Engineers Australia skills assessment at a glance (October 2026)
- Engineers Australia (EA) assesses professional engineers, engineering technologists, engineering associates and engineering managers for skilled migration.
- Your pathway depends on your degree: an Australian accredited qualification, a Washington, Sydney or Dublin Accord qualification, or the CDR pathway for other qualifications.
- A standard CDR assessment costs $1,034 including GST in 2026 to 2027. Adding a Relevant Skilled Employment Assessment (RSEA) lets you use your work experience for points.
- A positive outcome is used for the 189, 190 and 491 visas, and some employer sponsored visas such as the Skills in Demand 482 and 186.
Engineers Australia is the designated body for assessing skills and competencies of engineering occupations in Australia. It provides migration skills assessment for migrants with accredited qualifications or non-accredited qualifications. It is usually the first step towards your pathway to permanent residency.
Step-by-step guide
- Understand the criteria/checklist required to apply for a skills assessment with Engineers Australia by reading the Migration Skills Assessment Booklet.
- Choose the relevant pathway.
- Gather relevant documents to apply for the skills assessment online.
- Apply.
Checklist for accredited qualifications
- Recent passport photo
- Passport
- Academic degree qualification
- Official academic transcript
- CV
- English test result: IELTS, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT
- Any name change document
All documents must be colour scans of the original documents.
Checklist for non-accredited qualifications
Migrants with a non-accredited qualification are required to complete a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR). The applicant must show that he/she has the core technical engineering knowledge and has demonstrated the application of that knowledge. The CDR includes a statement on the continuing professional development (CPD), three career episodes and a summary statement.
The CPD shows that you are up to date with the developments in your field of engineering. You will be required to provide the CPD in a table format which include the name of the course, the date, the duration, the venue and the name of the organiser.
The core purpose of the career episode is to demonstrate your engineering education and/or work experience. Each episode focuses on a specific period or aspect of your engineering activity. It can include activities completed as part of your university education, a project you are working on or even a particular engineer problem that you were required to solve.
Once that is completed, you are required to analyse the career episodes with the key competency elements for the nominated engineering occupation. The analysis will be included in the Summary Statement.
- Recent passport photo
- Passport
- Academic degree qualification
- Official academic transcript
- CV
- English test result: IELTS, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT
- Any name change document
- Relevant registration certificate
- Documentary evidence of employment i.e. employment reference letter and payslips
- List of CPD
- 3 Career Episodes
- Summary Statement
All documents must be colour scans of the original documents.
Pathways
Depending on your qualification, there are different pathways. The 5 pathways are:
- Australia Qualification pathway
- Washington Accord pathway
- Sydney Accord pathway
- Dublin Accord pathway
- Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway
In most situations, if your qualification is not accredited or it is from a non-Accord listed country, you will have to apply under the CDR pathway. Check the Engineers Australia website to see whether your qualification is listed under one of the Accords.
Assessment fees
- Competency Demonstration Report Assessment Fees
- Australian Accredited Engineering Qualification Assessment Fees
- International Accords Qualification Assessment Fees
- Additional Assessment Services Fees
- Administrative Fees
Fees below are Engineers Australia’s published fees for 2026 to 2027 (checked October 2026). Fees change each financial year.
Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) assessment fees
| Assessment (2026 to 2027 fees) | Fee excl. GST | Fee incl. GST |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Competency Demonstration Report | $940.00 | $1,034.00 |
| CDR + Relevant Skilled Employment Assessment (RSEA) | $1,375.00 | $1,512.50 |
| CDR + Overseas PhD Assessment | $1,215.00 | $1,336.50 |
| CDR + RSEA + Overseas PhD Assessment | $1,650.00 | $1,815.00 |
Australian Accredited Engineering Qualification assessment fees
| Assessment (2026 to 2027 fees) | Fee excl. GST | Fee incl. GST |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Engineering Qualification Assessment | $315.00 | $346.50 |
| Australian qualification + RSEA | $750.00 | $825.00 |
| Australian qualification + Overseas PhD Assessment | $590.00 | $649.00 |
| Australian qualification + RSEA + Overseas PhD Assessment | $1,025.00 | $1,127.50 |
International Accords Qualification assessment fees
| Assessment (2026 to 2027 fees) | Fee excl. GST | Fee incl. GST |
|---|---|---|
| Washington/Sydney/Dublin Accord Qualification Assessment | $505.00 | $555.50 |
| Accord qualification + RSEA | $940.00 | $1,034.00 |
| Accord qualification + Overseas PhD Assessment | $780.00 | $858.00 |
| Accord qualification + RSEA + Overseas PhD Assessment | $1,215.00 | $1,336.50 |
Additional assessment services fees
| Assessment (2026 to 2027 fees) | Fee excl. GST | Fee incl. GST |
|---|---|---|
| Separate Relevant Skilled Employment Assessment | $485.00 | $533.50 |
| Separate Overseas PhD Assessment | $325.00 | $357.50 |
| Separate RSEA + Overseas PhD Assessment | $760.00 | $836.00 |
Administrative fees
| Assessment (2026 to 2027 fees) | Fee excl. GST | Fee incl. GST |
|---|---|---|
| Review | $335.00 | $368.50 |
| Appeal | $640.00 | $704.00 |
| Updated outcome letter | $165.00 | $181.50 |
| Standard Administration Fee | $130.00 | $143.00 |
| Fast Track Fee (added to the assessment fee) | $360.00 | $396.00 |
Engineers Australia skills assessment FAQs
How long does an Engineers Australia assessment take?
Processing times vary through the year. Standard applications usually take several weeks once a case officer is allocated, and the fast track service shortens the wait to allocation for an extra fee. Incomplete documents are the most common cause of delay.
What is a Relevant Skilled Employment Assessment (RSEA)?
An RSEA is an optional add-on where Engineers Australia assesses whether your work experience is skilled and relevant to your nominated occupation. Many applicants use it to support points claims for employment in SkillSelect.
Can I write my own CDR?
Yes. The CDR must be your own work: three career episodes, a summary statement and a CPD list. Engineers Australia checks for plagiarism and copied content can lead to a refusal and a ban. Read our CDR writing guide first.
Which visas need an Engineers Australia skills assessment?
Points tested visas (189, 190, 491) need a positive assessment before you are invited. Employer sponsored visas may need one depending on your occupation, passport and stream. See Engineer pathway to PR or book a consultation.
Related guides
- How to apply for a skills assessment with ACS?
- TSS 482 Visa Skills Assessment
- Engineer pathway to PR
- Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa
- Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa
- Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
- Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491) visa
- VETASSESS Skills Assessment (Trade Occupations)
- VETASSESS Skills Assessment (Professional Occupations)
- Job Ready Skills Assessment for Trade Occupations
- Accountant Migration Skills Assessment
- Outcome Based Assessment (OBA) for Internationally qualified nurses and midwives (IQNM) and PR Pathway
- Changes to Skills Assessment for Nurses and Midwives
- Skills Assessment Services
- Skills assessment and assessing authorities
- Migration Skills Assessment Booklet (March 2020 edition: check Engineers Australia for the current booklet)
Australian Migration News: October 2026 Update
Student visa changes from 2 October 2026
After Graduation in Australia: Key PR Pathways for International Students in 2026
What the New Migration Reforms Mean for You
Australia Stops New International Student Enrolments in Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning)