Skills Assessment Authority
AITSL
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) assesses primary, middle, secondary and special needs teachers for Australian skilled migration, in a qualifications-based assessment with an English-language requirement. Visa Plan Lawyers prepares and lodges AITSL applications.
Assessment Fees
$1,198 AUD
Skills assessment for migration, effective 7 September 2026; Skilled Employment Statement $265; appeal $938. No GST is charged on any AITSL fee.
Fees as published by AITSL, checked September 2026
Processing Time
Most assessment-ready applications complete within 4 weeks; some take up to 6 weeks.
Official Website
www.aitsl.edu.auOccupations assessed by AITSL
School teaching occupations including Primary, Middle, Secondary and Special Needs teachers. Early Childhood Teacher moved to ACECQA in December 2024, so AITSL covers school teachers, not early childhood.
Key Occupations
Primary School Teacher, Middle School Teacher, Secondary School Teacher, Special Needs Teacher.
Always verify the designated assessing authority for your specific ANZSCO occupation code on the Department of Home Affairs skilled occupation list before applying.
Assessment requirements
Qualifications-based assessment model
AITSL conducts a qualifications-based assessment rather than a registration-based one. The applicant must hold at least four years of full-time-equivalent higher education, including an initial teacher education qualification. The focus is on the academic pathway completed, not on current teacher registration.
English-language and evidence requirements
A mandatory English-language component must be satisfied through either a recognised study pathway or an accepted English test. Applicants submit qualification documents and supporting evidence demonstrating the required years of teacher education. Incomplete evidence will delay the assessment.
Optional Skilled Employment Statement
An optional Skilled Employment Statement assesses skilled employment for a separate fee. It is undertaken in addition to the core skills assessment and is not part of the standard fee. Applicants choose whether this component is relevant to their visa pathway.
Outcome validity
AITSL does not state a validity period for its assessment outcome. The general Department of Home Affairs rule applies, under which a skills assessment is ordinarily usable for three years from the date of issue. Confirm currency before lodging a visa application.
How AITSL assesses
AITSL’s English requirement is narrower than most. It accepts only an Academic IELTS Test Report Form, taken paper-based or computer-delivered at an authorised centre; a One Skill Retake is accepted, while IELTS Online, IELTS Indicator, PTE, TOEFL and Cambridge results are not. The alternative is a study pathway of four full years of study in Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States, including the initial teacher education qualification and its supervised teaching practice, at AQF Level 7 or higher, with a doctorate counting for at most two years.
Supervised teaching practice is assessed separately from the qualification. AITSL requires a minimum of 45 days of supervised teaching practice within the specified age range in the relevant school setting, evidenced by an official statement on letterhead from the awarding university stating duration, age range and school setting. Statements from affiliated colleges, placement reports and work experience letters are not accepted, and later employment cannot substitute. Applications lodge through the Applicant Portal, and an outcome assessed as unsuitable receives independent review by three officers before issue.
The Skilled Employment Statement counts only teaching undertaken after the qualifying study, of at least 20 hours per week, within the past 10 years, in a registered school, for at least one year in Australia or three years outside Australia. An appeal must be requested by email within 60 days of the outcome and is decided by an independent third-party reviewer.
Visa Plan Lawyers and AITSL assessments
Teacher applicants must satisfy AITSL's supervised teaching practice and English language requirements, both of which are commonly misunderstood. Visa Plan Lawyers checks the evidence for each before the application is submitted and advises on the state registration step that follows a positive result.
Reviewed by Visa Plan Lawyers · Last updated: September 2026 · Assessment fee and processing time information is approximate and subject to change. Always verify current fees and processing times directly with AITSL at https://www.aitsl.edu.au before applying. This page provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Contact Visa Plan for advice specific to your circumstances.