Australian Nursing Skills Assessment (ANMAC)
If you plan to apply for Australian skilled migration through a nursing-related occupation such as registered nurse, enrolled nurse or midwife, your skills assessment will usually go through ANMAC.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council is one of Australia’s assessing authorities for nursing and midwifery occupations, responsible for assessing applicants’ qualifications, registration, English and work experience for skilled migration purposes. The ANMAC website states that one of its roles is to assess the skills, qualifications and experience of overseas nurses, midwives and related health-care workers in support of their skilled migration applications.
For many applicants, the biggest misconception about ANMAC is treating it as “nursing registration”. In reality, ANMAC is not a registration body. Nursing registration normally goes through AHPRA / NMBA, while ANMAC handles skills assessment for migration purposes. This is why many applicants who are already nurses still aren’t sure whether they should sort out registration first or the skills assessment first.
Free assessment →ANMAC skills assessment best suits the following types of applicants
Put simply, if your goal is “Australian migration through a nursing occupation”, you will almost certainly need ANMAC.
Type 1: Skilled migration applicants
Applicants preparing to apply for skilled migration visas such as Subclass 189, 190 or 491 through a nursing occupation.
Type 2: Registered nurses/midwives
Applicants who already hold Australian or New Zealand registration and want their migration assessment outcome as quickly as possible.
Type 3: Overseas-trained nurses
Overseas-trained nurses who don’t yet have Australian registration but want to confirm whether their nursing background meets the migration requirements.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council primarily assesses the following occupation categories
1. Core occupations
- Registered Nurse
- Enrolled Nurse
- Midwife
2. Nursing specialisations (at ANZSCO level)
- Aged Care Nurse
- Mental Health Nurse
- Critical Care Nurse
Which “nursing-type roles” do NOT fall under ANMAC?
Many people mistakenly think the following occupations can also go through ANMAC:
- Care worker
- Nursing assistant
- Aged-care worker
- support worker
In practice these occupations fall outside ANMAC’s assessment scope. They typically go through other channels: aged care may go through VET/trades pathways, and support worker is not a mainstream skilled-migration occupation.
Modified Skills Assessment vs Full Skills Assessment
The key question with ANMAC isn’t “is it hard?”, it’s “which assessment should you take?”.
Choosing the wrong assessment pathway is one of the most common stumbling blocks in an ANMAC application. The two pathways below are aimed at applicants with different backgrounds.
Choosing the right pathway saves time and money. We can assess your background fit and recommend the most suitable ANMAC application pathway.
Talk to a consultant about the right pathway →1. Modified Skills Assessment
Suitable for nurses or midwives who are currently registered in Australia or New Zealand. The ANMAC website states explicitly that the Modified Skills Assessment is for applicants currently registered as a nurse or midwife in Australia or New Zealand.
- Current official fee: AUD 395
- Current wait before processing begins: approximately 6–8 weeks (as at June 2026)
- Who it’s for: applicants who already hold Australian/New Zealand nurse or midwife registration
The advantage of this pathway is that ANMAC does not require you to re-prove every aspect of your nursing fundamentals — because you already hold Australian or New Zealand registration, the assessment logic is comparatively more straightforward.
2. Full Skills Assessment
Suitable for applicants who don’t yet hold Australian or New Zealand registration but plan to apply for skilled migration through a nursing occupation. The ANMAC website indicates that the Full Skills Assessment requires English test results, identity documents, qualifications evidence, completion-of-examination evidence, work-experience evidence and the relevant ANZSCO occupation code.
- Current official fee: AUD 595
- Review dimensions: identity / qualifications / training / English / work experience / ANZSCO nomination
- Who it’s for: overseas-trained nurses who don’t yet hold Australian/New Zealand registration
For most overseas-trained nurses, the Full Skills Assessment is the real main pathway. It’s also where applicants most often get stuck, because the review covers more ground — especially English and qualifications/training evidence.
Criteria-Based Assessment: reviewed against each criterion
The ANMAC website states that its assessment is a criteria-based assessment — that is, reviewed against each criterion in turn. This means ANMAC does not simply look at whether you are a nurse; it looks at whether your documents can prove the following core dimensions.
Who you are
Identity verification: confirming the applicant’s identity and background consistency through identity documents, official registration records and similar evidence.
What you studied
Qualifications and training verification: reviewing whether your nursing qualifications and specialisation match the requirements of the nominated ANZSCO occupation.
Whether you completed the required training and clinical placement
Training and clinical-placement verification: reviewing whether you completed the clinical placement hours and training requirements of the relevant nursing course.
Whether you genuinely have a nursing-occupation background
Work-experience verification: reviewing total hours worked, job responsibilities, timeline and similar evidence to confirm that your nursing work experience is genuinely represented.
For the Full pathway, whether your English meets the standard
English-test verification: required only for Full Skills Assessment. Reviews IELTS / OET / TOEFL / PTE / Cambridge results.
For many applicants, the real difficulty is not an inadequate background but incomplete document preparation, or evidence that hasn’t been presented in line with ANMAC’s assessment logic.
Qualifications, training, registration and English: four core dimensions
The specific requirements for an ANMAC nursing assessment vary by assessment type, but the overall logic can be summarised in the following core sections.
1. Basic requirements
If you are applying for the Modified Skills Assessment, the key prerequisite is that you already hold Australian or New Zealand nurse or midwife registration.
- Modified pathway: must already hold Australian/New Zealand nurse or midwife registration
- Full pathway applicants typically need to submit the full document set below
If you are applying for the Full Skills Assessment, you usually need to provide: English test results / identity documents / qualifications and training evidence / completion-of-examination evidence / work-experience evidence / the ANZSCO code for your nominated occupation.
2. English requirements
The ANMAC website states that the Full Skills Assessment requires English test results that meet the standard. Accepted tests include:
- IELTS
- OET
- TOEFL iBT
- PTE Academic
- Cambridge
The ANMAC FAQ notes: from 7 August 2025, the Department of Home Affairs updated the English requirements for visa purposes; if you are planning a visa, you can’t look at ANMAC alone — you also need to check the Home Affairs English requirements for visas. If you are also focused on the registration standard, the current NMBA/AHPRA English standard took effect on 18 March 2025, and the accepted English tests and score rules have been updated as well.
Six steps to complete an ANMAC nursing assessment
From choosing the right pathway to receiving the outcome, an ANMAC nursing assessment typically goes through six key steps.
First decide whether you go Modified or Full
- This is the single most critical first step in the whole ANMAC assessment
- Already holds Australian or New Zealand registration: usually look at Modified first
- Doesn’t yet hold Australian or New Zealand registration: usually look at Full
Confirm the nominated occupation and ANZSCO code
- An ANMAC application requires the corresponding ANZSCO code
- Your occupation direction must not be left vague
- Your occupation direction directly determines your downstream migration pathway
Prepare your documents
- Typically includes identity documents, qualifications, training, registration, work-experience evidence and English test results
- If you are applying for Full, English and work-experience documents are usually where issues arise
- Document completeness directly affects processing time
Submit your application online and pay the fee
- The ANMAC website provides an online application portal
- Modified fee: AUD 395
- Full fee: AUD 595
Wait for processing and supply additional documents if needed
- ANMAC reviews all documents against the criteria
- ANMAC does not require applicants to sit any additional tests
- Conducts a criteria-based review based on the documents
Receive the outcome and use it for the migration application
- A successful outcome is typically used for skilled migration applications
- Acts as a key prerequisite for the subsequent EOI and visa lodgement
- The assessment outcome and the visa application need to be planned together end-to-end
The six-step process looks clear-cut, but each step involves a great deal of document judgement and strategic choice. We recommend confirming with a professional consultant before lodgement.
Talk to a consultant about your ANMAC plan →Side-by-side comparison of the two pathways
The information below is drawn from ANMAC’s official Modified and Full application pages. Use your own background to judge which pathway applies.
| Comparison dimension | Modified Skills Assessment | Full Skills Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Nurses/midwives who already hold Australian or New Zealand registration | Overseas-trained nurses/midwives who don’t yet hold Australian or New Zealand registration |
| English test results required? | Not normally submitted as a core requirement of this pathway | Must submit English test results that meet the standard |
| Core review focus | Current registration status, identity, qualifications and necessary work-experience evidence | Full document set: identity, qualifications, training, English, work experience and more |
| Official fee | AUD 395 | AUD 595 |
| Official wait information | Currently shown as 6–8 weeks before processing begins (as at June 2026) | The website does not give a unified start time in the search summary; it depends on the individual case |
| Which applicants it suits | People who have already completed the Australian/New Zealand registration pathway | Overseas applicants going straight to a skilled-migration assessment |
Overall cost notes for an ANMAC nursing assessment
Based on the public information currently on the ANMAC website, the official application fees for the two pathways are as follows:
| Item | Fee (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Modified Skills Assessment application fee | 395 |
| Full Skills Assessment application fee | 595 |
Fees shown are reference figures as at June 2026 — the latest officially published rates prevail.
If you take the Full pathway, the real total cost is usually more than the assessment fee itself — it may also include English test fees, preparation of qualifications/registration documents, translation and notarisation, and subsequent registration or visa-related costs.
So the real cost of a nursing assessment is not just the “ANMAC application fee” — it’s the combined cost of ANMAC assessment + English + document preparation + the downstream migration pipeline.
Talk to a consultant for an accurate budget →Four hot spots for failure/delay — make sure you steer clear in advance
The most common issue with an ANMAC assessment isn’t necessarily “completely insufficient qualifications” — much of the time it’s one of the situations below.
1. Choosing the wrong assessment type
Many people who already hold Australian registration still treat their case as a Full pathway; others without registration mistakenly assume they can go straight to Modified. Getting the pathway wrong throws the whole preparation in the wrong direction.
2. English results not meeting the standard
For the Full Skills Assessment in particular, English is a key threshold. Even if ANMAC passes, the visa stage will still apply the Home Affairs English requirements, so “assessment English” and “visa English” must be planned together.
3. Non-compliant work-experience evidence
When ANMAC requires work-experience evidence, it looks at details such as total hours worked. Many applicants have the experience but their letters aren’t in the right format, or fail to show total volume, role and timeline — which impacts points and the overall review.
4. Incomplete qualifications and clinical-placement evidence
The ANMAC document checklist summary shows that the Full Skills Assessment requires training-related evidence, including at least 120 hours of practical experience. If these details aren’t fully prepared, it easily leads to additional document requests or delays.
The real difficulty with an ANMAC nursing assessment isn’t “am I a nurse?”
The real difficulty with an ANMAC nursing assessment isn’t “am I a nurse?” — it’s:
- Should I go Modified or Full right now?
- Does my English already meet the standard?
- Will my qualifications, registration and work-experience evidence support a migration assessment?
Newstarsec can help you decide on your nursing-occupation direction, pick the right ANMAC pathway, review your document structure, and plan registration, assessment and visa steps in parallel — so you don’t end up doing them in the wrong order.
Contact a Newstarsec consultant →Why Choose Newstarsec
We focus on Australia and New Zealand study and migration, offering nursing applicants pathway assessment, document review, and parallel planning of registration and skills assessment.
Pinpoint nursing-pathway selection
Modified or Full? We pinpoint the right ANMAC pathway based on your background and goals so the direction doesn’t drift.
Professional document review
Professional review of key documents — work-experience letters, qualifications and training evidence, 120-hour clinical-placement evidence — to lift first-pass approval rates.
Parallel registration and assessment planning
AHPRA/NMBA registration and ANMAC assessment don’t conflict — we help you sequence them sensibly so nothing is duplicated or missed.
End-to-end assessment-to-visa pipeline
The ANMAC assessment is only the starting point. We also plan EOI, state nomination, English thresholds and visa English requirements so the whole pathway is joined up.
Frequently Asked Questions about ANMAC Skills Assessment
Are ANMAC and AHPRA the same thing?
No. ANMAC handles skills assessment for migration; AHPRA/NMBA handles nursing registration. Many applicants mix the two up, but their purposes and review logic are different.
I already hold Australian registration — do I still need ANMAC?
If your goal is to apply for skilled migration through a nursing occupation, you usually still need an ANMAC assessment. For those who already hold Australian or New Zealand registration, the Modified Skills Assessment normally applies.
Does the Full Skills Assessment definitely require English results?
Yes — the materials list on the ANMAC website for Full Skills Assessment explicitly includes English test results. Accepted tests are IELTS, OET, TOEFL, PTE and Cambridge.
Who is the Modified Skills Assessment for?
It’s for people currently registered as a nurse or midwife in Australia or New Zealand. The website is very clear on who this pathway applies to.
Does the ANMAC assessment look at work experience?
Yes. ANMAC’s criteria-based process includes work-experience verification. This is particularly important if you intend to use work experience for visa points — the format of the evidence matters a great deal.
How much does the ANMAC assessment cost?
The website currently shows AUD 395 for Modified Skills Assessment and AUD 595 for Full Skills Assessment.
How long does an ANMAC assessment take?
The website summary currently lists Modified Skills Assessment as 6–8 weeks before processing begins. Full processing times vary depending on documents and case-specific factors.
Should I do registration first, or the ANMAC assessment first?
It depends on your background and goals. If you are already on the Australian registration pathway, Modified usually fits better afterwards; if you don’t yet have Australian registration and your goal is to plan skilled migration first, you usually look at Full first. The key isn’t a fixed order — it’s simply not lumping registration and migration assessment together as one step.
Nursing-pathway assessment + registration + migration plan — all planned in one go
Whether you already hold Australian/New Zealand registration or you’re still preparing overseas, professional ANMAC pathway selection significantly lifts first-pass approval rates and lays out registration and visa English thresholds clearly together.
Free ANMAC assessment now →
