Engineers Australia (EA)

What is Engineers Australia?

Engineers Australia is the peak professional body representing engineers across all engineering disciplines in Australia. Established in 1919, EA operates under the Professional Engineers Act and is the designated assessing authority for engineering occupations under Australia's skilled migration program.

Under the Migration Act 1958, Engineers Australia is responsible for assessing the professional qualifications and experience of engineers seeking to migrate to Australia through skilled visa pathways. EA's assessments confirm that applicants meet the competency standards required for professional engineering practice in Australia and have appropriate qualifications and experience in their nominated engineering discipline.

EA assesses engineers across a broad range of engineering disciplines and specialisations, including civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, mining engineering, and numerous other engineering fields. With over 200 occupations assessed, EA covers entry-level to senior professional engineer roles.

Which visas require a EA skills assessment?

Engineers Australia assessments are required for most skilled migration visa pathways for professional engineers, including permanent skilled visas and temporary skilled visa programs.

An EA skills assessment is a mandatory requirement for engineers applying for skilled migration visas. The assessment confirms that your engineering qualifications and experience meet Australian professional standards, making you eligible to proceed with visa application in your nominated engineering occupation.

How EA assessment works

The EA assessment process evaluates your engineering qualifications, professional experience, and competency against Australian standards. The process typically takes 16 weeks under the standard service, or 8 weeks with priority processing.

1. Create your MyEA Portal account and lodge an online assessment application with your nominated engineering occupation
2. Pay the application fee and provide all required documentation including degree certificates, official transcripts, and employment history
3. EA reviews your initial application and determines which assessment pathway is most appropriate for your qualifications and experience
4. Complete the assessment process, which may include a Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) if your qualification is non-Australian
5. EA conducts a detailed technical assessment of your qualifications, work experience, and professional competency against Australian engineering standards
6. Receive your assessment outcome letter confirming your skills assessment result, validity period, and any conditions or limitations

Assessment pathways

Engineers Australia offers multiple assessment pathways depending on your educational background, professional experience, and engineering discipline. The pathway assigned will depend on whether you hold Australian or international qualifications.

Documents required

Documents required vary by pathway but typically include:

• Original or certified copy of tertiary engineering degree certificates and diplomas
• Official university transcripts for all tertiary qualifications with grades and subjects completed
• Certified copies of professional engineering registration or licensing certificates
• Employment reference letters on company letterhead documenting engineering roles, responsibilities, and duration in role (minimum 5 years total)
• Detailed curriculum vitae documenting education, professional experience, engineering projects, and key achievements
• Evidence of professional engineering memberships or registrations with engineering bodies
• Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) if holding non-Australian tertiary qualifications
• Passport or birth certificate for identity verification purposes
• Evidence of English language proficiency if applicable (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE scores)
• Detailed descriptions of significant engineering work projects undertaken with technical scope and responsibilities

All documents must be certified copies unless originals are provided for sighting at an EA office. International qualifications and documents must be accompanied by certified English translations if the original documents are in another language.

EA assessment fees

Assessment outcomes

EA issues one of three outcomes:

If you disagree with the assessment outcome, you can request a formal review by EA within 6 months or lodge an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. The formal review process typically takes 6-8 weeks and requires submission of additional supporting evidence.

Occupations assessed by EA

EA is the nominated assessing authority for the following ANZSCO occupations. Click any occupation to see full visa pathway details.