The Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Council is preparing a significant change to its Skilled Migration Services. A new application portal will be introduced alongside a redesigned assessment structure and updated fees.
The new arrangements are expected to take effect later in 2026. Until the new portal launches, applicants can continue using the current application process and existing assessment services.
Five New Assessment Options
One of the biggest changes is the way assessment services will be named and structured.
Instead of relying on the existing Modified, Full and Direct Care pathways, the new structure introduces Essential, Essential Plus, Comprehensive, Care and Care Plus.
| New Assessment | Who Is It For? | What It Assesses | New Fee (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Nurses or midwives currently registered in Australia | Qualifications only | $395 |
| Essential Plus | Nurses or midwives registered in Australia or New Zealand who also need their work experience assessed | Qualifications + Work Experience | $495 |
| Comprehensive | Eligible nurses or midwives registered in an approved overseas country who do not currently hold Australian or New Zealand registration | Comprehensive Skills Assessment | $695 |
| Care | Applicants under the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (ACILA) | Qualification or Work Experience | $545 |
| Care Plus | Applicants under ACILA and Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) pathways | Qualification + Work Experience | $645 |
The new structure makes a clearer distinction between applicants who only need their qualifications assessed and those who also want work experience included in the assessment.
How This Compares With the Current System
At present, the existing assessment structure remains available:
| Current Assessment | Current Fee (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Modified Skills Assessment | $395 |
| Direct Care Skills Assessment | $545 |
| Full Skills Assessment | $595 |
| GradReady Skills Assessment | $395 |
The future structure is not simply a change of names. Some services are being split depending on what needs to be assessed.
For example, a nurse or midwife with Australian registration who only needs a qualification assessment would use Essential, while an applicant who also needs relevant employment assessed would use Essential Plus.
Similarly, direct care assessments will be separated into Care and Care Plus, depending on the migration arrangement and whether qualification, employment, or both need to be assessed.
Essential and Essential Plus
The new Essential assessment is intended for nurses and midwives who are currently registered in Australia and need their qualifications assessed for migration purposes. The announced fee is $395.
Essential Plus adds a work-experience assessment. It is intended for eligible nurses and midwives registered in Australia or New Zealand who need both their qualifications and employment history assessed. The fee will be $495.
This distinction is important for applicants who want relevant skilled employment considered as part of their assessment rather than only their qualification.
Comprehensive Assessment
The new Comprehensive service is intended for eligible nurses and midwives who are registered in an approved overseas country but do not currently hold Australian or New Zealand registration.
The announced fee is $695.
Under the current system, eligible overseas-registered nurses and midwives may use the Full Skills Assessment, which presently costs $595. The new Comprehensive service therefore represents a $100 increase compared with the current Full assessment fee.
Care and Care Plus
The new structure also separates direct care assessments into two services.
Care will cost $545 and is intended for applicants under the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement (ACILA) where either the qualification or work experience needs to be assessed.
Care Plus will cost $645 and covers applicants under ACILA and Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) arrangements where both qualifications and work experience need to be assessed.
This gives applicants a clearer assessment option based on the evidence required for their migration pathway.
What About GradReady?
GradReady currently exists as a separate skills assessment pathway for eligible recent Australian nursing and midwifery graduates.
The new assessment structure announced so far lists Essential, Essential Plus, Comprehensive, Care and Care Plus. GradReady is not shown among these five new assessment names.
Applicants planning to use GradReady should therefore check the transition information released with the new portal before lodging rather than assuming how that pathway will operate after the change.
A New Skilled Migration Portal Is Coming
The assessment changes will be introduced alongside a new Skilled Migration Services portal.
The new system is expected to launch later this year, but an exact commencement date has not yet been confirmed.
Until then, applicants can continue to:
- use the current application process
- lodge through the existing portal
- select from the current assessment services
- pay the current applicable fee
Once the new portal launches, applicants will need to use the new assessment names and fee structure.
Anyone preparing an application close to the transition should check the live portal before paying, as the applicable service will depend on which system is operating at the time of lodgement.
Should You Apply Before the New Portal Launches?
Applicants who already meet the current assessment requirements and have their documents ready can still apply through the existing process before the new portal goes live.
For some applicants, timing may make a difference to the fee. For example, the current Full Skills Assessment costs $595, while the announced Comprehensive Assessment will cost $695.
However, an application should not be rushed simply to lodge before the transition. Registration, qualifications, work experience and supporting documents should first meet the requirements of the assessment being selected.
Skills Assessment and AHPRA Registration Are Separate
A migration skills assessment should not be confused with professional nursing or midwifery registration.
The assessment is used for Australian migration purposes, while registration to practise as a nurse or midwife is managed separately through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and AHPRA.
A positive skills assessment also does not guarantee a visa. Visa eligibility and any migration points are considered separately by the Department of Home Affairs.
Preparing for the New System
If you are planning a nursing, midwifery or direct care skills assessment, the upcoming transition makes it particularly important to confirm which assessment applies, whether work experience needs to be included, and which fee is in effect when you lodge.
Think Higher Consultants can help review your registration, nominated occupation, qualifications, employment evidence and supporting documents before submission.
Until the new portal launches, the current application process remains available. Once the transition takes place, applicants will move to the new Essential, Essential Plus, Comprehensive, Care and Care Plus assessment structure.
