Australian Physiotherapy Council

The Council describes its Skills Assessment as a document-based assessment for the permanent residence and skilled regional (provisional) visas. Eligibility has two parts. The applicant must meet the English Language Skills Registration Standard for physiotherapists, and must meet one of five criteria: a physiotherapy qualification completed in Australia that is on the Physiotherapy Board of Australia’s approved programs of study list; the Council’s Final Certificate; the Council’s Certificate of Substantial Equivalence of Qualification, a pathway now discontinued; a current and unconditional Annual Practising Certificate from the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand with at least two years of work as a physiotherapist in New Zealand; or a qualification completed in New Zealand and accredited by that Board, with the same certificate. The criteria changed on 18 November 2024, and the Council refunded applicants who had applied and no longer met them.

An applicant who meets none of the five has three routes open: complete an approved program of study at an Australian or New Zealand university, complete two years of work in New Zealand, or obtain the Final Certificate. The Final Certificate follows one of the Council’s assessment pathways, listed on its getting started page. The Australian Physiotherapy Entry Pathway replaced the Standard Assessment Pathway on 1 October 2025 and, by the Council’s estimate, takes about nine months for a candidate who progresses as quickly as possible. The Express FLYR and FLYR pathways are open to physiotherapists qualified in the countries the Council lists for each.

The Council’s fact sheet lists the documents: the passport identity page, the degree certificate or a letter of completion, and an official statement of results showing every subject, the grade for each with the grading key, and confirmation that the course requirements were completed. English is evidenced by a current certificate of registration from the Physiotherapy Board of Australia with no English language exemption or condition, by an OET, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT or IELTS result that meets the Board’s standard, or by a declaration of education taught and assessed in English. Evidence of work is needed only where skilled employment is claimed for the visa or the New Zealand two-year criterion is relied on, and all employment to be claimed must be included at the time of application.

The first application is a Complete Skills Assessment. An Additional Skills Assessment adds a further qualification or work experience to an earlier one. The only review the Council offers is an internal review, which is confined to procedural matters and must be sought within 14 calendar days of the result; the fee is refunded if the review succeeds. The Council does not refund assessment fees other than in exceptional circumstances such as illness, supported by a medical certificate.