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What is a migration skills assessment
A migration skills assessment checks your skills and qualifications meet the standards required for certain maritime jobs in Australia.
You may need a migration skills assessment if you:
- are a mariner or marine surveyor
- want to live and work in Australia
- are applying for a visa through the skilled migration program.
This assessment is usually required before you can apply for a visa with the Department of Home Affairs. We assess skills and qualifications on the Department’s behalf. If you want to learn more about applying for a visa, visit working in Australia.
Important
A successful skills assessment does not guarantee you will be issued a visa or get a job in Australia. We cannot give advice on immigration or visas. If you have questions about visas or migrating to Australia, contact the Department of Home Affairs.
Who can apply
To be eligible for a migration skills assessment, you must:
- work in a maritime occupation on the skilled occupation list
- hold a valid and eligible certificate of competency or qualification
- meet sea service or professional experience requirements.
Eligible skilled occupations
We assess applicants who are qualified or certified as a:
- Marine Engineer (ANZSCO 231212)
- Ship’s Master (ANZSCO 231213)
- Ship’s Officer (ANZSCO 231214)
- Marine Surveyor (ANZSCO 231215)
We do not assess:
- Marine Transport Professionals (ANZSCO 2312)
- Master Fishers (ANZSCO 231211)
- Other Marine Transport Professionals (ANZSCO 231299)
Types of certificates and qualifications
You can apply for a migration skills assessment if you have any of these:
- a valid, eligible, overseas certificate of competency under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW)
- a marine surveyor qualification
- an AMSA-issued certificate of competency you want to use for your migration application.
Check that your certificate or qualification is eligible.
Sea service or professional experience
You must have sea service experience to be eligible. The amount and timing of the sea service will depend on your occupation and qualification.
If you’re applying as a marine surveyor, you don’t need sea service but you must show relevant professional experience.
You will have to provide proof of your sea service or professional experience when you apply.
How to apply
Follow these 6 steps to apply for a migration skills assessment.
- (1) Check if your qualifications are eligible
Eligible certificates
You can only apply if you hold one of these certificates or qualifications:
- Master Unlimited (STCW Regs II/2)
- Chief Mate Unlimited (STCW Regs II/2)
- Deck Watchkeeper Unlimited (STCW Regs II/1)
- Chief Engineer Unlimited (STCW Regs III/2)
- Second Engineer Unlimited (STCW Regs III/2)
- Engineer Watchkeeper Unlimited (STCW Regs III/1)
- Marine Surveyor qualification
We do not assess:
- Certificates issued under the STCW(F) convention
- Certificate(s) of Proficiency
- Near coastal operations only certificates
- Certificates with engine propulsion power limits, such as the MCA Small Vessel Engineer CoCs.
Recognised countries
We only assess STCW certificates issued by countries that have an agreement with Australia. Check if your certificate is from a recognised country.
Marine surveyor qualifications can be from any country.
Meeting Australian requirements
We assess your application against the requirements for an Australian certificate of recognition.
You will need to show that your experience and qualifications meet Australia’s specific requirements — including sea service, which may be different than in your home country.
Before you apply, make sure your training and experience meet Australian requirements.
- (2) Prepare your documents
Required documents
You must provide certified copies of your:
- primary STCW certificate(s) of competency
- valid passport
- STCW college course completion certificates
- short courses completion certificates
- discharge book pages and/or watchkeeping certificates
- company letters verifying sea service. These must be written on company letterhead paper and include:
- ship(s) name
- IMO number
- gross tonnage
- engine power (kW)
- type of ship
- position held on board
- dates of engagement and discharge
You can use our template sea service letter for international seafarers.
Additional documents
For some occupations, you also need to provide additional documents.
- Deck officers and masters: evidence of current refresher training and a valid GMDSS radio operator certificate.
- Marine surveyors: documents showing competence as a Port State Control Inspector or International Association of Classification Societies Ltd (IACS) surveyor.
- Engineers: evidence of shore-based practical workshop skills training as specified in relevant sections of STCW Code Table A-III/1 column 1.
All documents must be:
- in English or officially translated
- certified as true copies of the original
- under 5MB per file
- attached directly to your email (do not send links to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox)
- (3) Submit your application
To apply, you need to:
- complete AMSA form 12 - Application for migration skills assessment
- attach your certified documents
- email your application to STCW.applications@amsa.gov.au
When we receive your application, we'll email you instructions on how to pay the fee. Find out more about application fees.
We won't start assessing your application until:
- all required documents are received
- the application fee is paid
We will contact issuing authorities and employers to verify your certificates and sea service. If we can’t verify your documents, we cannot assess your application and it will be closed without refund.
- (4) Book and pass an oral exam
If you are applying as an engineer, master or ship’s officer and your application meets the requirements, we'll send you a provisional assessment letter. The provisional assessment letter is valid for 3 years.
Marine surveyors don't need to complete an oral exam.
If you are applying as a marine surveyor, go straight to step 5.You need to use this provisional assessment letter to book and complete an oral exam.
- You must pass the oral exam before we issue your final assessment letter.
- You can take the exam more than once if needed.
- We recommend reviewing the Australian syllabus before your exam.
Learn about oral exams and how to make a booking.
- (5) Receive your outcome letter
Once you pass the oral exam (if applicable), we’ll send your final migration skills assessment letter.
Your letter is valid for 3 years.
You need an outcome letter to apply for your visa with the Department of Home Affairs.
If your letter expires before you finish your migration application:
- you can renew it at a reduced fee
- you do not need to retake the oral exam unless you're applying for a higher level certificate
- you'll need to submit a new application form and a valid certificate of Medical Fitness
If you have a higher-level certificate you want us to assess, you’ll need to make a new application and sit a new oral exam.
- (6) Apply for a certificate of recognition
Once you have your visa, you can apply for a certificate of recognition.
If you want to work as a seafarer or marine surveyor in Australia, you need this certificate. It is separate to your skills assessment.
Find out more about certificates of recognition and how to apply.
How long it takes
It can take up to 3 months to assess your application, starting from the day we confirm we've received your complete application and payment.
We cannot assess your application if:
- it is incomplete
- your certificates are expired
- your certificates are issued by an unrecognised country
- you don’t provide all documents
- the fee is not paid
- we cannot verify your documents with the issuing authority, employer or organisation
In these cases, your application will be closed and your fee will not be refunded.
Apply now
- Prepare your documents
- Download and complete the AMSA form 12
- Email your application to us