Professional Registration & Licensing (AHPRA · Teacher Registration · Engineers Australia)
Government-regulated occupations such as nurse, doctor, teacher and engineer do not let you start working just because you have passed a migration skills assessment. Practical registration/licensing 'to actually work' is a separate step, and the registering body and process differ by profession. This guide is general guidance to help foreign nationals living in Australia find the registration pathway that fits their occupation.
This document is general information and is not legal or migration advice. Professional registration systems, eligibility requirements, fees, processing times and exam formats change frequently, and even for the same profession they can differ by state and territory.
Always check the latest information on the website of the official registering body for your profession (e.g. AHPRA, Engineers Australia, the teacher registration body in your state of residence). For migration and employment decisions, contact a registered migration agent or the relevant registering body directly.
1. A migration skills assessment is different from practical registration
The most common misunderstanding: it's easy to assume you can work straightaway once you pass a migration skills assessment, but regulated occupations have a separate 'practical registration/licensing' step on top of that.
Many Australian professions involve two separate processes.
- ① Migration skills assessment: the step where your qualifications and experience are assessed against Australian standards for a visa application. A designated assessing authority for each occupation handles this (e.g. ANMAC for nurses, Engineers Australia for engineers). This is a process for your visa (migration).
- ② Practical registration/licence: the step of registering with the occupation's regulator to actually work in that job in Australia. Health practitioners must register with AHPRA, and teachers with the teacher registration body in their state of residence.
The two processes have different responsible bodies, requirements and timing. Getting a visa does not automatically register you, and conversely registration does not guarantee a visa. Depending on the occupation, ① may be waived and only ② required, or both may be required, so check your situation with the registering body.
2. Finding the registering body for your occupation
First check whether yours is a 'registered/licensed occupation'. If it is, you cannot work under that title or advertise without registration. The main registering bodies by occupation are as follows.
- 15 health practitioner professions (nurse, midwife, doctor, pharmacist, dentist, physiotherapist, psychologist, nursing assistant, etc.): AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) and each profession's National Board manage registration nationally.
- Teachers: there is no national body; you register with the state/territory teacher registration body (e.g. NESA in NSW, VIT in VIC, QCT in QLD).
- Engineers: in most states general registration is not mandatory, but Engineers Australia handles the migration skills assessment and professional credentials (RPEng · NER), and some states require statutory registration (e.g. RPEQ in QLD, some mandatory-registration fields in VIC).
- Others (lawyer, accountant, electrician, plumber, hairdressing, etc.): each occupation has its own separate registering body or licensing authority. Search the official .gov.au sites with 'occupation + Australia + registration/licence' to confirm.
If you are unsure which category your occupation falls into, the most accurate approach is to contact the relevant registering body directly, along with the occupation code (ANZSCO) you received with your visa application.
3. Health practitioners — AHPRA and the National Boards
AHPRA is the body that administers registration of health practitioner professions nationally, while the registration standards and eligibility requirements are set by each profession's National Board (e.g. the Medical Board of Australia, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia). In short: the National Board sets the standards, and AHPRA handles intake and processing.
Internationally qualified practitioners usually go through the following.
- Check the registration standard and the overseas-qualification assessment pathway of the relevant profession's National Board
- Submit evidence of qualifications and experience, evidence of English proficiency, and identity and background-check documents
- Depending on the profession, additional exams, training or supervised practice may be required
Enquiries: AHPRA 1300 419 495 (within Australia, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm local time), from overseas +61 3 9125 3010. If English is difficult, you can call TIS National 131 450 and ask to be connected to AHPRA (1300 419 495). Check detailed requirements by profession on the relevant National Board website and at ahpra.gov.au.
4. Nurses & midwives — IQNM registration and the ANMAC skills assessment
AHPRA/NMBA registration — the IQNM process
To work in Australia, internationally qualified nurses and midwives (IQNM) must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), generally going through the following steps (this may differ depending on individual circumstances).
- Self-check: use the online self-check to assess whether you meet the qualifications and requirements.
- Stream classification (Stream A/B/C): you are classified according to how equivalent your qualifications are to Australian accredited qualifications. Stream A is substantially equivalent, Stream B is relevant but not equivalent, and Stream C is not applicable.
- Portfolio submission: gather and submit evidence of qualifications, registration, experience, English and identity.
- Orientation: complete an orientation about the Australian healthcare setting.
- Exams (if applicable): Stream B and others use an outcomes-based assessment (OBA); nurses first pass the NCLEX-RN (a cognitive exam) and midwives a multiple-choice exam run by the NMBA, then sit the OSCE, a behavioural assessment (run by Ahpra in Adelaide).
Whether streams and exams apply varies from person to person, so rely on your self-check result and the NMBA guidance.
ANMAC — migration (visa) skills assessment
ANMAC (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council) is the designated assessing authority for nursing and midwifery skills assessments for migration (visa). Its purpose differs from AHPRA/NMBA 'practical registration' — ANMAC is for the visa, while NMBA registration is for actually working. Both processes may be required, so check each one. Enquiries: +61 2 6257 7960; for details see anmac.org.au.
5. Teachers — the registering body differs by state and territory
Teachers have no single national registering body. You must register (accreditation/registration) with the teacher registration body of the state/territory where you want to work, and you cannot teach in a school without registration.
You may need to re-register if you move states
Teacher registration obtained in one state may not be automatically recognised in another. If you move to or want to work in another state, you may need separate registration (or a mutual-recognition application) with that state's body, so always check before relocating.
Examples of the main bodies and overseas-qualification requirements are as follows.
- NSW — NESA (Teacher Accreditation): overseas-qualified applicants usually need a four-year (or part-time equivalent) university-level teacher-training degree and at least 45 days of supervised practical teaching to be recognised. The English requirement is an IELTS average of 7.5 across the four bands (a waiver may apply if the entire course was completed in English in an approved country). Enquiries 1300 739 338 (overseas +61 2 9268 6300).
- VIC — VIT (Victorian Institute of Teaching): offers a pre-assessment service for overseas qualifications and requires evidence of qualifications, English proficiency, a Working with Children clearance, and domestic and overseas criminal history checks. Hotline Mon–Fri 9am–4pm, vit.vic.edu.au.
- Other states: there are state-by-state bodies such as QCT in QLD, TRBWA in WA, and TRB SA in SA.
Check the specific requirements and waiver conditions on your state body's website.
6. Engineers — Engineers Australia
Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) and qualification-recognition pathways
Engineers Australia is the designated assessing authority for engineers' Migration Skills Assessment. The assessment pathway depends on which accord your degree falls under.
- Washington Accord (professional engineer, four-year), Sydney Accord (engineering technologist), Dublin Accord (engineering associate) — accredited degrees from signatory countries are assessed via an equivalence-recognition pathway.
- CDR (Competency Demonstration Report): a report demonstrating competency, prepared when your degree does not fall under an accreditation accord or when you are assessed for an occupation different from the degree title.
A standard assessment can take roughly 15 weeks until an assessor is allocated (varying with the state of your documents); check processing times and fees on the official site.
Practical credentials & registration (RPEng · NER · RPEQ)
Separate from the MSA for migration, there are credentials and registrations that certify your expertise after moving to Australia — such as the NER (National Engineering Register) and RPEng (Registered Professional Engineer). In addition, some states make statutory registration mandatory in certain fields, such as RPEQ in QLD. Always check whether statutory registration is mandatory in the state where you want to work. Enquiries: Engineers Australia 1300 653 113 (overseas +61 2 6270 6555, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm AEST), engineersaustralia.org.au.
7. Common requirements — English, identity and interpreting
Evidence of English proficiency
Most regulated-occupation registrations require evidence of English proficiency. The exams (IELTS, OET, PTE, TOEFL, etc.), minimum scores and waiver conditions (e.g. completing your degree in English in an approved country) differ by profession and body (for example, some teacher registrations require an IELTS average of 7.5). Check exactly the English standards of your profession's body.
Identity and background checks
During registration it is common to require identity verification and a criminal history check (a domestic Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, including criminal history in overseas countries of residence). Occupations dealing with children and vulnerable people (teachers, some health roles) require additional checks such as a Working with Children Check. Overseas documents take time to obtain and translate, so prepare early.
When English is difficult — free interpreting
If a phone consultation with a registering body feels daunting, you can call TIS National 131 450 (free government interpreting) and ask to be connected to the body you want to speak with (e.g. AHPRA 1300 419 495). You must carry out the registration process yourself, but you can reduce the communication barrier with free interpreting. Interpreters are bound by a duty of confidentiality.
8. Official source links
- AHPRA (1300 419 495)(opens in a new window)
National registration for 15 health professions — intake and processing (standards set by each National Board). 1300 419 495
- Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia(opens in a new window)
Nurse and midwife registration standards and the IQNM (overseas-qualified) process and exam information
- ANMAC (+61 2 6257 7960)(opens in a new window)
Designated body for nursing/midwifery migration (visa) skills assessment — separate from practical registration. +61 2 6257 7960
- NESA — Teacher Accreditation NSW (1300 739 338)(opens in a new window)
NSW teacher registration (accreditation) — overseas-qualified requirements and English standards. 1300 739 338
- Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT)(opens in a new window)
VIC teacher registration — overseas-qualification pre-assessment, WWC and criminal history checks
- Engineers Australia (1300 653 113)(opens in a new window)
Engineers' Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) and professional credentials (NER · RPEng). 1300 653 113
- TIS National (131 450)(opens in a new window)
Free government interpreting — connects you in your language for phone consultations with registering bodies. 131 450
The phone numbers, URLs, eligibility requirements, fees and processing times above are subject to change. Before applying, always check the latest information on each body's official site. This page is general guidance and not legal or migration advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I've passed a migration skills assessment, can I work straightaway?▾
For most regulated occupations, no. A migration skills assessment is a process for your visa (migration), and to actually work you must separately obtain 'practical registration/licensing' from the occupation's regulator. The two processes have different responsible bodies and requirements. Check with your profession's body whether both steps are required.
Which body do I register with for my occupation?▾
The 15 health professions (nurse, doctor, pharmacist, etc.) register nationally with AHPRA and the respective National Boards. Teachers have no national body and register with the teacher registration body of their state/territory of residence (NSW NESA, VIC VIT, etc.). For engineers, Engineers Australia handles the skills assessment and professional credentials, and some states (e.g. QLD RPEQ) require statutory registration. If you are unsure, contact the body directly along with your occupation code (ANZSCO).
Do I really need an English test score?▾
Most registrations require evidence of English proficiency, but the required exam, score and waiver conditions differ by profession and body. For example, some teacher registrations require an IELTS average of 7.5 across the four bands, and you may be exempt if you completed your entire course in English in an approved country. Check the exact standards of your profession's body.
How much money and time does registration take?▾
Fees and processing times differ greatly by profession, body and the state of your individual documents, and change frequently. For example, an engineers' skills assessment can take about 15 weeks until an assessor is allocated. The safest approach is to check the exact amounts and times on each body's official site for the latest information. The figures on this page are general guidance for reference.