CA ANZ skills assessment: requirements and how to apply

Key facts

Assessment types: Qualification assessment (required for all applicants; covers qualification comparability, competency areas and English), optional skilled employment assessment (needs a suitable qualification outcome for the same occupation), or a combined assessment. CA ANZ stopped provisional skills assessments from 1 July 2024.
Qualification: A qualification and/or professional membership comparable to at least an Australian bachelor's degree (AQF level 7), with a pass in each mandatory competency area for the occupation. Australian taxation law is mandatory only for Taxation Accountant, and audit and assurance only for External Auditor.
Experience (skilled employment assessment): Work after a relevant bachelor-level qualification or membership, matching the tasks of the nominated ANZSCO occupation, within the last 10 years before applying, paid and continuous at 20 or more hours a week, and at least one year in total. No more than 12 months can be claimed in any 12-month period.
English: A passport from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK or the USA; the Accounting Professional Year Program; or a test at a secure centre. For tests from 7 August 2025: IELTS Academic 7.0 in each component, or PTE Academic Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69, Speaking 76. Most results must be within 3 years of applying (TOEFL iBT 2 years).
Main documents: Passport photo page, a recent passport-sized photo, English evidence, degree certificate and official transcripts (Australian ones via My eQuals), membership evidence if relevant, a syllabus for non-accredited degrees, and certified translations. Colour scans at 600 DPI, under 20MB per file.
Fee: As printed on 4 October 2026 (no date shown on the page): qualification assessment AUD 565 standard or AUD 665 express; skilled employment assessment AUD 265 or AUD 365; combined AUD 625; reassessment, internal review or external appeal AUD 185 or AUD 365. CA ANZ full members do not pay the fee.
Processing time: Qualification assessment 10 business days standard or 5 express; skilled employment 15 or 10 business days; combined 20 business days. CA ANZ says times are estimates. Urgent processing is available at no extra fee in set cases, such as a visa expiring within 20 business days.
Validity: The outcome letter is valid for three years from the date of issue.
How to apply: Create an account or log in to the CA ANZ Migration Skills Assessment portal, upload documents in each section and pay the fee. CA ANZ emails an application number, which is the reference for the Department of Home Affairs, and status can be tracked online.

What CA ANZ assesses

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) is an authorised assessing authority for accounting occupations under Australia's skilled migration program (migration skills assessment). It assesses six occupations: Accountant (General), Management Accountant, Taxation Accountant, Corporate Treasurer, External Auditor and Finance Manager. CA ANZ says its role is skills assessment only and it does not give migration or visa advice.

Assessment types

Qualification assessment: required for all applicants. It checks comparability to an Australian bachelor's degree, coverage of the required competency areas, and English (source).
Skilled employment assessment (optional): assesses whether work experience is relevant and at the required skill level. It needs a suitable qualification outcome from CA ANZ for the same occupation first (source).
Combined assessment: both together. Employment is assessed only if the qualification is found suitable.

Requirements

Qualification: comparable to at least an Australian bachelor's degree (AQF level 7). CA ANZ uses Australian Government Country Education Profiles and UK ENIC guidance for overseas qualifications (qualification comparability).
Competency areas: a pass in each mandatory area for the occupation, including accounting systems, financial accounting, management accounting, finance, business law, economics and quantitative methods. Gaps can be filled through the CA Foundations pathway or an accredited tertiary course (competency areas).
English: an exempt passport, the Accounting Professional Year Program, or an approved test taken at a secure test centre. Online and at-home tests are not accepted (English language requirement).
Employment (if assessed): closely related, within 10 years, after the qualification, at least 20 paid hours a week, and at least one year in total. Evidence is an employer reference letter plus payslips from the start, middle and end of employment (skilled employment assessment).

How to apply

Check the occupation and the visa's requirements, and review the CA ANZ assessment requirements.
Check the fees and processing times.
Gather the supporting documentation in the required format.
Create an account or log in to the Migration Skills Assessment portal, upload documents and pay the fee (submit your application).
CA ANZ checks the application is complete within 10 business days, then assigns an assessor. The outcome letter is emailed as a secure PDF (application outcome).

Common reasons for delays or unsuitable outcomes

CA ANZ says missing or incorrect files may delay processing or affect the outcome (submit your application). A qualification may be assessed as not suitable if it is not comparable to a bachelor's degree, does not cover the required competency areas, falls short of the English score in any component, or lacks evidence (application outcome). Applying without an English test result leads to a not suitable outcome. Confirmed false or misleading documents lead to a not suitable outcome, no refund and a ban on reapplying of 3 years, or 10 years if identity verification fails (supporting documentation).

Common questions

What occupations does CA ANZ assess?

Six accounting and finance occupations: Accountant (General), Management Accountant, Taxation Accountant, Corporate Treasurer, External Auditor and Finance Manager.

How long does a CA ANZ skills assessment take?

CA ANZ lists 10 business days for a standard qualification assessment and 5 business days for express. A skilled employment assessment takes 15 business days (10 express) and a combined assessment 20 business days.

How much does a CA ANZ skills assessment cost?

As printed on 4 October 2026, a qualification assessment is AUD 565 standard or AUD 665 express, and a combined assessment is AUD 625. CA ANZ full members do not pay the fee.

What English score does CA ANZ need?

For tests taken from 7 August 2025, IELTS Academic 7.0 in each component, or PTE Academic Listening 58, Reading 59, Writing 69 and Speaking 76. Passport holders from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK and the USA, and Accounting Professional Year graduates, can meet the requirement without a test.

How long is a CA ANZ skills assessment valid?

CA ANZ says the outcome letter is valid for three years from the date of issue.

Is the CA ANZ skilled employment assessment required?

No, it is optional. CA ANZ says it may help with claiming points for skilled work experience, but the decision on points is made by the Department of Home Affairs.

CA ANZ skills assessment