Effective 1 September 2024, Engineers Australia has updated its approach to migration skills assessments for individuals with advanced diploma or associate degree qualifications from Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).
Key changes
- Only qualifications accredited under the Dublin Accord (such as specific associate degrees or advanced diplomas) are now eligible for the accredited pathway.
- Applicants without an accredited qualification must now apply through the Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway, which assesses individual competencies based on knowledge, skills and experience.
Interim arrangement
Engineers Australia has implemented an interim solution to the Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway for holders of non-accredited qualifications, specifically those seeking the occupation of Civil Engineering Draftsperson. This solution only applies for previous and current students. This solution will not be available after December 2026.
If you hold a non-accredited advanced diploma or associate degree qualification (enrolled in or completed your program prior to 1 September 2024) and wish to apply for the occupation of Civil Engineering Draftsperson for migration purposes only, you may now submit your applications via MSA CDR pathway.
In addition to the documentation described on MSA page, these changes require:
- two of the three career episodes to satisfactorily demonstrate competencies as civil engineering draftsperson based on:
- engagement with professional practice (which may include a combination of engineering work placement and simulated activities), and
- a major (capstone) engineering project (to be submitted with your application, including the assessment rubric).
- additional documentation if your qualification includes a recognised prior learning (RPL) component. You’ll need to submit documents that demonstrate:
- the modules that you obtained credit for, the qualification that was used as the basis of this credit and the detailed assessment the RTO undertook to grant the credit.
For enquiries, contact our Customer Engagement team.
What this means for students
We understand this change affects students who enrolled before 1 September 2024. The interim arrangement could provide those affected a suitable MSA outcome letter for migration purposes only, subject to a successful assessment outcome.
This interim arrangement is only available to previous or current students who enrolled in or completed their program prior to 1 September 2024.
Program accreditation for RTOs
To help address the change, Engineers Australia has streamlined the program accreditation process, targeting completion within eight months of application.
Programs may receive provisional accreditation if there are no graduates available for review. Full accreditation can be granted after a formal review involving at least five graduates and assessment of their final-year work.
Provisionally accredited programs strengthen the quality of CDR-based assessments and provide greater confidence to assessors.
Support available
Engineers Australia will run a series of webinars to guide RTOs through the accreditation process. Dates and registration details will be announced shortly.
Key documents for RTOs include: