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Is A Skills Assessment and IELTS needed for 482 Visa?
Hi everyone I am new here, I would like to find out more about the requirements that one must have upon being successful if a company u applied for decides to sponsor your visa and move to Australia.
Apart from a passport do I need to get a Skills Assessment plus IELTS? I’m from Papua New Guinea (PNG) . Please assist thanks in advance.
Lyndon
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15 Replies
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Hi Lyndon, welcome to the community and thanks for your question! 🙂
If you’re applying for a Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa, whether you need a skills assessment and English test (like IELTS) depends on your occupation and citizenship. Here’s a simple breakdown:
1. Skills Assessment
Not all 482 visa applicants need a skills assessment.
You’ll only need one if your occupation and nationality require it as listed in legislative instruments by the Department of Home Affairs.
For example, certain trade occupations (like electricians, plumbers, etc.) typically do require a formal skills assessment regardless of your nationality.
Let me know your occupation and I can check for you whether a skills assessment is needed.
2. English Language (IELTS or equivalent)
As a citizen of Papua New Guinea, you are not considered exempt from the English requirement.
You will need to show English proficiency unless you’ve studied for 5 years in an English-speaking institution, which may qualify for an exemption.
The typical requirement is IELTS overall band of 5.0 with no score below 4.5, or an equivalent score in other approved tests (like PTE, TOEFL, etc.).
Let me know your occupation as it will help us confirm:
- Whether it’s eligible for the 482 visa
- If a skills assessment is needed
- Any other specific requirements
I hope this gives you a good starting point. Feel free to share more and I’ll help you work through it.
Cheers,
Mark
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Hi Mark,
Thank you for the quick reply, now that you’ve cleared things I can see I am moving now. And yes I am a combination of a Power Station Operator/Maintainer and also I am a diesel fitter/mechanic in a Power generation company. So under which occupation/category does my occupation come under?
Lyndon
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Hi Lyndon, you’re very welcome and I’m great to hear you’re feeling more confident moving forward! 🙂
Based on your background as a Power Station Operator/Maintainer and Diesel Fitter/Mechanic, I’d suggest there are a couple of relevant ANZSCO occupations you might fall under (see occupations descriptions I’ve linked to the codes).
1. Diesel Motor Mechanic – ANZSCO 321212
This is a well-recognised trade occupation in Australia.
It is listed on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), which means it’s eligible for the 482 visa and also leads to permanent pathways later.
A skills assessment is required for this occupation, usually done through TRA (Trades Recognition Australia). You can check their process at: https://www.tradesrecognitionaustralia.gov.au
2. Power Generation Plant Operator – ANZSCO 399213
This is a more specialised role.
It is currently not listed on any skilled occupation lists (MLTSSL, STSOL, or ROL), so unfortunately, it’s not eligible for a 482 visa.
However, if your role involves a lot of hands-on mechanical work on diesel engines, it’s possible you could qualify as a Diesel Motor Mechanic, which gives you a solid visa pathway.
If your day-to-day work involves maintaining and repairing diesel engines used in power generation, I recommend positioning yourself under Diesel Motor Mechanic (321212) for the 482 visa.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Cheers,
Mark
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Hi Mark, many thanks again. Let me go through the ANZSCO occupation listing/link you gave and revert back to you.
Cheers mate.
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No worries! I’ll still be here when ready 😊
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Hi Mark,
I went to the TRA homepage from the link you gave I answered a few questions and one of the question asked for my home country which I tried to find from the drop down option however, my country (Papua New Guniea) was not found. An auto reply stated that my country does not require a Skills Assessment according to my occupation of Diesel Motor Mechanic?
I’ve attached a screenshot for you to see.
Please clarify this for me mate.
Lyndon
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Hi Lyndon,
Thanks for sharing the screenshot, that’s really helpful!
You’re absolutely right in what you’ve found. Based on your occupation (Diesel Motor Mechanic – ANZSCO 321212) and your citizenship from Papua New Guinea, you do not need a skills assessment for the 482 visa. That’s great news, it simplifies the process a lot for you!
PNG isn’t listed because some countries are exempt from skills assessments for certain occupations under the 482 visa, and PNG happens to be one of them for this trade.
So to confirm:
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Your occupation is eligible for the 482 visa.
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No skills assessment is required.
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You will still need to meet the English language requirement, which usually means an IELTS test (unless you meet an exemption, like 5 years of study in English).
I hope this helps!
Cheers,
Mark -
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Hi Mark, kudos for your reply yes that now simplifies the process now that I don’t need a Skills Assessment. Now about the IELTS, when you mentioned that I need an exemption of 5 years of study in English, well I think I do because in Papua New Guinea all our schools are being taught in the English Language as the primary language for learning. Now how do I prove that to the Australian Department of Home Affairs/Immigration that i don’trequire an IELTS?
Lyndon
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Hello mate! Great to hear you’re moving forward, and yes, it’s a real bonus not needing the skills assessment!
Now, regarding the IELTS exemption: You’re right, many schools in Papua New Guinea do use English as the language of instruction, but the Department of Home Affairs still requires formal evidence if you want to claim an exemption.
To be exempt from the English test for the 482 visa, you must show:
- At least 5 years of full-time study,
- In an institution where all instruction was in English,
- At the secondary level or higher (high school, college, or university).
How to prove it:
- You’ll need to provide official letters or transcripts from your school or institution confirming:
- The exact years you studied there,
- That English was the only language of instruction during that time.
It’s best to ask the school to include that line clearly in the letter (e.g. “The medium of instruction for all subjects was English.”)
If you can get that documentation, your sponsor would include it with your application to request an exemption from IELTS.
Otherwise, you’ll need to sit a test like IELTS or PTE.
I hope that helps
Cheers,
Mark
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Thanks Mark that was crystal clear. I’ll see what I can do from end and get back to you.
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BTW Mark, I secondary school I did only 4 years (year 9 to year 12) and u mentioned an exemption of 5years so would that still be an exception? I can get a letter from my secondary school stating I did 4 years (year 9 to year 12) and that everything all subjects/lessons were taught in English?
Please advise mate.
Thanks
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Hi Lyndon,
Thanks for checking. That’s a good question!
Unfortunately, the Australian immigration department is very binary. Four years of study (Years 9 to 12) won’t meet the five-year minimum required for the English language exemption under the 482 visa rules.
The Department of Home Affairs is quite strict about the full 5 years of continuous education in English at the secondary level or higher. So even if your secondary school provides a letter, 4 years alone won’t qualify for the exemption.
That means your best bet now is to sit an approved English test, such as IELTS, PTE Academic, or TOEFL iBT.
For the 482 visas, the minimum IELTS requirement is:
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Overall score of 5.0, with no band less than 4.5 (or equivalent in another test like PTE or TOEFL)
It’s not a high score, so with some practice, you should be able to get through it without too much stress.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Cheers mate,
Mark -
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Noted with thanks mate. Just a question on my primary school level, which I did 9 years straight form Elementary up to grd 8. Would this be an exception now that it’s straight 9 years more than 5 years the requirement? Also on that note, all subject/lessons were also taught in English as the primary language. Now can I get a letter from my primary school to justify all these?
Lyndon
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Hi Lyndon,
Thanks for the follow-up and great thinking on the primary school years! 🙂
You may be able to use your 9 years of primary schooling to meet the English language exemption, as long as:
- It was full-time and consecutive,
- All subjects were taught in English, and
- You can provide a formal letter from the school confirming those details.
However, just a heads up, while the Department of Home Affairs can accept primary-level education, it’s not always a guaranteed exemption. That’s because the English taught in primary school is generally seen as less advanced than at the high school or university level.
So even with 9 years, it may come down to how strong your supporting letter is, and whether the case officer accepts that it meets the standard expected under the visa rules.
To give yourself the best chance, I recommend:
Getting a clear, detailed letter from your primary school confirming the years attended and that English was the language of instruction for all subjects.
If possible, include any supporting documents from your secondary school or employer that show you’ve continued to use English regularly.
If there’s any uncertainty or delay, it might be safer to prepare for the IELTS or PTE just in case it’s requested later.Your test results are valid for 3 years and would be useful depending on the roles you apply for.
Cheers,
Mark
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I have primary school National certificate on English Test High school and college how can I upload them
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