What is a Skilled Worker?

One of the main purposes of Australia's immigration system is to poach skilled workers from other countries.

Some people are obviously skilled (and highly poachable) - doctors, engineers, scientists, nurses, computer programmers and telecommunications specialists to name a few; the Australian Government is very keen to bring these people in from overseas. You will still need to make sure your qualifications are acceptable. And for others it may be less clear whether your skills will qualify you for an Australian immigration visa at all.

In the eyes of Australia's immigration departpment, skilled workers will usually have formal qualification. This need not be a degree. Diplomas and trade certificates may also qualify you as a skilled worker.

One of the easiest ways of discovering the requirements for your occupation is to look at Australian Skills Recognition Information (ASRI). Here you can type in your occupation and be advised if and how your skills will be recognised.

Example 1
Typing "plumber" will provide you with a link describing the requirements for a plumbers' skills to be recognised in Australia for immigration purposes. Here's a snippet:

Skill level
This occupation requires you to have completed formal qualifications achieved through study, training or work experience and is referred to as the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). You need to have attained AQF Certificate III or higher qualification. Registration or licensing is required. For further information on the Australian Qualifications Framework see the AQF website.

Skilled occupation information
Points awarded for General Skilled Migration purposes are shown in the table below. The table also shows if this occupation is on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), part of the Employer Nomination Scheme and on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL).

Points	SOL	ENSOL	MODL
60	Yes	Yes	Yes

See: Points, SOL, ENSOL, MODL

Depending on your occupation and your home country you may be assessed through vetassess or Trades Recognition Australia (TRA).



Example 2
If you type analyst programmer at the ASRI site, you will be led to the appropriate information sheet. Here's a snippet:

Skill level
The entry requirement for this occupation is a bachelor degree or higher qualification or at least 5 years relevant experience. In some instances relevant experience is required in addition to the formal qualification.

Note: If you are seeking a skills assessment for skilled migration purposes, different skill level requirements may apply. For information on skills assessment, see the relevant skills assessing authority below.

Australian Computer Society (ACS)
The ACS is the recognised association for ICT professionals and conducts skills assessments for overseas-trained computing professionals. ACS has a large and active membership from all levels of the industry and is regarded as the public voice of computing professionals, and the guardian of the code of ethics and professional conduct and practice within the ICT industry.

To obtain a positive skills assessment for skilled migration, you will need to satisfy criteria set out by the ACS and usually need to meet a certain level of ICT professional experience.

Australian Computer Society
PO Box Q534 Queen Victoria Building
SYDNEY NSW 1230
AUSTRALIA
Telephone:61 2 9299 3666
Fax: 61 2 9299 3997
Email: info@acs.org.au
Website: http://www.acs.org.au


Application Process

If you hold a non-IT degree/diploma but have extensive experience in IT, please select the Recognition of Prior Learning link as well as the Core Body of Knowledge (CBOK).

Skill Application