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

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

Authority	Standard processing	Fast-track available?
ACS	6-8 weeks	Yes
Engineers Australia	8-12 weeks (CDR), 4-6 weeks (Accord)	No
VETASSESS	8-12 weeks	Yes (4 weeks)
ANMAC	8-12 weeks	No
TRA	6-10 weeks	No
AITSL	8-16 weeks	No
MedBA	12-26 weeks	Pathway-dependent
CPAA/CAANZ/IPA	6-10 weeks	Varies

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.