Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How long does the process take?
A. The process consists of three steps for most clients:
Step 1. Initial Application;
Step 2. Competency Profile; and
Step 3. Technical Interview.
Step’s 1 & 2 are completed with 7 days of receipt and step 3 is arranged within 6 weeks.
Q. How much does the entire process cost?
A. Prior to sending any money, all applicants should be completing the self-assessment questionnaire for their relevant trade on the website. It is free and it will provide you with an understanding as to what is required. Once you are happy to proceed, you will prepare your initial application and submit it for assessing together with your initial payment of AUD $495. Provided you are approved by the RTO to proceed with the next step, you will need to pay the final installment of AUD $2,500. This covers both steps 2 & 3. The total cost for the process is AUD $2,995.
Q. What happens if I do not pass step 2 (Competency Profile)?
A. Clients will be offered an opportunity to provide additional evidence at step 2 if the Australian-qualified assessor deems that the application is not complete. If the applicant is unable to satisfy the assessor with additional evidence, the applicant will be unable to proceed to the Technical Interview stage. In these circumstances, the client will be given a 50% refund of their final installment in line with our refund policy.
Q. What happens if I do not pass Step 3 (Technical Interview)?
A. Clients who are unable to satisfy the Australian-qualified assessor of their skill during the interview process will be advised of the units of competency that they are unable to demonstrate. The client can then proceed to obtain gap training to improve their skill-level prior to applying again on a negotiated price basis. The reason for the negotiated price is that any further assessment will depend on how many units of competency require re-assessment. As a rule of thumb, no client will be charged more than 50% of the final installment again to be re-assessed.
Q. Can I complete the application process without an agent?
A. Yes, you can apply without assistance from a migration agent. Your decision whether to use a migration agent or not should depend on how comfortable you are with preparing detailed documentation. The step 2 Competency Profile requires substantial evidence. It is our understanding that if the documentation is prepared appropriately for the AQF III process, the same evidence can be used again for the Trades Recognition Australia process as well as the actual visa application. Whether you use the services of an agent or not, we are equally happy to work with you. Please also note that Australian Skill Assessments are not migration agents and we strongly recommend that you complete your own research that may include discussions with migration agents in to your eligibility for visa requirements prior to proceeding with us to obtain your AQF III.
Q. Does Australian Skill Assessments assist in the document preparation process?
A. No, Australian Skill Assessments has an obligation to the Registered Training Organisation to compliance check the application prior to being submitted. What this means in practice is that Australian Skill Assessments will ensure that a minimum set of documents are submitted at step 2 for the Competency Profile stage. These include a copy of your passport, a recent passport-sized photograph of yourself, a completed Competency Profile application form and at least one reference. Australian Skill Assessments are not qualified assessors and therefore are not in a position to assess the contents of your documentation. Australian Skill Assessments are required to guide you through the various processes without offering specific documentation advice.
Q. Can I provide photocopies of my evidence?
A. Yes, photocopies are acceptable provided they have been appropriately certified as per the certification requirements of your country. What this generally means in practice is that the certifier writes on the front of the copy ‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original’, then sign, date, write their full name, qualification, address and contact details. As a rule of thumb, general acceptable certifiers for most countries include individuals qualified as Solicitors, Doctors, Police Officers, Justice of the Peace or Accountants. As an alternative to a certified copy, you may use either a colour scanner to scan original documents or take colour digital photographs using a good quality camera of at least 2MP of your original documents ready for uploading on to our system for review.
Q. My evidence is not written in English – how do I provide evidence of my skill?
A. Documents in languages other than English that you provide must also be accompanied by an accurate English translation of each of those documents. It is recommended that you use a translator who is professionally qualified.
Interested? Register first to start the process.
