Skill Level: 1 | Assessing Authority: OTC
Internationally qualified occupational therapists wishing to migrate to and practise in Australia must have their skills assessed by the Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Ltd (OTC) in order to apply for registration with the Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) to practise as an occupational therapist in Australia.
Job description
Assesses functional limitations of people resulting from illnesses and disabilities and provides therapy to enable people to perform their daily activities and occupations. Registration or licensing is required.
Tasks Include:
- assessing clients’ emotional, psychological, developmental and physical capabilities using clinical observations and standardised tests
- assessing clients’ functional potential in their home, leisure, work and school environments, and recommending environmental adaptations to maximise their performance
- planning and directing programs through the use of vocational, recreational, remedial, social and educational activities on an individual and group basis
- providing advice to family members, carers, employers and teachers about adapting clients’ home, leisure, work and school environments
- providing adaptive equipment, such as wheelchairs and splints, to assist clients to overcome their functional limitations
- working with other Health Professionals in overall case management of clients
- working with other professionals in providing specialist advice to specific client groups such as those requiring driver rehabilitation, third-party compensation and medico-legal representation
- recording clients’ progress and maintaining professional relationships in accordance with relevant legislative requirements and ethical guidelines
Skills Assessment
Internationally qualified occupational therapists wishing to migrate to and practise in Australia must have their skills assessed by the Occupational Therapy Council of Australia (OTC) in order to apply for registration with the Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) to practise as an occupational therapist in Australia. The skills assessment process consists of two steps:
- Stage 1: Desktop assessment and
- Stage 2: Supervised practice audit
Stage 1 Desktop Assessment
Is a skill assessment step that assesses your qualifications and English language proficiency.
Qualification Requirements
The applicant must demonstrate successful completion of a tertiary education programme leading to an award in occupational therapy undergraduate or graduate entry. This programme must:
- have been accredited by the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) at the time of graduation.
- be comparable to an Australian Bachelor or Graduate Entry master’s degree in accordance with Country Education Profiles produced by Australian Government, Department of Education and Training.
English Language Requirements
The applicant must submit evidence to demonstrate sufficient English language skills to work as an occupational therapist in an English-speaking environment. Applicants applying for skilled migration or registration to practise in Australia must demonstrate their English language competency in one of the following ways:
- The applicant’s primary language is English, and they have completed their primary and secondary education and tertiary qualifications in English in a recognised country; or
- That the applicant has a combination of secondary and tertiary qualifications, with at least two years of secondary school taught and graded in English in a recognized country and tertiary qualifications taught and graded only in English; or
- The applicant has taken and finished at least six years of continuous schooling taught and tested in English in any country that is recognized; or
- Completion of an English Language Test with the IETLS – minimum overall score of 7.0 or another equivalent test (PTE Academic, OET, TOEFL iBT)
Stage 2: Supervised Practice Audit
The applicant is required to have completed a minimum of three months of full-time equivalent supervised practising, either through volunteer work or paid employment in a relevant field.
Documents Requirements
The following is a summary of the documentation list that you need in order to submit your application for the skill assessment. Please visit OTC for a comprehensive list of all of the document requirements. Documents in a language other than English have to be translated by a professional translator first.
- Passport and passport photo
- Proof of identity, including a national ID or driver’s license
- qualification certificate and academic transcript.
- employment evidence, including an employment letter, payslips, tax return and superannuation.
Skill Assessment Agency Services
Most of the evidence documentation required for your skills assessment is also required for your visa application. Ozlinks Education is an agency that can assist you in understanding and meeting the skill assessment criteria, giving you the best chance of a positive result. Click here to learn more about how our agency service can assist you.
Skill Assessment Assistance
