ACECQA Skills Assessment | Expert Assistance for Educators
Planning to migrate to Australia in early childhood education or childcare? The ACECQA skills assessment is a mandatory step before you can lodge an Expression of Interest or skilled visa application. The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority assesses whether your overseas qualifications and work experience meet Australian standards for your selected occupation, and without a positive outcome, your migration cannot proceed.
At CDR Australia Engineer, our team helps educators from over 40 countries prepare complete, compliant applications the right way, the first time.
Which Occupations Does ACECQA Assess?
The assessing authority covers the following skilled migration occupations under Australia’s General Skilled Migration program:
Occupation | ANZSCO Code | Min. Qualification Required |
Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher | 241111 | Bachelor degree — 4 years minimum |
Child Care Centre Manager | 134111 | Diploma level or higher |
Child Care Worker (Group Leaders only) | 421111 | Diploma level or higher |
Child Care Worker | 421111 | Certificate III or higher |
Out of School Hours Care Worker | 421114 | Certificate III or higher |
A positive ACECQA skills assessment is required for the following visa pathways:Â
- Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent)
- Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated)
- Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional)
- Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme)
- Subclass 494 (Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme)
Eligibility Requirements by Occupation
Assessment criteria vary significantly by role. Below is what each occupation demands before a positive outcome can be issued.
Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher ANZSCO 241111
calls for at least four years of advanced training in early childhood education. This entails either a bachelor’s degree plus a graduate diploma in early childhood education or a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education covering children ages 0–5. Applicants with undergraduate degrees must demonstrate at least 80 days of supervised professional experience, with a minimum of 10 days for children under three and 30 days for children between three and five, according to the revised December 2024 requirements. Similar age-group minimums apply to postgraduate applicants, who must have at least 60 days of supervised experience.
If your overseas qualification is not on the nationally approved list, it will be assessed for equivalency under the National Quality Framework (NQF) as a dual assessment within the same application — which adds both document requirements and the English language proficiency requirement.
Child Care Centre Manager ANZSCO 134111Â
Requires a nationally approved Diploma-level (or higher) education and care qualification plus relevant employment experience. To demonstrate currency of skills, applicants must provide proof of at least 6 months of full-time equivalent experience within the past 3 years in a supervised early childhood service, performing Center Manager-level responsibilities.
Child Care Worker (Group Leaders only) ANZSCO 421111Â
Requires work experience as a group leader in a regulated early childhood service in addition to a nationally recognized diploma-level (or higher) qualification. For every claimed employment period, you and your employer must independently complete the Employment Experience and Employer Reference Templates.
Child Care Worker ANZSCO 421111Â
Requires a nationally approved Certificate III (or higher) education and care qualification, plus employment evidence in a regulated service.
Out of School Hours Care Worker ANZSCO 421114Â
Certificate III (or higher) qualification and employment experience evidence required. Always check the current Assessment Standards document on the official website, as requirements for this occupation are updated periodically.
English Language Requirement:
IELTS Academic Component | Minimum Score |
Reading | 7.0 |
Writing | 7.0 |
Speaking | 8.0 |
Listening | 8.0 |
Note: English language evidence is generally required if your qualification was not delivered in English and you require a dual NQF assessment as part of your ACECQA migration skills assessment. Test results must come from a single sitting and meet current ACECQA validity requirements at the time of application.
English Exemption: English proficiency evidence may also be demonstrated through at least one year of full-time tertiary or higher education completed entirely in English in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, the United Kingdom, or the United States.
Document Checklist for ACECQA
Submitting a complete, assessment-ready application is extremely important. An incomplete application cannot be expedited, but the authority will confirm receipt within 10 business days and inform you if further documents are required. There is no priority processing option.
All applicants must provide:
- Valid passport open booklet showing identity/biometric pages
- Evidence of name change (if name differs across any documents)
- Official qualification certificate/parchment
- Full official academic transcript covering all years of study
- Applicant Declaration and Consent Form
- Authorised Agent Nomination Form (if using a consultant or representative)
Child Care Centre Manager and Child Care Worker applicants must also provide:
- Formal employment contract and position description
- Evidence of service registration/regulation for each period of employment
- Employer Reference Template completed by your direct supervisor
- Employment Experience Template completed by you
Applicants requiring a dual NQF assessment must also provide:
- Certified colour copies of passport, parchment, and transcripts
- NQF Applicant Declaration and Consent Form
- English language proficiency evidence (IELTS or equivalent)
Note: All scans must be high-resolution color copies in PDF, JPEG, or PNG format centered on the page, all edges visible, correctly titled, and collated in page order. Non-English documents must include NAATI-certified English translations, with both originals and translations submitted together.
ACECQA Fees and Processing Times
Service | Fee (AUD incl. GST) |
Migration Skills Assessment | $1,100 |
Outcome Review Application | $990 |
All fees are paid at the time of submission via the online portal and are non-refundable, including for unsuccessful outcomes or applications withdrawn after submission.
Processing: The authority targets completion within 60 calendar days of receiving a complete application. However, current application volumes mean processing is taking much longer than usual. There is no fast-track or priority option available.
Validity: A favorable result is good for 3 years following the date of issuance. A complete reapplication is necessary if your assessment expires; there is no renewal.
Application Process — Step by Step
Step 1 — Confirm Your Occupation and Visa Pathway Check that your nominated occupation sits under this assessing authority on the skilled occupation list, and confirm with the Department of Home Affairs that your visa subclass requires a migration skills assessment. Do not apply if you fall under DAMA provisions or a different assessing body.
Step 2 — Check Your Qualification Use the online qualifications checker to determine if you already hold an approved qualification or whether your overseas credentials need to be assessed under the NQF as part of a dual application. This determines your entire document list.
Step 3 — Gather, Certify, and Translate Your Documents Collect all documents per your occupation checklist. Have non-English documents NAATI-translated. Ensure all scans meet the document standards above before submission partial or non-compliant applications cause delays.
Step 4 — Submit Online and Pay Register on the applicant portal, complete the form, upload all documents in a single submission, and pay the application fee. Your application is not lodged until payment is confirmed.
Step 5 — Track and Respond The authority confirms receipt within 10 business days. If information is missing, you will be contacted by email with a time-limited window to respond. Your outcome is issued by email; successful applicants also receive a certificate by post.
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How We Help You Get It Right
The assessment of early childhood migration skills is more complicated than it seems. Small mistakes result in lengthy delays and there is no quick way to make up lost time because of the December 2024 changes to the Early Childhood Teacher criteria, occupation-specific eligibility thresholds, dual NQF assessment triggers, required employer reference templates, and stringent document standards.
Our team at CDRAustraliaEngineers has supported educators, engineers, ICT professionals, and healthcare workers across all major Australian assessing bodies with a 99% first-attempt approval rate.
What we do for you:
- ✔ Free eligibility check: correct occupation, correct assessing authority, correct visa pathway
- ✔ Dual NQF assessment identification and full document preparation
- ✔ Employer Reference and Employment Experience Template guidance
- ✔ NAATI translation coordination where required
- ✔ Full document review before portal submission
- ✔ Post-outcome support and review application assistance if needed
Start Your Early Childhood Migration Journey Today
Don’t let a document gap, an outdated understanding of the requirements and qualifications, or a wrong occupation choice delay your Australian migration. Our team reviews your profile first, flags any gaps, and ensures your application is submission-ready before a single dollar goes to the assessing authority.