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ACWA skills assessments…diplomas/degrees
Hey hey folks. I wondered if anybody has knowledge on ACWA Skills assessment as I’m a residential care manager which translates to Welfare Centre Manager in Australian terms however to have skills assessed for this it states “bachelor degree or equivalent.” I have a NVQ Level 5 Diploma which I’ve heard is degree level though a £200 skills assessment is about of time and effort without being sure. We can get a 189 visa under this occupation. Now we could step it down to a Supporter Worker role (Residential Care officer in Aussie terms) and the skills assessment for this only requires a diploma and I’m quite confident the level 5 more than ticks that box but the downside is it would be a 190 visa. Has anybody got any experience of what usually passes/fails the skills assessments?!
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1 Reply
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Hi Lewis,
Thanks for your question, it is a good one! 👍🏻
You are correct that for the occupation Welfare Centre Manager (ANZSCO 134214), the skills assessment authority (now called Community Work Australia, previously ACWA) requires a bachelor degree or higher in a relevant field, such as Social Work, Community Services, or Welfare.
Your NVQ Level 5 Diploma, while a strong qualification, is generally considered comparable to an Australian Diploma or Advanced Diploma, but not to a full Australian bachelor degree.
(Reference: Community Work Australia official site)
Therefore, using your NVQ Level 5 for a Welfare Centre Manager skills assessment would most likely not be successful, unless you also hold a recognised bachelor degree or equivalent.
You are also right that stepping down to Residential Care Officer (ANZSCO 411715) might be a better plan.
For this occupation, Community Work Australia accepts a diploma or higher qualification in a relevant field.
Your NVQ Level 5 Diploma would generally meet this requirement, giving you a much clearer and safer pathway for a positive skills assessment.
Quick visa note:
189 visa (Skilled Independent) is highly desirable because it does not require state sponsorship but it is very competitive points-wise.
190 visa (Skilled Nominated) still gives you permanent residency and can often be easier to achieve because you gain additional points from state nomination.
To summarise:
Welfare Centre Manager (134214) – Needs a bachelor degree – NVQ Level 5 Diploma likely insufficient.
Residential Care Officer (411715) – Requires a diploma – NVQ Level 5 Diploma should be suitable.
Choosing the right occupation upfront is important because there is no refund if a skills assessment is refused.
You can read more about the updated skills assessment requirements here:
https://communitywork.org.au/migrants/skills-assessment-criteria/
If you are also considering employer-sponsored options, we have many jobs posted on our own website that offer visa sponsorship:
You might also want to check Healthcare & Medical jobs here:
https://482jobs.com/job-category/healthcare-medical/
You can also check out seek.com.au or indeed.com.au (though you’ll need to filter your results for sponsored/non sponsored roles)
I hope this clears things up for you mate.
Let me know if you would like me to also guide you through points calculation or other ways to strengthen your visa application!
Best wishes,
Mark
communitywork.org.au
Skills assessment - Community Work Australia - Formerly ACWA
Skills assessment - Community Work Australia - Formerly ACWA
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