What is Assessment for Skilled Migration Visas?
Assessment for Skilled Migration Visas or Skills Assessment is a document-based assessment of international physiotherapists’ qualifications and skills to ensure they meet certain visa requirements in Australia. The Council assesses physiotherapists applying for the Permanent Residence/Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visas on behalf of the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
If you have read all the information on this page and are ready to begin your application, apply now.
If this is your first Skills Assessment, apply for a Complete Skills Assessment.
If you have applied for a Skills Assessment before, but want to add further qualification/work experience, apply for an Additional Skills Assessment.
Please note: The Council has updated the eligibility requirements for Skills Assessment, effective immediately. Make sure to read the following requirements before applying.
Eligibility requirements
You must meet the following criteria to apply for a Skills Assessment:
- Meet Ahpra’s English Language Skills Registration Standard for physiotherapists.
AND
Meet any one of the following requirements:
- hold a physiotherapy qualification that was completed in Australia and is included in the Physiotherapy Board of Australia's Approved Programs of Study List under the profession 'Physiotherapist'
- hold an Australian Physiotherapy Council Final Certificate
- hold an Australian Physiotherapy Council Certificate of Substantial Equivalence of Qualification.
- hold a current and unconditional Annual Practising Certificate issued by the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand AND minimum 2 years of work as a physiotherapist (with no conditions) in New Zealand
- hold a physiotherapy qualification that was completed in New Zealand and is accredited by the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand, and hold a current and unconditional Annual Practising Certificate issued by the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand.
Documents to submit
Download this factsheet for the list of required documents and other useful resources.
Cost of Assessment
Fees can be found here.
Waiting time
Processing time for your application can be found here.
Please submit all your documents at the time of application for timely processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only applications that meet the above criteria will be able to apply for a Skills Assessment.
If you don’t currently meet the above criteria, you could:
- Complete an Ahpra Approved Program of Study at an accredited Australian university or New Zealand university
OR
- Complete the Standard Assessment Pathway, or one of the Express FLYR and FLYR Pathway and obtain the Council’s Final Certificate.
OR
- Complete 2 years of work in New Zealand
The Council does not provide migration advice or information on visa selection.
You can find more information on migration processes and requirements from the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs; an Australian Embassy, Consulate, or High Commission; or a migration agent registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority.
No, the Interim Certificate is not applicable for a Skills Assessment. Please refer to the above criteria to apply for the Skills Assessment.
If you’re unsure whether you’ve already completed a Skills Assessment, you can ask us directly via email. Please email assessment@physiocouncil.com.au.
You do not need to provide evidence of work experience unless you’re claiming ‘skilled employment’ on your visa application. The amount of work experience you want to claim under ‘skilled employment’ will depend on your visa requirement. Please include all evidence for all the work experience you wish to claim in your visa application.
If you meet our requirements by holding a current and unconditional Annual Practising Certificate issued by the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand AND completing minimum 2 years of work as a physiotherapist (with no conditions) in New Zealand, please include all evidence for your work.
If you’re unsure what the ‘skilled employment’ requirements for your visa are, please check the relevant page on DHA’s website.
Before you begin your application, make sure you meet all the requirements for your intended visa and have completed any specific period of work you wish to claim as skilled employment before submitting your application. For example, if you wish to claim 3 years of employment for your visa, you should wait until you have completed 3 full years in relevant roles before lodging your Skills Assessment application.
You may be liable to additional fees if you make changes to your application after you’ve received the Skills Assessment outcome.
Your assessment will be delayed if you do not provide the required supporting documentation or if there are inconsistencies in the documents provided. To prevent delays, ensure your application and submitted documentation is as complete as possible.
Please note to only reach out to us if the specified time has elapsed.
The Skills Assessment Certificate is a report that includes your education and work history that helps DHA evaluate if you meet the requirements for your visa application.
Once successful, the Skills Assessment Certificate reference number can help you lodge an Expression of Interest for your visa and/or submit your visa application.
The Council has no expiry date for the Skills Assessment Certificate. However, the DHA may only accept your Skills Assessment Certificate after a certain timeframe after the date of issue. Please contact DHA directly to know how soon you must apply for your visa after receiving the certificate.