Frequently asked questions

Migration assessment

General

Q. How do I apply?
A. CPA Australia has both online and offline application forms. You can submit either; however, both require you to send your documents to us via the post. The online application form takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. Your reference number will be emailed to you immediately, as will a formal acknowledgement letter and list of required documents.
Alternatively, if you prefer to apply offline, you can download and fill out this application form (PDF) and post it to us together with your documents. Your reference number and acknowledgment will be emailed to you upon receipt of your documents at the CPA Australia Melbourne office.

Q. I’m a member of CPA Australia, how do I apply?
A. If you are already a member of CPA Australia and you wish to have your qualifications assessed for migration purposes, you can download and fill out this application form (PDF). You will be assessed according to the same criteria as all other applicants.

Although you may have already provided some of the same documents to us as part of your membership application, you will be required to supply the following:

• academic awards
• academic transcripts
• syllabus (subject descriptions, for non-accredited qualifications only)
• an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test report form or a Skilled Migration Internship Program: Accounting (SMIPA) transcripts and completion certificate

Members of CPA Australia who have paid the $150 application fee and a full annual membership fee are eligible for a complimentary assessment. 

Q. Will I receive a positive result?
A. All advice relating to qualifications is subject to confirmation by formal, individual assessment of qualifications by CPA Australia. To meet the requirements for a nominated Australian and New Zealand standard classification of occupations (ANZSCO) code, prospective migrants must have: 

1. a formal qualification (or combination of qualifications) that is assessed as comparable to at least an Australian bachelor degree
2. an IELTS academic test report form showing a score of at least seven on each of the four components - speaking, reading, listening and writing, or if you are a graduate of an Australian accounting degree and have completed SMIPA, you may provide your SMIPA transcripts and completion certificate in place of IELTS to meet the English proficiency requirement
3. the comparable qualifications must cover at least nine of the following 12 core curriculum areas. Each nominated occupation has four mandatory core knowledge areas.  

Work experience will not be accepted in lieu of formal qualifications. Work experience is assessed separately.

In determining the Australian comparability of your degree, we mainly use the guidelines published in the relevant AEI-NOOSR country education profile.

Q. Can I complete any nine out of the 12 core knowledge areas?
A. No. You will be required to complete mandatory core knowledge areas depending on the ANZSCO code you have nominated. In addition, you must also complete at least a further five optional core knowledge areas. Please see the table above.

Q. I do not know what ANZSCO occupation to nominate. Will you provide assessment results with more than one ANZSCO code?
A. No. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will only allow you to nominate one occupation. CPA Australia only issues one assessment result, except where an assessment result has been reviewed or updated.

You must decide which occupation you intend to nominate before you submit your application for assessment. You can ask us to change your ANZSCO code at any time before your assessment is completed.

If you have already received your assessment result and subsequently decide to change your nominated occupation, you may return the original assessment to CPA Australia with a written request for amendment. A new assessment will be conducted under the criteria relevant to your new ANZSCO code.

Definitions of ANZSCO codes can be viewed on the Australian Bureau of Statistics.  

Q. How long does it take?
A. Processing times can fluctuate throughout the year. For up to date information, please refer to processing times.

Q. Can I get my assessment done urgently?
A. CPA Australia does not have a "fast track" option you can pay for. We work on a "first come, first served" basis to ensure the fairest treatment possible; however we do understand that some people have urgent situations.

If your visa is expiring in two weeks or earlier, let us know and we will prioritise your application to aim for your results to be issued before your visa deadline. You will need to do the following:

• scan a copy of your visa deadline
• email it to: mais.assessment@cpaaustralia.com.au  
• add the subject line: VISA DEADLINE: application ID, family name, first name

Q. How do I check on the progress of my assessment?
A. An estimated processing time is provided on your acknowledgement letter. Please note that during the year these times can change depending on how busy we are. Our processing times are kept up-to-date. To see the current processing times for applications see migration assessment.

You can also check the status of your individual application by logging into your online profile and going to view the progress of the assessment online page.   

Q. How long is my assessment valid for?
A. Unless otherwise stated on your assessment letter, your skill assessment is valid for 24 months from the assessment date. Applicants who applied for assessment prior to 1 July 2010 are eligible for a free update of their assessment result within five years of their original application date. All other applicants are eligible for a free update within two years of their application date. Any updates or changes to an assessment result will be conducted under the current skill assessment criteria.

Q. I had an assessment completed under the old rules and want to update or review it. Will a reassessment be under the current rules?
A. Yes. All requests for updates or reviews of an assessment result will now be assessed under the current criteria, regardless of when you submitted your first application for assessment.

Q. I have received my qualifications assessment, but I am unsure if I meet the requirements for migration. How do I know if I meet the requirements?
A. In order to determine if you have met the requirements for migration purposes, please refer to the bolded paragraph in your assessment letter. This will confirm whether your qualifications are assessed as suitable or not suitable for your nominated ANZSCO occupation.

Q. My assessment result tells me that I must complete further studies. What are my options?
A. You have two options: Complete your additional studies via the CPA Program foundation level or via accredited courses offered by other higher education providers.

If you would like to complete your outstanding core knowledge areas through CPA Program’s foundation level, you will need to complete a membership application. Even though your qualifications have been assessed for migration purposes, our membership requirements are different. Therefore, if you would like to enrol into CPA Program the membership application is a compulsory requirement.

Once your membership application assessment has been completed, you will be provided with a link to Activate your foundation student account. You will then be able to enrol into the foundation level exams.

The membership application is $150.

The following table displays the 12 core knowledge areas against CPA Australia's foundation level exams:

*Can be completed through a Higher Education provider, otherwise Advanced Audit & Assurance or Advanced Taxation will become a compulsory unit in the professional level.  

Q. Do I have to study through CPA Australia or through one of the accredited university courses? Can I study at a university in my home country?
A. We strongly recommend that you complete additional studies as per the above advice. If, for any reason, you cannot complete the studies through an accredited study program or the CPA Program, then studies completed in your home country may be accepted.

CPA Australia cannot guarantee non-accredited studies will be recognised.

Q. I’ve followed your assessment advice, how do I update my result with you?
A. Your assessment remains valid for two years. During this period, updates for migration purposes are provided at no extra cost.

Send us certified copies of documentation (academic transcripts) relating to the additional studies undertaken. Include your CPA Australia file reference number and notify us of any changes to your address details.

Q. How do I apply for a review?
A. You are entitled to appeal your assessment result in writing to the review officer within six months of receiving your skill assessment result.

If you have documentation that you did not supply with your application, please send your additional documentation to Member Advisory and Information Services.

A review of your qualifications will take approximately 10 business days. Appealing your assessment result does not guarantee further exemptions. The additional documentation must fulfil our core knowledge criteria for any exemptions to be approved.

Q. I am interested in the SMIPA. Does CPA Australia provide this?
A. No. The SMIPA is overseen by the three professional accounting bodies. The program is delivered by registered providers who have been jointly approved by the three bodies. Refer to SMIPA.

Q. Which overseas professional accounting bodies do you recognise?
A. CPA Australia recognises the exams of the following professional accounting bodies towards some core knowledge requirements:

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
• Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
• Certified General Accountants Canada
• Certified Management Accountants Canada
• Certified Management Accountants Sri Lanka
• Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
• Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland 
• Institute of Chartered Accountants Pakistan
• Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka 
• Institute of Cost and Management Accountants Pakistan
• Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Ireland
• Institute Certified Public Accountants Kenya
• Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore
• Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, United Kingdom
• Institute of Cost and Work Accountants of India
• South African Institute of Chartered Accountants
• Southern African Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administration
• Singapore Association of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators

This list is not definitive. CPA Australia may still recognise the content of your professional exams even if your professional accounting body is not listed above. Only professional programs that are assessed as comparable to an Australian bachelor degree in accordance with AEI-NOOSR guidelines will be considered in the skill assessment. When sending us your documents, you will need to ensure that you provide all relevant documents including syllabus so that a formal, individual assessment of your qualification can be completed for you.

Q. I sent you some documents, have you received them?
A. CPA Australia receives a lot of mail and it can take us some time to open it all, match it to individual files and log it into our system. When we update our system, your online profile is also updated so that you can be comfortable in the knowledge that we have received your documents. View the progress of your assessment online.

Once the documents are logged into the system, our Migration Assessment team will check to make sure the documents meet our requirements. If the documents do not meet our requirements, you will be contacted and advised within approximately ten working days of us receiving them. If everything is in order we will not contact you, and the next correspondence you receive will be your assessment result.

Q. I live in Australia and have a relative or friend overseas who is applying for migration and has sent me his or her documents to apply for assessment. Can I send the application on his or her behalf?
A. Yes. But the application form must indicate the address to which we should send correspondence (the applicant or the Australian relative or friend). We will issue only one acknowledgment and assessment result, so the intermediary must undertake to pass on or otherwise deal with all relevant correspondence.
Australian privacy legislation prohibits CPA Australia from discussing details of the assessment with third parties unless the applicant provides a signed authority for us to do so.

Document Preparation

Q. What do I need to provide?
A. The documents you need to submit for your assessment application will depend on your qualifications.

Generally speaking, we require the following:

• academic awards (degree & membership certificates)
• academic transcripts (examination results) 
• payment 
• IELTS test report form (TRF) or SMIPA transcripts and completion certificate
• syllabus (subject descriptions, for non-accredited qualifications only)
• signed authority (only if you have a third party acting on your behalf)

Q. What information does a certification need to include?
A. Each page of the document must contain the original endorsement clearly stating the name, contact details, capacity and registration number of the certifier, their signature and date sighted. This endorsement must be on all pages. CPA Australia must be able to contact the certifying officer or notary directly if necessary.

Q. I have a Chinese Bachelor degree. Do I need to have this degree verified?
A. CPA Australia requires all applicants who hold a non-accredited degree from a university in China to arrange to have their degree award and transcripts verified through an authorised Chinese qualification verification service. If you have a diploma qualification that leads to your bachelor degree, you will further be required to have your transcripts relating to your diploma qualifications verified. All verification reports must be sent directly to CPA Australia from the verification body and must include a copy of the documents that have been verified. For more information on authorised verification services please visit VETASSESS or Aohua. Candidates are recommended to take into consideration the verification processing times and ensure they allocate sufficient time for their verifications to be completed.  

Q. Do I need to provide a syllabus?
A. If you have completed an accredited degree or have completed the examinations of a recognised professional accounting body then you do not need to provide syllabus.

All non-accredited degrees or professional examinations that are not formally recognised by CPA Australia will need to be accompanied by syllabus.

Q. How much information should the syllabus contain?
A. Syllabus details or subject outlines should be provided for all accounting, finance and business subjects and should demonstrate what content was covered in each unit studied by you.
The syllabus must refer to the period during which the course was undertaken and relevant subjects should be highlighted. If the syllabus is not in English, a translation must be provided.
If an official syllabus cannot be obtained, we will accept a statutory declaration stating the reason for its non-availability and a personally detailed, typewritten summary of all the subjects studied.
Detailed syllabus material plays an important part of the assessment process. Failure to provide adequate syllabus may adversely affect the outcome of your assessment.

Q. I do not have a copy of my syllabus, what can I do?
A. Most reputable institutions keep some information about courses conducted in past years. This may be as comprehensive course notes, or the brief outlines found in the handbook or calendar.

Please contact the university or institution where you studied and ask if they can provide you with this information. If you graduated recently, you may find the information on the university's website.

If the university cannot provide the syllabus or outlines for the exact period during which you studied, try to get as close as possible. In this case, the subject names or codes may not exactly match your academic transcript. Ensure you clearly indicate those changes. You can do this by writing directly onto the syllabus document or academic transcript so that we can easily cross-reference the relevant subjects. You will need to include a statutory declaration that the changes made by you are a true representation of the studies you completed.

If you have a complete booklet of all subject outlines offered by your university or faculty, photocopy and submit only the relevant outlines. If you submit the complete booklet, please clearly mark the relevant outlines.

Q. I have contacted my university but they cannot give me any syllabus detail for my studies. What can I do?
A. You must prepare your own summary of topics covered and submit it with a statutory declaration that the information given in the summary is true. Syllabus or subject outlines copied from other sources will not be accepted (including material copied from websites of other universities).

Q. I graduated years ago and cannot recall what I studied. What can I do?
A. The purpose of the qualifications assessment is to determine that you have the knowledge relevant to your qualifications and the occupation for which you are being assessed. The assumption is that your knowledge is current and therefore useable in your nominated occupation if, and when, you arrive in Australia.

Failure to provide sufficient syllabus detail may adversely affect the result of your assessment. You will be advised to complete further studies in any subject areas in which we are unable to assess the depth of your knowledge.

English language proficiency

Q. What is IELTS?
A. International English Language Testing System (IELTS), is a test designed to assess an applicant’s English language ability.

Q. Why does CPA Australia ask me to demonstrate my English language skills through an IELTS test score?
A. Australian employers are looking to employ individuals with a well-developed English language competency, effective communication and problem solving skills and the ability to work as part of a team. Accountants are expected to be able to communicate advice and ideas in diverse collaborative contents with accountants and non-accountants. If you can achieve an IELTS 7.0 band score you should be able to handle complex language well and understand detailed reasoning. Reading, writing, listening and speaking are all important aspects of effective communication.

Q. What IELTS test format do I require?
A. You are required to sit the Academic training. General training will not be accepted by CPA Australia for General Skilled Migration (GSM) purposes. If you are applying for the Graduate (Temporary) Visa (subclass 485), either a General or Academic IELTS format is accepted.

Q. What is the minimum English language level CPA Australia requires for migration purposes?
A. For GSM purposes, CPA Australia requires applicants to provide IELTS documentation which shows they have successfully achieved a minimum IELTS academic score of Band 7 on each of the four components – speaking, reading, listening and writing. This must be in Academic format.

For Graduate (Temporary) Visa (subclass 485) purposes, CPA Australia requires applicants to provide IELTS documentation which shows they have successfully achieved a minimum IELTS academic score of Band 6 on each of the four components – speaking, reading, listening and writing. This can be in Academic or General format.

Q. How do I provide my IELTS documentation?
A. A certified true copy of your IELTS test report form must be sent to CPA Australia with your other supporting documents.

Q. How do I enrol in IELTS?
A. For information about their enrolment process, please visit the IELTS website.

Q. What if I have misplaced my test report form?
A. Contact IELTS about your options. CPA Australia is a receiving organisation.

Q. How long are the IELTS results valid for?
A. Test report forms are valid for two years.

Q. I am already a member of CPA Australia. Do I need to provide an IELTS test result to have a migration assessment?
A. Yes. Members of CPA Australia must meet the same requirements for the skill assessment as all other applicants, including the English language requirement. 

Graduate (Temporary) Visa (subclass 485)  

Q. Can I use my CPA Australia skills assessment to apply for a Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485)?
A. Yes. Graduates of Australian accounting degree programs can use their assessments to apply for a Temporary Visa Subclass 485 if they receive an assessment showing that they have:

1. a recognised accounting degree from an Australian higher education provider. CPA Australia recognises graduates with a Bachelor degree, or a Master degree that comprises a minimum of 12 units.
2. completion of at least nine out of the 12 core knowledge areas at tertiary level, each nominated occupation has four compulsory core knowledge areas and five optional areas
3. an IELTS test result of a minimum of six on each of the four components — speaking, reading, listening and writing.

Q. Is there a separate application form to apply for the ‘provisional assessment’ for Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485) purposes?
A. No, you only need to apply for one assessment from CPA Australia. The skill assessment for migration purposes will automatically include an assessment for Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485) purposes if you do not meet the GSM skill assessment criteria.

Q. Do I need to do an Academic IELTS test for the provisional assessment?
A. You may provide an IELTS test report form in the Academic or General format for the provisional assessment. You need to have achieved a score of at least 6 in each band.

Skilled Employment

Q. What is skilled employment?
A. Skilled employment is experience that is undertaken after completion of relevant academic qualifications and is relevant to your nominated occupation. Therefore, CPA Australia will consider relevant employment that is completed after you have completed a formal qualification (or combination of qualifications) that is assessed as comparable to at least an Australian Bachelor Degree according to AEI-NOOSR and CPA Australia, and sufficiently covered at least nine of the 12 core curriculum areas, including the four mandatory core knowledge areas.

Q. Will you assess my employment claims prior to graduation?
A. The minimum entry level for your nominated occupation is a comparable relevant Bachelor Degree or higher.

Employment gained prior to graduation of your relevant academic qualification is not considered skilled employment and will not be taken into consideration.

Q. Will you consider employment claims and academic qualifications that are not related to my nominated occupations?
A. No. Your employment claims and academic qualifications must be related to your nominated occupation.

Q. Will you assess my volunteer experience?
A. No. Skilled employment must be paid experience.

Q. How many hours do I need to work for my experience to be considered?
A. Skilled employment must include a minimum of 20 paid hours per week. You must have been in each role or position for at least 6 months for your claims to be considered.

Q. Do you consider part-time employment?
A. Part-time employment will be considered as long as it is a minimum of 20 paid hours per week. This cannot be calculated on a pro-rata basis, you must work the minimum requirement each week.  

Q. What is a relevant academic qualification?
A. A relevant academic qualification is a formal qualification (or qualifications) that is assessed as comparable to at least an Australian Bachelor Degree according to AEI-NOOSR and CPA Australia and covers at least nine of the 12 core curriculum areas, including the four mandatory core knowledge areas.

Q. What do I need to include in my skilled employment references or testimonials?
A. In order for CPA Australia to conduct an assessment of your skilled employment, your references or testimonials must:

• be written on the official letterhead of the employer and indicate clearly the full address of the company and any telephone, fax numbers, email and website addresses
• include the name and position of the person authorised to sign the employment reference or testimonial and should include the authorised person's signature – references from colleagues of the applicant at the same level or below will not be considered
• include the direct contact number of the person writing the reference. This must not be a private or home phone number
• indicate the exact period of employment, including:
  • positions held – positions should not be described by generic titles but according to the nature of the duties undertaken
  • whether permanent or temporary
  • full or part-time 
  • required working hours per week
  • duties or responsibilities undertaken
  • the salary earned, including payslips from current employer (unpaid or volunteer work will not be assessed)

We will only assess skilled employment claims if you have received a suitable skills assessment under your nominated occupation. Skilled employment must have been undertaken after completion of a relevant academic qualifications. Internships taken as part of SMIPA will not be assessed.

Q. Will I be granted points based on CPA Australia’s assessment result?
A. CPA Australia does not grant points for the purposes of migration. Advice given on factors concerning points is the opinion of CPA Australia and does not guarantee the awarding of any points under the skilled migration points test. Determination of points under the skilled migration points test remains at the discretion of delegated officers of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

Q. If I receive an unsuitable assessment, will you consider my employment claims?
A. No. Employment claims will only be considered if your educational qualifications are assessed as suitable for your nominated occupation.  

Q. If I have already received a suitable assessment from CPA Australia under the ASCO criteria, will you consider my skilled employment or my academic qualifications for the purposes of DIAC awarding points?
A. If you have already obtained a suitable skills assessment for your nominated occupation before 1 July 2011 and apply for a visa on or after 1 July 2011, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship will advise if you need to obtain further advice on your qualifications or skilled employment from CPA Australia. This information will be requested if required to support your claims when the application is assessed.

Changes to GSM criteria

Q. Does CPA Australia know what changes will occur to the GSM criteria?
A. As soon as CPA Australia is advised of any changes to the General Skilled Migration criteria or the skill assessment criteria, announcements are available from migration assessment. We are unable to offer any guidance as to how the GSM criteria will change in advance to the changes being announced. For the most up to date news, we recommend visiting the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.