ANMAC skills assessment: fee, timing, and the visa after it

A positive ANMAC skills assessment is needed to claim points and lodge an EOI for the 189, 190 and 491 in a nursing or midwifery occupation, for the 186 Direct Entry stream, and for some 482 applicants, depending on the occupation and passport. The 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream does not normally need one.

Yes. Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536) prepares and lodges ANMAC skills assessments for A$1,500 + GST: eligibility checked, the assessment type chosen, your documents organised and certified, and the application lodged. Your professional references come from your nursing supervisor, and your registration verification goes from your regulator to ANMAC directly; we never write or alter references. AHPRA registration is separate and is done by you. The skilled visa after it is A$3,500–5,000 + GST.

ANMAC is the assessing authority for migration purposes for Registered Nurses (RN), Midwives, Nurse Practitioners, and Enrolled Nurses (where eligible). ANMAC also assesses whether your overseas nursing qualification and registration is comparable to Australian standards for migration purposes.

AHPRA (the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia regulator) and ANMAC are separate processes. To work as a registered nurse in Australia you need AHPRA registration. ANMAC's migration skills assessment is required for the visa points test and skilled visa pathway. In practice many applicants progress both — AHPRA registration is often a prerequisite for the ANMAC assessment outcome being useful for actual employment. The exact sequence and requirements depend on your background and pathway — check the current published requirements.

ANMAC and AHPRA both have English requirements. AHPRA accepts OET, IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, and Cambridge English C1 Advanced, with minimum scores published on the AHPRA website. Migration English requirements for points and visa grant are separate and assessed by the Department of Home Affairs. Verify the current required scores with the relevant body before booking a test.

On ANMAC's fee schedule read on 17 August 2026: full skills assessment A$595; modified skills assessment A$395 for nurses and midwives who already hold AHPRA registration; direct care skills assessment A$545; GradReady A$395 for recent Australian graduates. An outcome letter update is A$145 and an internal review or external appeal A$300, lodged within 30 days. Fees do not attract GST and can change each financial year.

ANMAC does not publish a fixed period. In practice a complete file is decided in weeks, not days; an incomplete one waits, because the application stays open for 12 months for documents. Priority processing exists in limited cases: a visa invitation with 60 days to lodge, an earlier assessment that has expired, or an employer sponsorship offer. Allow for it before any visa deadline rather than after.

Nursing qualifications and transcripts, professional registration in your country of qualification (where applicable), employment evidence, identity documents, and English test results. ANMAC's published checklist is the authoritative source — follow it exactly to avoid delays.

nec is "not elsewhere classified": ANZSCO 254499 covers registered nurses whose field is not one of the named codes such as aged care (254412), medical (254418), critical care and emergency (254415) or mental health (254422). It is on the Core Skills Occupation List and open to the 189, 190, 491, 482 and 186. You claim it when no named specialty fits your actual work; the assessment and the visa both turn on what you did, not the label.

Yes. Enrolled Nurse (ANZSCO 411411) is assessed by ANMAC and is on the Core Skills Occupation List for the 482, 186, 494, 190 and 491. It is not on the 189 list, so the points-tested route needs a state nomination. Diploma-level overseas qualifications are compared against the Australian Diploma of Nursing; AHPRA registration as an enrolled nurse is a separate step.

ANMAC may issue a not-comparable outcome or require bridging study (such as an Initial Registration for Overseas Nurses — IRON program) before recognition. The right response depends on the specific reasons given. AHPRA may also have its own bridging requirements separate from ANMAC. Plan for the possibility that bridging requirements may apply.