Top 5 Facts Of Engineers Australia (Skills Assessment - GSM)

Are you an engineer looking to work in Australia? Your journey will begin with Engineers Australia. A formal assessment of engineering skills is required to live and work in Australia as an engineer. You can also apply for permanent residency.

Let’s see the Top 5 Facts of Engineers Australia Skills Assessment for General Skilled Migration (GSM).

Fact 1: Why do I need a skills assessment?

Skills assessment, by a competent authority, is required before you can work in Australia. A skills assessment is a formal evaluation of an individual’s -

• educational qualifications,
• skills, and
• work experience

for them to successfully work in Australia.

To be eligible for a skilled visa for Australia, you must have a qualification that is in high demand in Australia. You will also require a positive skills assessment from a relevant authority. A “migration skills assessment outcome letter” will be needed to apply for a visa under Australia’s General Skilled Migration (GSM).

Fact 2: Which Australia visas require a positive skills assessment?

Generally, you will need a skills assessment before you can work in Australia on any of the following visas -

• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) - points-tested steam
• Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
• Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489) - Invited Pathway
• Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 491)
• Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187)
• Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
• Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) - graduate work stream

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Fact 3: How to get a skills assessment from Engineers Australia?

There is a basic 6-step process to get an Engineers Australia skills assessment.

Step 1. Check your qualification.

Step 2. Understand the four engineering occupational categories which are -

• Professional Engineer
• Engineering Technologist
• Engineering Associate
• Engineering Manager

Step 3. Choose your assessment pathway.

Step 4. Prepare your application.

Step 5. Submit application for assessment.

Step 6. Receive the outcome.

Fact 4: Which jobs need a skills assessment from Engineers Australia?

A positive skills assessment from Engineers Australia will be needed if you want to work in Australia as an engineer. As of now, there are 31 jobs that require an assessment by Engineers Australia.

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Fact 5: What are the assessment pathways of Engineers Australia?

The right Engineers Australia assessment pathways for you will be based on your qualification.

(1) Accredited

An accredited qualification is where the engineering qualification is recognized through agreements known as Accords. There are three Accords -

• Washington Accord
• Dublin Accord
• Sydney Accord

A qualification is recognized under the relevant Accord if it was completed either in the same year or after the year that the country was accepted as a full signatory under the Accord.

(2) Australian qualifications

This is for those who completed their qualifications in Australia and have their engineering degree included in the list of accredited programs.

(3) Competency Demonstration Report (CDR)

The CDR pathway is for those who do not have an accredited qualification. In the CDR pathway, an individual’s skills, knowledge, and competency are assessed against globally benchmarked factors.

A CDR contains three Career Episodes that showcase how an individual evolved as an engineer in his professional years. Documentary proof of the role, outstanding achievement, and innovation during the work experience in the nominated occupation is provided. The focus would be on how that individual was an asset in the projects that they were involved with.

Online applications for the CDR pathways are submitted. Your engineering qualification or occupation will have to be selected from the list of 31 engineering occupations determined by the Australian government.

After the skills assessment, an outcome letter will be issued by Engineers Australia. The EA original document will contain the engineering occupation as well as the occupational category.

Preparing a strong CDR ensures that a favourable impression of your engineering capabilities and potential are made on the authorities at Engineers Australia. A positive skills assessment denotes that you have been found to be competent to work in Australia as an engineer.

For more details, get in touch with experts today.

Other FAQs

What is the role of Engineers Australia?        

Founded in 1919 as the “Institution of Engineers Australia”, Engineers Australia is the main body for the engineering profession in Australia. Engineers Australia performs functions such as -

• Assessing migrant skills applications for the Australian government
• Evaluating members for the internationally recognized Chartered credentials
• Accrediting Australian tertiary engineering programs to global benchmarks, such as - Sydney Accord, Washington Accord, Dublin Accord etc.
• Maintaining the National Engineering Register, the largest register for the engineering profession in Australia, that includes 26,000+ engineers
• Being the voice of the engineering profession in Australia
• Delivering ongoing professional development to the engineering profession

What is the cost to get a CDR assessment by Engineers Australia?

A standard Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) costs -

• AUD 850, exclusive of GST
• AUD 935, including GST

What is a graduate certificate?

A graduate diploma or certificate is a credential that represents specialized training in a particular skill or topic. Though not considered a graduate degree, a graduate certificate offers opportunities for career advancement.

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What are the top Australian universities to pursue engineering?

Per QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024: Engineering & Technology, the top universities in Australia for engineering include -

• The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney)
• The University of Melbourne
• Monash University
• Australian National University (ANU)
• The University of Sydney
• The University of Queensland
• University of Technology Sydney
• The University of Adelaide
• RMIT University
• The University of Western Australia
• Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
• Curtin University
• University of Wollongong
• The University of Newcastle, Australia (UON)
• Deakin University
• Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia)
• Swinburne University of Technology
• University of South Australia
• Griffith University

Many Australian universities offer scholarships and grant honorary fellowships.

What are the job prospects for international engineers in Australia?

Australia has a high demand for international engineers. Top source countries for overseas-born engineers in Australia include India, China, Philippines, United Kingdom, Iran, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Where are Engineers Australia overseas chapters?

Engineers Australia has overseas chapters in the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia. Such overseas chapters bring together expatriates with Australian engineers that have done their engineering education in Australia as international students.

Who is Jane MacMaster?

As the Chief Engineer, Jane MacMaster has an important role to play in defining the strategic vision of Engineers Australia. She leads engagement and policy discussions with the government, industry, academia etc.

Known for spending many years in engineering practice, her engineering career at Engineers Australia spans almost five years.

What is sustainability in structural engineering?

There is an increasing role of green buildings and sustainable designs in structural engineering. Improving the environmental impact of structural development is essential for the well-being of our future environment.

The need for sustainable development is recognized by many, including traditional owners and government agencies such as that of the United States and other countries. For instance, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) acknowledges the undeniable effect of structures on the environment.