ANMAC skills assessment: requirements and how to apply

Key facts

Assessment types: Modified skills assessment (current Australian or New Zealand registration), Full skills assessment (registration in an approved overseas country), Direct care skills assessment (for the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement and DAMA). The fees page also lists a GradReady skills assessment. ANMAC says fee and assessment name changes will take effect by the end of the year.
Qualification and registration: Full (nursing): a nursing qualification and current or past registration in Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Singapore, Spain, the UK or the US. Bachelor of Nursing degrees from Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, the UK or the US qualify as is; others must have led to registration after 1 Jan 2017. Full (midwifery): Bachelor of Midwifery+ and registration in Ireland, the UK or US.
Experience: At least 3 months (260 hours) of paid work in the last 5 years matching the nominated ANZSCO code. Modified: not required for 254499, 254111 or 411411. Full applicants without a listed Bachelor of Nursing also need 1,800 hours of paid RN work since 1 January 2017. Work shown on the outcome letter: 12 months (1,040 hours) in Australia or 36 months (3,120 hours) overseas.
English: Full assessment only. IELTS Academic overall 7 (7 in listening, reading and speaking, 6.5 in writing); OET B (C+ in writing); PTE Academic overall 66 (56 in writing); TOEFL iBT 94 (24 in listening, reading and writing, 23 in speaking); Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 185 (176 in writing). Results must be less than two years old. Not required for Modified or Direct care.
Main documents: Passport bio-data page, a photo taken in the last 6 months, two more forms of ID, graduation certificates and transcripts, proof of registration, work references, and English results (Full only). Overseas regulators send registration verification or a certificate of good standing directly to ANMAC.
Fee: As printed on 4 October 2026 (no GST): Modified AUD 395; Direct care AUD 545; Full AUD 595; GradReady AUD 395; outcome letter update AUD 145; internal review AUD 300; external appeal AUD 300. Fees may be adjusted each financial year, and ANMAC lists upcoming fee changes.
Processing time: Current wait time for assessment to start: 6 to 8 weeks (Modified and Full). ANMAC says timeframes are a guide only.
Validity: The outcome letter confirms a validity period of 2 years from the date of issue.
How to apply: Answer the eligibility questions on the Apply page, create an account in the portal, complete the form and pay by Visa or Mastercard, then upload documents under My account. ANMAC emails the outcome letter.

What ANMAC assesses

The Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council Limited (ANMAC) is approved by the Australian Government to conduct migration skills assessments for nurses, midwives and direct care workers (overview). A skills assessment confirms whether qualifications and experience meet the requirements for skilled migration, and that the chosen ANZSCO code matches them. The Department of Home Affairs makes visa and points decisions. ANMAC does not register nurses or midwives. Registration is managed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) through Ahpra.

Assessment types

Modified skills assessment: current registration with NMBA/Ahpra, NCNZ or MCNZ. No English test results needed (source).
Full skills assessment: registration in an approved overseas country, plus English test results (source).
Direct care skills assessment: supports the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (ACILA) and Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) (source).

ANMAC notes that fee and assessment name changes will take effect by the end of the year (fees).

Requirements

Qualification and registration: see the eligibility rules for each pathway on the Full and Modified pages.
Work experience: at least 3 months (260 hours) of paid work in the last 5 years matching the nominated code, where required. Work counted for the outcome letter needs 12 months in Australia or 36 months overseas (source).
English (Full only): IELTS Academic 7 overall (6.5 writing), OET B (C+ writing), PTE Academic 66 (56 writing), TOEFL iBT 94, or Cambridge 185 (176 writing). Results must be less than two years old and from one provider (source). For visa English requirements, ANMAC refers to Home Affairs.

How to apply

Answer the eligibility questions on the Apply page to find the right assessment.
Prepare colour scans of original documents (600 dpi, PDF), with NAATI translations where needed.
Create an account in the portal, complete the form and pay the fee by Visa or Mastercard.
Upload documents under My account. Overseas regulators send registration verification directly to ANMAC.
ANMAC verifies the information and emails an outcome letter.

Common reasons for delays or unsuitable outcomes

ANMAC says timeframes depend on the pathway, application volumes and whether more information is needed from the applicant or a third party (overview). Non-genuine claims result in an unsuitable outcome and a 2-year lock-out from applying again.

Common questions

What does ANMAC assess?

ANMAC conducts migration skills assessments for nurses, midwives and direct care workers. It confirms whether qualifications and experience meet the requirements for the nominated ANZSCO code. It does not assess registration to practise in Australia. That is managed by the NMBA through Ahpra.

How long does an ANMAC skills assessment take?

ANMAC lists a current wait time of 6 to 8 weeks for the assessment to start, for both the Modified and Full skills assessments. It says these timeframes are a guide only.

How much does an ANMAC skills assessment cost?

ANMAC's fees page lists AUD 395 for a Modified skills assessment, AUD 595 for a Full skills assessment and AUD 545 for a Direct care skills assessment. ANMAC says fee changes will take effect by the end of the year. Full list on ANMAC's fees page.

How long is an ANMAC skills assessment valid?

ANMAC's outcome letter confirms a validity period of 2 years from the date of issue.

What is the difference between a Modified and a Full skills assessment?

The Modified skills assessment is for nurses and midwives with current registration in Australia or New Zealand. The Full skills assessment is for those registered in an approved overseas country (Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Singapore, Spain, the UK or the US). Only the Full skills assessment needs English test results.

What IELTS score does ANMAC need?

For a Full skills assessment, ANMAC lists IELTS Academic with an overall score of 7, at least 7 in listening, reading and speaking, and 6.5 in writing. Results must be less than two years old. OET, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT and Cambridge are also accepted.

ANMAC skills assessment