The COTRB is approved by the Australian Government’s National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) and gazetted by the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship as the relevant assessing authority to provide assessment of qualifications of overseas educated occupational therapists for migration purposes and suitability to practise in Australia.
The Overseas Qualifications Assessment Committee (“OQAC”) of the COTRB is responsible for the administration of the assessment procedures and will liaise with Registration Boards, OT Australia and others as required.
The OQAC assesses your eligibility by checking that you are recognised as an occupational therapist in your country of origin or education, and that your professional education is of a standard that would adequately prepare you for practice in Australia.
Occupational Therapists will need to apply for an assessment of their qualifications if they are:
- Living overseas and have overseas qualifications and wish to migrate
- Living overseas and have overseas qualifications and are coming to Australia for a working holiday
- Living in Australia and have overseas qualifications and are not registered in Australia or New Zealand
- Studying in Australia and have Australian qualifications and wish to migrate
- Registered in New Zealand or have New Zealand qualifications and wish to be a permanent resident of Australia
Living overseas and have overseas qualifications and wish to migrate
If you live overseas and are an occupational therapist and you intend to migrate and work in this profession in Australia, you should first contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. Information relating to the general skilled migration program, including requirements for assessment of skills and qualifications, is available in the General Skilled Migration booklet. This can be obtained from the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate or from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) at
www.immi.gov.au.
Note : The COTRB does not provide information about how to migrate or on the allocation of points under the skilled migration program.
Living overseas and have overseas qualifications and are coming to Australia for a working holiday
If you live overseas, are an occupational therapist and you intend to come to Australia for a working holiday as an occupational therapist, you should seek information on obtaining a working holiday visa from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) at
www.immi.gov.au.
If assessed as suitable for practice in Australia (upon successful completion of Stage I - Desk Top Audit) a Stage II Practice Audit is not required to be undertaken in Australia (with the exception of registration in Western Australia). Registration may have conditions imposed by the other States and Territories with registration requirements and you should contact those Registration Boards for further information.
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Living in Australia and have overseas qualifications and are not registered in Australia or New Zealand
If you live in Australia, and hold occupational therapy qualifications gained overseas you may, if you wish, apply to COTRB for recognition of your qualifications in Australia. This would apply to persons applying for registration in Australia.
Studying in Australia and have Australian qualifications and wish to migrate
If you are studying in Australia, have recognised Australian qualifications and wish to migrate, you should
apply to COTRB for recognition of your qualifications in Australia under a
Modified Desktop Assessment.
Registered in New Zealand or have New Zealand qualifications and wish to be a permanent resident of Australia
Persons registered in New Zealand not seeking permanent residency in Australia and who hold an annual practising certificate may apply for registration in South Australia, Queensland or the Northern Territory under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Act and membership of OT Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory and thus are able to practise in Australia without undergoing this assessment.
Persons with COTRB recognised New Zealand qualifications and/or registered in New Zealand will be eligible for a
Modified Desktop Assessment if they are seeking permanent residency in Australia.
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