cancelled application.
Please note your application processing time will reset when a new application is submitted.

Can I attach certified copies to an online application?
No, only high resolution colour scans of original documents are accepted for online applications.

Do I have to upload all my documents at once?
Although you do have the option of saving and exiting your application at any time during your lodgement, we strongly advise that you have all documents ready to go prior to starting an application. You have up to 60 days to complete and submit an application. Should you not complete and submit your application within this timeframe, your application will be automatically cancelled and you would have to start a new application.

How can I change my nominated ANZSCO occupation after my online submission?
Email your request to member services.

How can I check the status of my online application?
You will be able to check the status of your application online by logging into Engineers Australia’s myPortal.

How can I request a Fast Track service after I have lodged my application online?
Submit your request online.

How do I know whether I need to pay a GST inclusive assessment fee or not?
If the applicant’s residential address is in Australia, the GST will apply. If the applicant’s residential address is outside Australia, the GST will not apply.

How long will an un-submitted application remain in the system?
An un-submitted application remains in the system for 60 days. After this time your application gets cancelled and you will need to start again.

How should I present my documents for an online application?
All required documents must be high resolution colour scans of original documents and must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi. Certified or black and white documents are not accepted for online applications. Where documents are not in the English language, you must upload the original language documents as well as English language translations. Documents you have created yourself such as career episodes or CV, can be uploaded directly.

What if my assessor needs more documents?
Firstly, please make sure you have provided all the requested documents listed on our MSA Booklet in your application. A decision will be made based on the provided information and documents. There may be no further correspondence if there are any shortcomings.
In the case of your assessor needing more information or documents, a request for additional information will be sent to you through MyPortal, which allows one month for you to address the shortcomings. You will find the details of your assessor’s requests by clicking on “Provide Additional Information” and provide the additional information and documents accordingly. A decision on your application will be made, based on all the information and documents submitted, including the additional information and documents.

My assessor has requested additional information. I did not provide the documentation, and now if I log into MyPortal I can no longer see the request. What can I do?
In the case of receiving a Request for Further Information, you will have One month to address the shortcomings. The request will expire after one month and your application will return to the assessor, which means no further documents can be submitted. Failure to provide the requested information within the specified time frame may result in your application being completed as unsuccessful.

My assessor has requested additional information. I will not be able to provide it by the date indicated in the notification I received. What can I do?
Please contact our Member Service Team. Explain your situation. Applicants who have genuine difficulties in providing the documents within the required timeframe, may be granted an extension.

How does the online verification system work?
Third parties including the DIBP can have visibility of your outcome by filling in the required fields on the outcome verification page.
Third parties will be able to see your assessment date, granted occupational category and a copy of your outcome letter. DIBP case officers have access to additional information regarding your application through their password protected access.

How long is the assessment letter valid for migration purposes? Do I need a Duplicate Letter?
Whilst the assessment outcome will remain valid indefinitely for Engineers Australia, our understanding is that DIBP mandates that the assessment notification be no more than three years old at the date of migration application. If you require an updated letter of assessment after this time, please contact our Member Service Team.

How will I be notified of the outcome of my online application?
Your outcome letter will be sent to you via email. If you have nominated a migration agent acting on your behalf, your outcome letter will be sent via email to your agent instead. The outcome letters can be verified online by entering the application details.

Why my Relevant Skilled Employment is not or only partially reflected on the outcome letter?
First of all, Relevant Skilled Employment is an additional assessment service that you need to apply and pay for. If you have not applied for this additional service, your employment will not be reflected on the outcome letter. If you have applied for this service, please note only successful skilled employment results will be recorded in the final outcome letter. This means your employment was not included in the outcome because one or multiple reasons below:
You did not provide ALL documents required.
Your work experience was not closely related or relevant to nominated occupation code.
You were not paid at the market or salaried rate for engineering professionals during the employment period.
Experience gained as a Ph.D. student, or work experience as a Research Assistant/Fellow cannot be recognised as Relevant Skilled Employment.
Please refer to MSA Booklet page 30 & 31 for the mandatory Primary and Secondary documents required for the Relevant Skilled Employment assessment.

Can I add additional services (lodge a Secondary Application) to an already successful application?
Upon receiving a positive outcome, you will be able to apply or add additional services, e.g. Relevant Skilled Employment and/or Overseas PhD assessment by lodging a Secondary Application based on your previous outcome. A link will be made available to you at that point on the status bar of myPortal where you can lodge a Secondary Application (Refer to the relevant User Guides). This new Secondary Application will go straight to your case officer for assessment.

I need a new letter, what do I do?
From Engineers Australia’s point of view, the assessment does not have an expiry date. However, the Department of Home Affairs may have other requirements. It is our understanding that they would accept letters up to 3 years old. If you need a letter that is identical to the previous assessment outcome with the current date, you can request a duplicate letter, a standard administration fee applies. If you need the original outcome to be updated, for example, adding/removing additional services (e.g. work experience and/or overseas PhD assessment) or name change, you can request an updated letter, our fee may vary depending on the service provided.

Please call Member Services on 1300 653 113 or email [e-mail] for details on the process.

What if I am not happy with the outcome of my assessment?
You can apply for an informal review of your application. Relevant forms and fees are available from our website. During an informal review, your application will be reviewed by an independent assessor and you will be notified about the result of your review through email. An informal review may take up to eight weeks. A review can only be requested within three months of receiving the original assessment outcome.

What if I am not happy with the outcome of my review?
If you are still not happy with the results of your review, you can seek a Formal Appeal. Relevant forms and fees are available from our website.
During a Formal Appeal, your application will be reviewed by an Independent Review Panel of Professional Engineers.
You will be notified of the results of your formal appeal through email. A formal appeal may take approximately nine months at this stage. A formal appeal can only be requested within six months of receiving the original assessment outcome.

Please note the outcome of the Formal Appeal is FINAL in the review process.

I need a duplicate letter for my previous paper based application. How can I obtain one?
If you require a Duplicate Skill Assessment outcome letter, then you will need to lodge a new application through myPortal attaching your photo, ID, qualification details, degree and transcript and previous outcome letter. A Standard Administration Fee will need to be paid. Please call member services on 1300 653 113 or email [e-mail] for details on the process

I need to add additional services (e.g. work experience and/or overseas PhD assessment) to my previously assessed paper-based application. How can I do it?
If you need to add additional services to an already finalised paper application, you are required to email your request along with a copy of your outcome letter to [e-mail].

Once your request is processed, we will provide you with a link to your MyPortal along with instructions on how to initiate your application for added services through email.