Resources · International teachers
An AITSL skills assessment tells the Australian Government your teaching qualifications suit a school teacher occupation for skilled migration. It costs AUD 1,198, most complete applications are decided within four to six weeks, and it is a separate step from VIT registration, which is what lets you actually teach in a Victorian school.
What the AITSL skills assessment is (and who needs one)
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) is the assessing authority for school teacher occupations. AITSL says teachers migrating on a skilled migrant visa are required to complete a teacher skills assessment with it. The assessment is based on your qualifications only: AITSL states that work experience is not considered, and that it does not offer a pre-assessment service or advice on how your particular case will be decided.
Whether you need one depends on the visa. For the points-tested Skilled Independent (subclass 189) and Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visas, and the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) Direct Entry stream, Home Affairs lists a suitable or positive skills assessment as a requirement. For the employer-sponsored Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, it usually is not mandatory for teachers. The table further down sets this out.
Which teaching occupations AITSL assesses
AITSL publishes a checklist for each of these occupations. Choose the one your teaching qualification most closely fits. If AITSL thinks a different occupation suits you better, it tells you, and you can change at no extra cost.
| Occupation | ANZSCO code | Age range for supervised practice |
|---|---|---|
| Primary School Teacher | 241213 | 5 to 12 years, primary school |
| Middle School Teacher | 241311 | See the AITSL checklist |
| Secondary School Teacher | 241411 | 13 to 18 years, secondary school |
| Special Needs Teacher | 241511 | School setting; special needs setting if the special needs study is part of your teaching degree |
| Teacher of the Hearing Impaired | 241512 | See the AITSL checklist |
| Teacher of the Sight Impaired | 241513 | See the AITSL checklist |
| Special Education Teachers (nec) | 241599 | See the AITSL checklist |
Early childhood teachers: not AITSL any more
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (ANZSCO 241111) moved to ACECQA, the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. AITSL’s transition notice says ACECQA took over these skills assessments on 7 December 2024 and that AITSL no longer accepts new early childhood applications. If you teach in kindergarten or pre-primary, apply to ACECQA, not AITSL.
AITSL requirements for teachers
The current occupation checklists (July 2026) set the same core tests for each school occupation:
- Four years of higher education. At least four years of full-time (or part-time equivalent) university-level study.
- A teaching qualification at Bachelor level or higher. Your initial teacher education (ITE) qualification must be comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree (AQF Level 7) and include at least one year of full-time study for the stage you are nominating (primary, secondary and so on). Any other qualifications counted towards the four years must be at least AQF Level 6 (Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree).
- At least 45 days of supervised teaching practice in a school, with students in the age range for your occupation. Practice with fellow university students does not count.
- English language proficiency, shown either by study or by IELTS (below).
Special Needs Teacher applicants also need one year of full-time (or equivalent) study of special needs, leading to a qualification at AQF Level 7 or higher. AITSL notes that Montessori qualifications are not recognised as initial teacher education, and TESOL, TEFL and ESL qualifications are outside its scope.
Supervised teaching practice evidence
AITSL wants an official statement from the university that awarded your teaching qualification, on letterhead, signed and dated, stating how many days you completed, the age range of students, and the school setting. Placement reports signed by your supervising teacher, QTS or induction certificates and registration certificates are not accepted as evidence of supervised practice.
AITSL English requirement
There are two ways to meet the AITSL English requirement. Submit evidence for one only.
- Study: four full years of university study in Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States, including a recognised teaching qualification, with your supervised teaching practice also completed in one of those countries.
- IELTS Academic: at least 7.0 in Reading and Writing and at least 8.0 in Speaking and Listening, on a single Test Report Form, from a test taken in the three years before you apply. IELTS One Skill Retake results are accepted.
AITSL only accepts IELTS Academic taken at an IELTS test centre (paper or computer). It does not accept PTE, TOEFL, Cambridge, ISLPR or other tests, or IELTS Online. The scores match what VIT asks for, so one IELTS result can serve both, as long as it is recent enough for each. Our VIT registration guide covers VIT’s version of the rule.
AITSL skills assessment fee
| Item | Fee (AUD, from 7 September 2026) |
|---|---|
| Skills assessment application | $1,198 |
| Appeal of an assessment outcome | $938 |
| Skilled Employment Statement | $265 |
AITSL says no GST is charged and the fees are final. You pay by Visa or Mastercard in the Applicant Portal. If you withdraw before assessment starts, AITSL can refund $982; once assessment has begun there is no refund.
AITSL processing time
AITSL says the majority of assessment-ready applications are completed within four weeks, and some take up to six. On 20 October 2026 it reported that it was assessing applications received in the week of 5 October 2026. There is no general fast-track or priority service, and AITSL does not take phone queries or respond to requests for updates. Missing or incorrect documents are the main cause of delay, and you cannot add documents once you have submitted.
Documents and how to apply
- Check you meet the study and English criteria, then download the checklist for your occupation and AITSL’s Application Guide.
- Gather your passport (identity page and the page opposite), two more current identity documents, evidence of any name change, testamurs and final transcripts for each year of every qualification, the university’s supervised practice statement, and your IELTS Test Report Form if you are using IELTS.
- Scan everything in colour at 300 dpi or more, as one PDF per document (20MB limit per upload). Documents not in English need an accredited translation.
- Lodge and pay in the AITSL Applicant Portal. You are emailed through the portal when the assessment is complete.
- If you have been teaching in Australia, you can then ask for a Skilled Employment Statement, which can count towards the points test for skilled visas.
Do not send CVs, references, Year 12 certificates, QTS or induction certificates, or short courses. If you already hold Australian teacher registration, include your registration number and evidence of its status, because AITSL may take it into account.
AITSL vs VIT: two different jobs
People often confuse the two. AITSL decides whether your qualifications fit a migration occupation. The Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) decides whether you can legally teach in a Victorian school. AITSL itself says its assessment does not require you to be registered, and that you need registration with the state or territory authority to teach. Home Affairs also notes that a skills assessment is different from registration with a regulatory body.
| Visa | AITSL skills assessment | VIT registration |
|---|---|---|
| 482 Skills in Demand (Core Skills) | Not usually mandatory for teachers. The mandatory 482 assessments are done by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS, though Home Affairs can ask for one in writing. | Needed before you teach in Victoria |
| 186 Direct Entry | Required before you lodge, unless exempt | Needed before you teach |
| 186 Temporary Residence Transition | Not in Home Affairs’ headline criteria (usually two years with your 482 sponsor) | Already held from your 482 role |
| 189 and 190 skilled visas | Required (suitable skills assessment) | Needed before you teach |
So a teacher sponsored on a 482 usually needs VIT registration, not an AITSL assessment, to start work. A teacher applying for a 189 or 190 needs both: AITSL for the visa, VIT for the classroom. See teacher visa sponsorship in Australia and 482 or 407 for teachers for the visa side, and moving to Victoria to teach for the order of steps.
Common questions
How much is the AITSL skills assessment fee?
AUD 1,198 from 7 September 2026, with no GST. An appeal costs AUD 938 and a Skilled Employment Statement AUD 265.
How long does AITSL take to process a skills assessment?
Most complete applications are decided within four weeks and some take up to six. Incomplete applications take longer, and there is no priority processing.
What IELTS score does AITSL need?
IELTS Academic with at least 7.0 in Reading and Writing and 8.0 in Speaking and Listening, on one Test Report Form, from a test taken within three years of applying. Four years of university study in one of six listed English-speaking countries can replace IELTS.
Does AITSL accept PTE?
No. AITSL accepts only IELTS Academic taken at a test centre. PTE, TOEFL, Cambridge, ISLPR and IELTS Online are not accepted.
Do I need an AITSL skills assessment for a 482 visa as a teacher?
Usually not. Home Affairs lists the 482 occupations that need a mandatory assessment, and those assessments are done by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS. Home Affairs can still ask for one in writing, and you will need VIT registration to teach. Your migration lawyer will confirm for your case.
Is AITSL the same as VIT registration?
No. AITSL assesses your qualifications for migration. VIT registers you to teach in Victoria. They are separate applications with separate fees, and many teachers need both.
Does AITSL assess early childhood teachers?
Not for new applications. Since 7 December 2024, ACECQA has been the assessing authority for Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher.
Coming to Victoria on a sponsored role?
TeachVic places international teachers in contract and permanent roles in Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools, and manages VIT registration and visa sponsorship end to end with migration lawyers. Teachers pay nothing: schools pay our fee. Start on our international teachers page or apply now.
Checked on 20 October 2026 against AITSL fees, AITSL application process, AITSL application FAQs, AITSL English language proficiency, AITSL supervised teaching practice, the AITSL occupation checklists and Application Guide, Home Affairs 482 Core Skills stream, Home Affairs 186 Direct Entry, Home Affairs 189 and Home Affairs 190. This is general information, not migration or legal advice.