Subclass 189 Skills Assessment: Which Authority Assesses Your Occupation?
Before you can submit an Expression of Interest for the Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa, you need a positive skills assessment from the designated authority for your nominated occupation. That authority is not the same for every applicant: Australia has over 40 designated assessing bodies, each responsible for a different occupational group. Choosing the wrong one, or applying under the wrong ANZSCO code, delays your assessment and pushes back your entire Subclass 189 timeline. This guide maps the major assessing authorities to their corresponding occupation groups, outlines current fees and processing times as of April 2026, and flags the three most common mistakes that produce a negative outcome. Last updated: April 2026 Why Your Subclass 189 Skills Assessment Depends on Your Occupation The Subclass 189 visa is points-tested and requires no employer or state sponsor. That makes it one of the most accessible permanent residency pathways available through Australia’s skilled migration program, but it also means the full burden of proving your qualifications falls on you from the very start. Every occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) is assigned to a designated assessing authority by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). That body evaluates whether your qualifications and work experience meet Australian standards for your nominated occupation. Without a positive outcome, your Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect cannot proceed, and you cannot receive an invitation to apply for the Subclass 189 visa. Applying to the wrong authority is not a minor inconvenience. That body will reject or void your application, and you will need to restart with the correct authority, potentially losing months of processing time. Getting this right first is the most time-efficient move you can make. Assessing Authorities by Occupation Group The table below maps the primary assessing authorities to the main occupation groups eligible under the Subclass 189 visa, as recognised by DHA. For occupations not listed here, verify your occupation’s assigned body against the MLTSSL on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au before applying. Occupation Group Representative ANZSCO Codes Assessing Authority Engineering 233211 (Civil), 233311 (Electrical), 233512 (Mechanical) Engineers Australia (EA) ICT and Technology 261313 (Software Engineer), 261111 (ICT Business Analyst), 262113 (Systems Administrator) Australian Computer Society (ACS) Accounting 221111 (Accountant General), 221112 (Management Accountant), 221113 (Taxation Accountant) CPA Australia / CA ANZ / IPA Nursing and Midwifery 254411 (Registered Nurse), 254111 (Midwife) ANMAC Trades and Technical 351311 (Chef), 341111 (Electrician), 342111 (Plumber) Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) Teaching 241111 (Primary School Teacher), 241411 (Secondary School Teacher) AITSL General Professionals 224111 (HR Adviser), 225113 (Marketing Specialist), 272511 (Social Worker) VETASSESS Medical 253111 (General Practitioner) Australian Medical Council (AMC) Engineers: Engineers Australia (EA) Engineers Australia assesses all engineering disciplines, including civil, mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineers. The standard migration pathway requires a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR): three career episodes and a summary statement aligned to the relevant engineering competency standards. EA offers a Migration Skills Assessment specifically for visa purposes, distinct from its professional membership pathways. If you are applying for the Subclass 189 visa, you need the migration assessment, not the membership-based one. ICT Professionals: Australian Computer Society (ACS) ACS assesses all ICT occupations on the skilled occupation list by evaluating your educational qualifications and work experience together. A degree with a major in computing typically requires two years of relevant post-qualification experience. An unrelated degree extends that requirement to six years. This experience deduction framework is unique to ACS and catches many applicants off guard who assume their degree alone is sufficient. Accountants: CPA Australia, CA ANZ, or IPA Accounting occupations have three recognised assessing authorities: CPA Australia, CA ANZ (Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand), and the IPA (Institute of Public Accountants). All three assess the same ANZSCO codes, so your choice should be guided by your existing professional qualifications or membership. If you have completed a CPA-accredited program, apply through CPA Australia. The assessment outcome carries equal weight regardless of which approved body issues it. Nurses and Midwives: ANMAC The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) assesses registered nurses, enrolled nurses, and midwives through its Skilled Migration Assessment (SMA) pathway. One point that trips up many Indonesian applicants: an ANMAC skills assessment and AHPRA registration are entirely separate processes with separate document sets and separate timelines. You need a positive ANMAC assessment to apply for the Subclass 189 visa. AHPRA registration is what you need before you can practise in Australia after you arrive. Starting both early is the right move. Trades Workers: Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) TRA assesses most trade and technical occupations, including chefs, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and automotive technicians. TRA offers two pathways: skills assessment for migration (used for the Subclass 189, 190, and 491 visas) and recognition of overseas qualifications for trade licensing. For migration, TRA evaluates your qualifications against Australian trade certificate standards and may require a trade test if your documentation alone is insufficient to establish equivalency. Teachers: AITSL The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) assesses teachers across all levels, from early childhood to secondary education. AITSL evaluates whether your teaching qualification is comparable to Australian standards. Your ANZSCO code, not your own classification of your role, determines which assessment type applies, so confirm your code before you lodge an application. General Professionals: VETASSESS VETASSESS is the largest assessing authority by occupation count, covering over 340 professional and managerial roles not assigned to a specialist body. This includes marketing specialists and public relations professionals, human resource advisers, management consultants, social workers, and hospitality managers. VETASSESS classifies occupations into groups A through F, each with different qualification thresholds. One thing worth knowing: VETASSESS assesses by ANZSCO code, not by your job title. Your employer may call you a Digital Marketing Manager, but if your ANZSCO code maps to Marketing Specialist (225113), that is the occupation VETASSESS evaluates you against. Medical and Allied Health Medical practitioners are assessed by the Australian Medical Council (AMC). Allied health occupations each have their own designated body: dental professionals through the Australian Dental Council (ADC), pharmacists through the Overseas
