Skills and Competency Assessments
Watch 'Engaging speech pathologists from overseas in your practice.
Speech Pathology Australia (the Association) is recognised as the national professional standards organisation for speech pathologists in Australia. The Association is also recognised by the Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs as the assessing authority for speech pathologists intending to apply for skilled migration to Australia.
Information on employing overseas speech pathologists can be found in the Speak Out article, Employing overseas qualified speech pathologists 
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Additional information is available by watching the Professional Practice Collaborative: Engaging speech pathologists from overseas in your practice.
Australian Governments Migrant Skills Incentives 
Speech Pathology Australia is participating in the Australian Governments Migrant Skills Incentives. This incentive waives the application fee for eligible individuals. Eligible individuals will also have their applications assessed promptly (in around 15 days) once all the relevant documentation and evidence has been received.
An eligible individual:
- must be residing in Australia at the time you submit your application
- must be in Australia on a permanent family, partner, humanitarian or refugee visa that was granted on or after 1 January 2019
- have not previously undergone an assessment from Speech Pathology Australia
- are required to submit your application on or after 28 February 2022.
If you are eligible and receive a favourable assessment outcome the Australian Government may ask you to complete a short survey about your employment outcomes 6 and 12 months following the assessment.
For further information about the incentive please read the Australian Government’s Incentive 2 - Skills Assessment Opportunities for Migrants Fact Sheet.
Overseas Trained Speech Pathologists
There are two types of application that you may make. These are:
Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) Application
To be eligible to apply you must hold certification from or have membership of one of the signatory MRA Associations. You must also have completed your professional education to become a speech pathologist in a country that is signatory to the MRA Agreement as below.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) – Certificate of Clinical Competence– Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)
- Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC) – Certified Speech-Language Pathologist (S-LP(C))
- Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT) – Certified Member (Cert MRCSLT)
- Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT) – Full Member
- New Zealand Speech-Language Therapists’ Association (NZSTA) – Full Member (with the exception of those who graduated before 1993, who are not eligible to apply under this agreement).
View more information about the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA).
Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) Application Form .
Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) Guide for Applicants .
View a copy of the Mutual Recognition Agreement .
Overseas Qualification Competency Assessment Application
If you are not eligible to submit a MRA Application (see above) and have the evidence to demonstrate your competence as a speech pathologist, you should complete the Overseas Qualification Competency Assessment.
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Speech Pathology Australia is providing advance notice to Overseas Qualified applicants with regard to planned changes to assessment standards from 2023. All potential applicants are advised to consult the website prior to preparing and submitting an application.
The Association will ensure that any changes to the assessment standards will not disadvantage applicants already in the process of being assessed.
Notice added February 2022.
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View more information about the Overseas Qualification Competency Assessment (OSQCA).
Overseas Qualification Competency Assessment Application Form
Overseas Qualification Competency Assessment Guide for Applicants
Overseas Qualification Competency Assessment Application Forms – Identifying Evidence
Document change record .
Please note you are advised to refer to the web version of the Overseas Qualification Competency Assessment Guide. Printing a hard copy version is not recommended. You must submit your portfolio based on the criteria that is on the web at the time of submission. Any major changes to requirements will be communicated to all applicants as appropriate.
You MUST read the guidelines that refer to your application.
You must be eligible for Certified Practising membership of Speech Pathology Australia to work in most organisations in Australia.
To be eligible for Certified Practising membership you MUST demonstrate that:
Overseas Trained Speech Pathologists Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (CPSP) requirements .
Further information regarding Immigration and the use of a registered Migration Agent can be obtained from the Department of Home Affairs.
Travelling to Australia for the purposes of work prior to your application being accepted is NOT recommended.
Competency Based Occupational Standards
The Competency Based Occupational Standards for Speech Pathologists – Entry Level (CBOS) describe the core competencies of speech pathologists working in Australia. CBOS outlines the standards against which the qualifications and competence of overseas applicants are assessed.
Some applicants depending upon their year of qualification or country of professional education will be required to provide additional evidence of competency with Dysphagia management.
View the Compass Generic Professional Competencies .
View the Dysphagia Clinical Guidelines .
Competent Professional Use of English
The Association is keen to increase the number of languages in which competent clinical practice is available, but this does not replace or remove the requirement for competent professional use of English.
Applicants are exempt from providing evidence of English testing if they hold an entry level speech pathology qualification conducted in English from a university in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America, or the Republic of Ireland.
If any aspect of an application raises concerns about an applicant’s English language competence, they will be asked for additional information about their competence in English or directed to complete the Occupational English Test (OET) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), even if they have indicated that their dominant language is English.
All other applicants will need to provide evidence of successfully completing the OET or IELTS.
Australian Trained Speech Pathologists
Australian trained Speech Pathologists with Australian Qualifications requiring a Skills Assessment for Migration must complete an Application for Skills Assessment for Migration Purposes Form .
If you have Australian qualifications and are considering working overseas please read this information:
- The Mutual Recognition of Professional Associations Credentials (MRA) has been developed to facilitate Australian and overseas trained speech pathologists gain membership of signatory Associations. The purpose of the MRA is to foster international collaboration and streamline processes. View further information about the Mutual Recognition of Professional Associations Credentials. Please note some countries with licensure/regulatory bodies have additional requirements that you have to satisfy to be able to work. Membership of the country’s Association is not a permit or approval to work. Ensure you research the requirements for the state/province of the country you wish to work.