A CPA Australia skills assessment can be an important step for accountants and finance professionals considering skilled migration to Australia. CPA Australia is a designated assessing authority for several accounting, auditing and finance occupations.
The assessment considers whether your qualifications meet the required educational standard and competency areas for your nominated occupation, as well as English language proficiency where required.
Understanding these requirements before applying can help you identify potential gaps and prepare the correct documents.
Quick Answer
To receive a suitable CPA Australia skills assessment, you generally need a qualification assessed as equivalent to at least an Australian bachelor’s degree, sufficient study in the mandatory competency areas for your nominated occupation and evidence that you meet CPA Australia’s English language requirement or qualify for an exemption.
CPA Australia currently assesses six occupations:
- Accountant (General)
- Management Accountant
- Taxation Accountant
- External Auditor
- Corporate Treasurer
- Finance Manager
The exact competency requirements depend on the occupation you nominate.
What Is a CPA Australia Skills Assessment?
A CPA Australia skills assessment evaluates your qualifications for Australian migration purposes.
CPA Australia offers qualification assessments and skilled employment assessments. For applicants starting the process, the qualification assessment determines whether their education and English language evidence meet the requirements for the nominated occupation.
This forms part of the wider skills assessment in Australia process. Different professions have different requirements and authorities. For example, healthcare professionals may need to deal with AHPRA registration, while community and welfare professionals may require an ACWA skills assessment.
A suitable CPA Australia assessment does not itself grant a visa or determine your migration points.
Who Needs a CPA Australia Skills Assessment?
You may need a CPA Australia migration assessment if your intended Australian migration pathway requires a suitable skills assessment and CPA Australia is an authorised assessing authority for your nominated occupation.
It is particularly relevant to people seeking to migrate in accounting, auditing and certain finance occupations.
However, skills assessment and visa eligibility are separate. CPA Australia determines whether you meet its assessment criteria, while the Department of Home Affairs determines visa eligibility.
That distinction is important when considering skilled migration in Australia. A positive skills assessment may be necessary for your pathway, but it does not guarantee a visa.
Which Occupations Does CPA Australia Assess?
CPA Australia currently provides migration skills assessments for six occupations:
| Occupation | ANZSCO Code |
|---|---|
| Accountant (General) | 221111 |
| Management Accountant | 221112 |
| Taxation Accountant | 221113 |
| Corporate Treasurer | 221212 |
| External Auditor | 221213 |
| Finance Manager | 132211 |
Choosing the correct occupation matters because competency requirements vary between occupations.
CPA Australia does not advise applicants which ANZSCO occupation they should nominate. You should therefore check how your qualifications correspond with the occupation before applying.
What Are the CPA Australia Skills Assessment Requirements?
CPA Australia’s qualification assessment focuses on three main areas:
- degree comparability
- educational knowledge
- English language proficiency
Degree Comparability
CPA Australia requires a qualification it assesses as equivalent to at least an Australian bachelor’s degree.
For overseas qualifications, CPA Australia uses Australian Government guidelines to determine whether the qualification meets the required educational level.
The title of your degree alone is therefore not enough to establish eligibility.
Educational Knowledge
CPA Australia also examines whether your studies cover the mandatory competency areas for your nominated occupation.
For Accountant (General), Corporate Treasurer, Finance Manager and Management Accountant, these currently include:
- Accounting Systems and Processes
- Business Law
- Economics
- Financial Accounting and Reporting
- Finance and Financial Management
- Management Accounting
- Quantitative Methods
Taxation Accountant additionally requires Australian Taxation Law, while External Auditor requires Audit and Assurance.
This means having an accounting degree does not automatically guarantee a suitable assessment. The subjects you studied also matter.
Do You Need to Be a CPA Australia Member?
No. CPA Australia membership and a migration skills assessment are separate.
Existing members still need to meet the migration assessment requirements and provide the documents CPA Australia requires.
For migration purposes, the important question is whether your qualifications and evidence satisfy the criteria for your nominated ANZSCO occupation.
What Are the English Requirements?
English language proficiency forms part of CPA Australia’s qualification assessment unless an exemption applies.
CPA Australia currently provides an exemption for applicants holding a valid passport from:
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Republic of Ireland
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
Applicants who do not qualify for an exemption may need an accepted English language test result or other recognised evidence.
CPA Australia does not recognise home or online English tests for qualification assessments. English tests must be taken at authorised test centres.
Because requirements can change, always check CPA Australia’s official English language guidance before applying.
What Documents Do You Need?
CPA Australia skills assessment documents can vary according to your circumstances, but you may need:
- identity evidence
- academic qualifications
- academic transcripts
- English language evidence, where required
- professional body qualifications, where applicable
- syllabus information, where required
- employment evidence if requesting a skilled employment assessment
- third-party authorisation, where applicable
CPA Australia requires clear scans of original documents. If academic documents are not in English, the original documents and appropriate translations will generally be required.
What If Your Course Is Not Accredited?
If your qualification is not accredited by CPA Australia, you may need to provide detailed syllabus information.
This allows CPA Australia to determine whether your studies covered the mandatory competency areas for your nominated occupation.
Applicants should not assume that the name of their accounting or finance degree provides enough information for the assessment.
How Do You Apply for a CPA Australia Skills Assessment?
The process is completed online.
1. Choose Your Nominated Occupation
Identify the CPA Australia-assessed occupation that corresponds with your qualifications and circumstances.
2. Check the Requirements
Review the degree, competency and English language criteria for that occupation.
3. Prepare Your Evidence
Gather your identity, academic and English language documents, plus any other evidence required.
4. Apply Online
Create or access your CPA Australia account and select the appropriate assessment service.
5. Pay and Submit
Pay the applicable fee and submit the application with the required documents.
CPA Australia may request additional evidence if it cannot complete the assessment using the information provided.
How Long Does a CPA Australia Skills Assessment Take?
CPA Australia currently publishes an approximate standard processing time of 15 business days.
For eligible qualification assessments using Fast Track, the published processing time is approximately 5 business days.
Applications can take longer if additional information is required. Processing times can also change, so check the official CPA Australia website for the latest information before applying.
How Much Does a CPA Australia Skills Assessment Cost?
CPA Australia’s fees depend on the assessment service and whether the applicant is onshore or offshore.
Current standard fees include:
| Assessment Service | Onshore | Offshore |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification assessment | AUD $565 | AUD $514 |
| Fast Track qualification assessment | AUD $675 | AUD $614 |
| Combined qualification and skilled employment assessment | AUD $620 | AUD $564 |
| Skilled employment assessment | AUD $260 | AUD $236 |
Other services, including additional ANZSCO assessments, updates and reviews, have separate fees.
CPA Australia may change its fees, so always check the official website for the most up-to-date CPA Australia skills assessment fees before applying.
Can CPA Australia Assess Your Work Experience?
Yes. CPA Australia offers a separate skilled employment assessment.
Employment generally needs to be closely related to the nominated occupation, paid and undertaken after completing the qualification CPA Australia has assessed as equivalent to at least an Australian bachelor’s degree.
CPA Australia currently requires at least one year of accumulated qualifying employment and at least three months for each role. Employment generally needs to involve at least 20 hours per week.
Volunteer work and internships are not recognised as skilled employment.
A skilled employment assessment may be relevant when considering migration points, but CPA Australia does not itself award visa points.
How Long Is a CPA Australia Skills Assessment Valid?
CPA Australia states that an assessment outcome is valid with the Department of Home Affairs for three years from the outcome date.
Updates, additional ANZSCO assessments and employment assessments during that period do not restart the validity period.
Once the assessment has expired, CPA Australia requires a new application rather than an update.
Always check current CPA Australia and Department of Home Affairs requirements when planning your application.
What Happens After a Positive Assessment?
A suitable outcome confirms that you have met CPA Australia’s assessment requirements for your nominated occupation.
What happens next depends on your migration pathway.
For points-tested skilled migration, SkillSelect may form part of the process. Other factors can include your:
- age
- English language ability
- qualifications
- skilled employment
- points score
- state or territory nomination
- visa-specific requirements
If your chosen pathway requires an Expression of Interest, you may then need to consider submitting an EOI.
A suitable skills assessment should therefore be viewed as one part of your overall migration strategy.
What If You Receive an Unsuccessful Assessment?
If your qualifications do not cover all required competency areas, CPA Australia may identify additional study needed to address the gaps.
Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to complete further study and request an update while the application remains valid.
CPA Australia also provides a review process where an applicant believes the original assessment decision was incorrect. A review considers the evidence submitted with the original application, while new evidence generally requires an update instead.
Common CPA Australia Skills Assessment Mistakes
Common problems include:
- choosing an occupation without checking its competency requirements
- assuming any accounting degree will qualify
- overlooking missing competency areas
- providing incomplete academic documents
- failing to provide syllabus information where required
- overlooking English language requirements
- confusing qualification and skilled employment assessments
- assuming CPA Australia determines visa eligibility or points
Checking these issues before applying can help reduce avoidable delays.
What This Means in Practice
If you’re an accountant considering migration to Australia, don’t start by asking only whether you have an accounting degree.
Instead, establish:
- which occupation you intend to nominate
- whether your qualification meets the required educational level
- whether your studies cover the required competency areas
- whether you satisfy the English requirement or qualify for an exemption
This is particularly important for overseas qualifications because course structures can differ considerably.
Where to Go Next
If you’re considering your migration options after a CPA Australia skills assessment, these IC Australia resources can help you explore the wider pathway:
FAQs
A CPA Australia skills assessment determines whether your qualifications and English language proficiency meet the requirements for your nominated accounting, auditing or finance occupation for migration purposes.
Not for the standard qualification assessment. CPA Australia’s qualification assessment focuses on your education and English language proficiency. Eligible employment can be assessed separately through a skilled employment assessment.
CPA Australia currently publishes a standard processing time of approximately 15 business days, or approximately 5 business days for eligible Fast Track qualification assessments. Check the official website for current processing times.
CPA Australia currently lists the qualification assessment at AUD $565 for onshore applicants and AUD $514 for offshore applicants. Different services have different fees, so check the official CPA Australia website for current prices.
CPA Australia states that an assessment outcome is valid with the Department of Home Affairs for three years from the outcome date.
Conclusion
A CPA Australia skills assessment is an important step for many accountants, auditors and finance professionals considering skilled migration to Australia. Your qualification level, academic content and English language proficiency can all affect the outcome.
Choosing the correct occupation and checking its competency requirements before applying can help you identify potential gaps and prepare the appropriate evidence.
If you’re unsure whether your qualifications meet CPA Australia’s requirements or how the assessment fits into your Australian migration plans, book a consultation with IC Australia. Our team can help you understand the migration pathways that may be available for your circumstances.
Claire Dawson
Australian visa content specialist focused on skilled migration, employer sponsorship, partner visas, student pathways, and long-term options for moving to Australia.
