Eligibility
To be eligible for a skills assessment for migration purposes, you must be able to answer YES to the following questions:
- Is your qualification on the list of qualifications generally recognised by AVBC?
- Do you have FULL registration (without conditions) with an Australian state or territory veterinary registration board?
- Do you meet AVBC’s English language standards?
Preparing your application
You must provide supporting documents that meet specific standards with your application. Download our supporting evidence checklist to ensure you have everything ready to apply.
Supporting Document Requirements
Your documents must meet the following requirements:
- Colour scan of the ORIGINAL document (not certified copies), no black and white documents will be accepted unless the original document is black and white.
- Resolution: >300dpi please check the resolution of your documents prior to submission.
- Include all edges and corners
- All text must be readable
- Have visible security features (such as the issuing authority’s official stamp, seal, signatures, hologram etc)
- .pdf format
- Each document must be provided in a separate pdf.
- Where a document has more than one page and/or side, please ensure all pages and sides are scanned and combined into the one file.
- Name each file with the content and your SURNAME. For example, ApplicationformSMITH.pdf, PassportSMITH.pdf, TranscriptSMITH.pdf
- Compressed files (eg .zip) will not be accepted
Your assessment will be delayed if your documents do not meet the above requirements and, in all cases, the AVBC reserves the right to request to see the original document(s).
Digital documents and My eQuals
Some official documents that have been issued digitally may not meet our resolution standards. In these cases, the applicant must ensure that AVBC can verify these documents; this means providing AVBC with any relevant weblinks and passwords
Graduates of Australian veterinary schools can share official documents with AVBC through the My eQuals platform.
Overseas graduates may need to organise for the issuing authority of these documents to contact AVBC directly (skills@avbc.asn.au) in order to verify their authenticity.
For Higher Education Degree Datacheck (HEDD) please complete and submit the HEDD consent form
Passport photo requirements
You are required to provide two copies of a colour passport photograph, taken within the past twelve months:
- A colour scan of the original photo at a resolution of >300dpi/ppi
- A colour scan of a page including a copy of the same photo together with a certifier’s signature.
When taking your passport photograph please make sure:
- It has a plain white or light grey background that contrasts with your face
- There is uniform lighting (no shadows or reflections), with appropriate brightness and contrast to show natural skin tone
- Your face is centred and looking at the camera straight on; not tilted in any direction
- Your hair is off your face, so that the edges of your face are visible
- Your eyes are open, mouth closed
- You have a neutral expression (not smiling, laughing or frowning)
Follow these steps to prepare the certified photo document:
- Create a single-page document with a colour photocopy of your passport photo at the top of the page.
- Beneath the photograph, request a person who is eligible to certify documents to certify that “This is a true photo of [you]”
- Ensure that your certifier has included a legible signature, with the following detailed written or stamped:
- name
- personal or professional address, and
- qualification as an authorised certifier.
- Scan the entire page in colour, at >300dpi
Assessment of a PhD and/or Work Experience
If you wish to have your PhD and/or work experience assessed in addition to your qualifications, you will need to ensure that you have the appropriate supporting documents ready.
If you are unsure whether this is required for your visa, please check the relevant page on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Supporting Documents for a PhD Qualification
All supporting documents must meet the criteria outlined above. You must provide:
- A colour scan of your original postgraduate qualification (PhD) in the original language and an English translation if required.
- A colour scan of the original full academic transcript from the institution which awarded the PhD
- A copy of your thesis and peer reviewed publication list.
You may also send other evidence to support your case, such as a thesis and peer reviewed publication list.
Supporting Documents for Work Experience
You will need to provide the following:
A professional employment summary statement
This is a chronological summary of the work experience that you wish to have assessed. Click here for an example employment summary template. For each position listed, please clearly state the following:
- Dates of each period of employment
- Whether full-time or part-time
- If part-time, state the average number of hours worked per week; if your current or recent employment is part-time work you must provide a minimum of three-months payslips to evidence average weekly hours.
- If locum or casual work click here for the skills assessment checklist and scroll down to work experience
- Name, address and contact details of the employer;
- Nature of the business;
- Job title;
- Detailed description of duties performed; and
- A list of the evidence provided to support that claim of work experience.
Evidence
Applicants must provide evidence to support each claim of professional employment experience. For example:
- contract(s) of employment;
- sample payslips;
- taxation documents, etc.
References
You must provide TWO different signed and dated references attesting to your professional competence,
- It is not acceptable to provide a reference that makes no comment on your competence as a veterinarian. If references are based on a skills matrix, please provide a copy of the matrix.
- These references must be from past or present veterinary employers or, if you are a new graduate, from your clinical placements.
- References must be provided on the official letterhead of the person, company or government department providing the reference. The letterhead should clearly indicate the full address of the person or company, any telephone and fax numbers, and email and website addresses.
- References must have the name and position of the person who signs the reference typed or stamped below that person’s signature.
Using a migration agent
AVBC normally deals directly with applicants seeking an assessment of their qualifications. Australia’s privacy legislation prohibits AVBC from discussing your application with other people (i.e. a third party) unless you authorise us to do so. If you want someone such as a family member, registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or “exempt person” to deal with AVBC on your behalf, you need to attach a letter or form signed by you authorising this person (by name) to act as your agent.
Download Form No. 956 from the Department of Home affairs website.
The Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs advise that only certain people can help with visa applications. This help is called immigration assistance.
Immigration assistance is when a person uses knowledge of, or experience in, migration procedure to assist with visa applications or other visa matters by:
- preparing, or helping to prepare a visa application or other document
- advising about a visa application or visa matter
- representing in, or preparing for, proceedings before a court or review authority in relation to a visa matter.
If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance, they must be a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or an “exempt person”. For more information on who can help you with your application, refer to the Department of Home Affairs website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Supporting Documents
What if I cannot provide a colour scan of the ORIGINAL document?
Under these circumstances you must provide a colour scan of the document which has been certified as a copy of the original and scanned at >300dpi.
What is a certified copy?
A certified copy of an original is clearly authorised as a true copy of the original by an appropriate person.
A person on the list of authorised witnesses is generally acceptable to the AVBC to certify a document. They include Justices of the Peace (JP), Notaries public, legal practitioners, veterinarians and admissions officers of all Australian universities.
To have your copies certified you will need to present both the original and the copy of each document to the person certifying the copies.
Each copy of the document must be certified separately and must indicate:
- the words “certified true copy of the original”.
- the signature of the certifying officer.
- the name and address, and provider/registration number (where applicable) of the certifying officer legibly printed below the signature.
- the certifier’s email address and telephone number.
From the details provided, it must be possible for AVBC to contact the certifying officer if necessary.
What if my documents are not in English?
If your supporting documents are written in a language other than English, you must provide:
- All supporting documents in the original language; and
- Official English translated versions of all documents.
The translations must be included in the .pdf file for the documents to which they refer (extract translations will not be accepted).
All scanned documents (both in the original language and translated) must meet the supporting document requirements, as set out in Section 2.
Please note that AVBC reserves the right to request applicants to provide translations completed by a translator in Australia, accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
What if I can’t send all of my documents in one email?
If you cannot attach all of your documents in one email, send separate emails. However, please let us know how many separate emails you are sending. Contact comms@avbc.asn.au if you have difficulties emailing your supporting document.
What if I want to use an agent?
AVBC normally deals directly with applicants seeking an assessment of their qualifications. Australia’s privacy legislation prohibits AVBC from discussing your application with other people (i.e. a third party) unless you authorise us to do so. If you want someone, such as a family member, registered migration agent, a legal practitioner or an “exempt person” to deal with AVBC on your behalf, you need to attach a letter or form signed by you authorising this person (by name) to act as your agent. A relevant form (No. 956) is available for download from the Department of Home affairs website here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/form-listing/forms/956.pdf
The Assessment Process
What happens next after you receive my application?
We will acknowledge receipt of your application by email. If we are satisfied that your application is complete, we will process the payment of your application and complete the assessment. Once payment has been taken, we can issue an AVBC file reference number. Your Skills Assessment will be emailed to you upon completion.
What if there are any issues with my application?
If there are any problems with your application form or any of your supporting documents, we will be in touch by email to let you know, with guidance on how to resolve any issues.
Can I ask for my assessment to be reviewed?
If you disagree with the assessment once it has been provided, you may request a review. Your request must be in writing and a review fee will be required. Your request for a review should include the reasons why you disagree with the assessment and any supplementary information or documents that you consider support your claim. For further information about the review process you should contact skills@avbc.asn.au
How long will the assessment take?
An assessment of your qualifications may take up to six weeks to process. Processing of your skills assessment application will be delayed if your application is incomplete.
I have previously obtained Skills Assessment, how do I apply for a Renewal?
If you have previously obtained a Skills Assessment from AVBC, but wish to update your work experience or other details, you may apply for a Skills Assessment Renewal.
Download the checklist of required documents here.
Apply now via the Application Portal.
Further Questions
Please refer back to this website for updates or contact the AVBC via email: skills@avbc.asn.au