Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA) has changed its name to Community Work Australia
Community Work Australia

FAQs

Here you will find the answers to frequently asked questions about the skills assessment process. These common questions cover preparing an application, applying, making changes to an application and returning applicants who have already received an outcome.

If you cannot find the answer to your question here, it is likely that it is addressed directly in the skills assessment criteria or application process pages.

Preparing an application

It is your responsibility to choose the occupation for which you believe you are qualified and experienced. You can conduct a self-assessment using the assessment criteria or contact a migration agent for assistance.
No, we do not provide pre-assessment advice. You can conduct a self-assessment using the assessment criteria or contact a migration agent for assistance.
Yes, you can still apply for assessment as long as you meet all other assessment criteria. Provisional accreditation is given by Community Work Australia to newly accredited courses and courses that need to demonstrate compliance with Community Work Australia’s course accreditation guidelines. Provisional accreditation is treated the same as full accreditation for the purpose of membership and migration skills assessments.
You can submit multiple IELTS tests only, but they must be within a period of 12 months. This includes IELTS One Skill Retake test results (please refer to the IELTS website for eligibility requirements for IELTS One Skill Retake).
You must send your PTE Academic score to Community Work Australia through PTE secure portal and attach a copy of your test result with the application.
Yes, you must provide all documentation for the underpinning qualifications such as a bachelor’s degree, including any non-relevant qualifications. This information is important when we assess your qualification comparability.
You are responsible for providing evidence to support your claims. All assessments are evidence-based, without sufficient evidence, we cannot accept the claim.
No, employment contracts do not contain all the information we need to verify a work claim. You can submit a contract as an additional supporting document but not in lieu of the requested evidence.

Applying

You will need to create an account for the applicant portal and submit the online form. Please read through the application process page.

If you are a migration agent, you can use the same portal as independent applicants to submit skills assessments on behalf of your clients. When you first set up your account, use a work email address and the system will allow you to submit applications for different clients. While your client's details may change, your login email (username) will remain yours.

You will find a section on the form called Applicant Details where you will be asked to enter your client's personal details such as address, phone etc. You should do this however, when prompted for email re-enter your login email so the application remains linked to your account.

You do not need to apply separately for points test advice. All skills assessments from July 2020 onwards include qualification comparability and work experience claims.

Yes, at the end of the form you will have the option of saving the form or lodging your application.

Please note the save option is at the end of the form. You will need to fill in some mandatory fields to get there, including uploading a resume. You can attach a stand-in/substitute document to enable you to progress to the end - just remember to replace this with the correct document before you actually lodge your application.

We are currently experiencing a very high volume of applications. As such, our fast-track service has been suspended until further notice. You may still apply for the standard service.
Each time an assessing officer updates the status of your application you will receive an automatic email. You can also log in to the applicant portal at any time and check the status under ‘My Skills Assessments’. The possible statuses are: Draft, Submitted, In Progress, Documents Requested, Not Suitable, Suitable. A lodged application will initially show as ‘Submitted’ and be updated to ‘In Progress’ once the assessing officer has begun the assessment. Please do not contact us if your application status does not show ‘In progress’, it will be processed within the timeframe.
You will receive an email once your outcome is available. You can then log in to the applicant portal to download your certificate.
You can log into the applicant portal and find your application ID under 'My Skills Assessments'.
The assessment team is not available over the phone. You can email assessments@communitywork.org.au. PLEASE NOTE: emails requesting pre-assessment advice or status updates will not receive a reply.

Making changes to a pending application

No, this is not possible.
A fast-tracking service is available to new applications on a case by case basis and incurs a fee. Fast-tracking must be selected in the payment section of the form at the time of application. Fast-tracking cannot be applied to applications that have already been lodged.
You should update your details by sending an email to assessments@communitywork.org.au. You must include your Community Work Australia ID number in the subject line.
Yes, you can change or remove your migration agent at any time. To update this information complete Form 956 and email it to assessments@communitywork.org.au. You must include your Community Work Australia application ID in the subject line.
Your application must be decision ready at the time of application. You are entitled to appeal, however, this incurs a fee and additional processing time. You may be asked to submit additional evidence as part of the assessment process.

Appealing/reviewing an outcome

Yes, we have a fair and equitable process for managing appeals and reviews. Visit the 'Application process' page for the policy and form.

Returning applicants

A skills assessment is valid for 3 years from date of issue. If your assessment certificate has expired, you will need to submit a new application under the current guidelines.
You can log in to the applicant portal to download a copy of your certificate.
Skills assessment applications are kept for five years only in line with our record keeping policy. If you made an application within the past five years and would like a copy of your documents please email assessments@communitywork.org.au with your Application ID in the subject line to arrange this. A service fee applies.