Prepare your RPL portfolio/RPL evidence guides
Skills Assessment
VETASSESS & ACWA Skills Assessment (VETASSESS / ACWA) — RPL Evidence Portfolio Guide
Migration skills assessment for community, health and social welfare occupations
How to build an evidence file that satisfies VETASSESS or ACWA for community, welfare, disability, aged care and allied health support occupations.
Last updated 7 September 2026
Who this guide is for
- Community, welfare and social workers applying for a skilled visa or state nomination
- Disability, aged care and home care workers moving into a recognised occupation
- Overseas-qualified health and community professionals needing a qualification comparison
- Candidates whose CHC qualification is complete but whose employment evidence is not organised
What the assessor expects to see
To satisfy independent RTO assessment criteria, submit Document-based file — no site photos required and No video clips required.
Every claimed employment period needs at least two independent documents. Paid work of at least 20 hours per week is the minimum the assessors recognise.
Bundle A — Identity and name history
Mandatory- Passport bio page
- Birth certificate plus certified translation where needed
- Marriage certificate or deed poll for name changes
- Outcomes of any previous skills assessments
Bundle B — Qualifications
Mandatory- Award certificate or testamur plus translation
- Full academic transcript
- Subject or unit outlines for the qualification
- CHC statements of attainment showing the RTO code
Bundle C — Employment evidence (core)
Mandatory- Reference on letterhead with dates, hours, title and duties
- Referee signature, name, position and contact details
- Payslips, bank statements or PAYG covering the same period
- Contract, position description or roster for the role
Bundle D — Registration, screening and licences
3 to 4 tasks- NDIS Worker Screening clearance
- Working With Children Check
- AHPRA or overseas equivalent registration
- First aid, CPR, medication or manual handling certificates
Bundle E — Self-employment
3 to 4 tasks- Business registration plus tax returns
- Client contracts
- Invoices matched to bank deposits
- Statutory declaration describing your duties
2. Acceptable vs unacceptable visual evidence
Acceptable evidence (do this)
Unacceptable evidence (avoid this)
3. Supporting documents checklist
- Passport plus certified translations
- All award certificates plus full transcripts
- Subject or unit outlines
- References on letterhead for every claimed period
- Payslips, bank statements and tax records for the same periods
- Contracts and position descriptions
- NDIS Worker Screening and Working With Children Check
- Professional registration certificates
- CV in reverse-chronological order with no unexplained gaps
- Application form plus fee receipt
4. How to organise and submit your portfolio
1. Confirm the right authority
Check whether your occupation sits with ACWA or VETASSESS, and confirm the ANZSCO code before you collect anything.
2. Map your career to the occupation
Line up each role against the nominated occupation's skill level and duties.
3. Close employment gaps
Fill any undocumented periods with references and payment evidence — gaps stall assessments.
4. Certify, translate and scan
Certify documents, arrange NAATI translations, and scan in colour — one PDF per document.
5. Run a consistency pass
Check names, dates, titles and hours match across every file before lodgement.
6. Lodge and stay reachable
Lodge the application and stay contactable — assessors commonly ring referees to verify claims.
5. Why portfolios get sent back
- Work assessed at a lower skill level than the nominated occupation
- References describe the workplace rather than your personal duties
- No payment evidence for claimed employment
- Qualification assessed below the level the occupation requires
- Duties copied word-for-word from the ANZSCO description
- Uncertified or non-recognised translations
- Referee cannot be reached to verify your claims
6. Questions we get asked
VETASSESS or ACWA — which one applies to me?
It depends on the occupation you nominate, not on where you studied. ACWA assesses welfare, community and social welfare worker occupations. VETASSESS assesses the wider set of community, health and support occupations. We check the current occupation lists with you before you lodge.
Does my CHC qualification count?
An Australian CHC qualification is strong evidence of the training component, and for several occupations it is the expected qualification. It does not on its own satisfy the employment requirement — you still need paid, documented work at the right level.
Is unpaid placement or volunteering counted?
No. Both authorities count paid employment only, generally at least 20 hours per week. Placement hours support your qualification, not your employment claim.
How long does an assessment take?
Plan for several months from lodgement, longer if the authority asks for further information. Getting the file right the first time is the only reliable way to shorten it.
What does Skills Connect actually do?
We prepare and review your evidence, identify the gaps and organise the file to the authority's format. VETASSESS and ACWA make the decision — we are not an assessing authority and we do not provide migration advice, which must come from a registered migration agent or lawyer.
Not sure your evidence is strong enough?
Take the free skills check, or book a call and we'll review what you already have before you spend weeks collecting the wrong things.
See Industries for qualification, licence and visa outcomes.
Skills Connect (EDUTEK PTY LTD) prepares and reviews RPL evidence. Assessment and certification are carried out by an independent registered training organisation or assessing authority.
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