How Long Does a Skills Assessment Take? Processing Times by Authority

Current processing times for every major Australian skills assessment authority - ACS, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS, ANMAC, TRA, and more.

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Skills assessment processing time is often the bottleneck in your migration timeline. Here are current processing times for each major authority.

Processing times at a glance

AuthorityStandard processingFast-track available?
ACS6-8 weeksYes
Engineers Australia8-12 weeks (CDR), 4-6 weeks (Accord)No
VETASSESS8-12 weeksYes (4 weeks)
ANMAC8-12 weeksNo
TRA6-10 weeksNo
AITSL8-16 weeksNo
MedBA12-26 weeksPathway-dependent
CPAA/CAANZ/IPA6-10 weeksVaries

These are typical times from when all documents are received. Incomplete applications take longer.

What affects processing time

  • Completeness of documents - Missing information always causes delays
  • Volume of applications - Processing times increase during peak periods
  • Complexity - RPL pathways and unusual qualifications take longer
  • Verification checks - If the authority needs to verify your qualifications with your institution

How to speed things up

  1. Submit a complete application - Double-check every document before submitting
  2. Use certified copies - Not photocopies
  3. Provide detailed employment references - The more detail, the fewer follow-up queries
  4. Consider priority processing - Available from ACS and VETASSESS for an extra fee
  5. Start early - Begin your assessment before anything else in the migration process

While waiting for your assessment, use the points calculator to optimise your score and prepare your English test.

View all assessment authorities for detailed guides on each.

Adam Arbolino

Written in by Adam Arbolino Co-CEO & Founder in skills assessment processing times Built the technology behind the Australian visa system at IBM

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