Skilled Visa Document Checklist — documents that may need certified translation
Points-tested skilled applications are audited claim by claim. Every point you claim — age, English, experience, qualifications, partner skills — must be evidenced by a document that was valid on the date you were invited. Always check homeaffairs.gov.au for the latest requirements specific to your visa.
Important
This checklist is general guidance only. Not all documents listed will be required for every application. Requirements vary depending on your individual circumstances, the specific visa subclass, and the Department of Home Affairs' current requirements. Always verify the requirements at homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging your application.
What decision-makers focus on in Skilled applications
Points must be provable at invitation date
Age, English and experience are frozen at the date of invitation — evidence has to support the claim as at that date.
Skilled employment, precisely dated
Only work that is closely related to the nominated occupation and properly evidenced counts.
Assessment currency
A skills assessment has a validity period; an expired one cannot support the application.
Timing and sequence cautions
- Order the skills assessment first — everything downstream depends on it.
- Check the validity dates of both the skills assessment and the English test before accepting an invitation.
- Police certificates ordered too early can expire before a decision is made.
Common mistakes in Skilled files
- Claiming points for experience the skills assessment did not recognise as skilled.
- Gaps in payroll evidence for a period claimed as full-time.
- Partner points claimed without a partner skills assessment.
- Foreign transcripts and references submitted untranslated to either the assessing authority or Home Affairs.
Which Documents May Need NAATI-Certified Translation?
Assessing authorities such as VETASSESS, Engineers Australia, ACS, TRA and AHPRA and Home Affairs both require certified English translations of non-English transcripts, award certificates, references and payroll records — often as separate submissions of the same documents.
- Qualifications submitted to the assessing authority
- Academic transcripts
- Employment references covering every claimed period
- Payslips, tax returns or superannuation records supporting each role
- Partner's skills assessment and English results, if claiming partner points
- Evidence of residence in a designated regional area, where claimed
- Regional relative sponsorship evidence, where relevant
- Birth certificate
- Marriage or de facto evidence for included partners
- Children's birth certificates
- Police clearances for each country lived in 12 months or more over the last 10 years
- Military discharge papers where applicable
- Court records for disclosed matters
Trans Lingo provides NAATI-certified translations from $59 per page, delivered within 24 hours.
Save or Print This Checklist
You can print this page or save it to your device to help you prepare your documents.
Related Guides
Skilled Visas overview
Full category guide and document list.
Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent
Points-tested independent skilled visa.
Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated
State or territory nominated skilled visa.
Birth Certificate Translation
NAATI-certified, from $59.
Frequently Asked Questions
This checklist is general guidance for documents commonly used in Skilled applications. Not every document will apply to every applicant. Always check homeaffairs.gov.au for the latest requirements.
Section A — Skills assessment
The gateway document for the whole application.
- Positive skills assessment from the relevant authorityNot usually required
- Qualifications submitted to the assessing authorityTranslation required
- Academic transcriptsTranslation required
- Assessment of relevant work experience where issued separatelyMay need translation
Section B — Points claims
- English test results at the level claimedNot usually required
- Employment references covering every claimed periodTranslation required
- Payslips, tax returns or superannuation records supporting each roleTranslation required
- Partner's skills assessment and English results, if claiming partner pointsTranslation required
- Professional Year or NAATI credential evidence, if claimedNot usually required
Section C — State or regional nomination
- State or territory nomination approvalNot usually required
- Commitment or residence statement required by the nominating stateNot usually required
- Evidence of residence in a designated regional area, where claimedTranslation required
- Regional relative sponsorship evidence, where relevantTranslation required
Section D — Identity and family
- Passport bio-data pageMay need translation
- Birth certificateTranslation required
- Marriage or de facto evidence for included partnersTranslation required
- Children's birth certificatesTranslation required
Section E — Character and health
- Police clearances for each country lived in 12 months or more over the last 10 yearsTranslation required
- Military discharge papers where applicableTranslation required
- Health examinations after referralNot usually required
- Court records for disclosed mattersTranslation required
This checklist is general guidance only and is not legal advice. Requirements vary by visa subclass and individual circumstances. Always verify the current requirements at homeaffairs.gov.au before lodging your application.