Subclass 189, 190, 491
NAATI certified translations for Australian skilled migration and skills assessment
Skilled migration involves two separate document reviews: the assessing authority for your occupation examines qualifications and employment history first, and the department then reviews the same evidence for the visa. Each body publishes its own document rules, so the safest approach is to prepare one complete, consistent translated set.
Short answer
Qualifications, transcripts, employment references, payslips, tax records and professional licences that are not in English must be accompanied by an English translation. Assessing authorities such as VETASSESS, ACS, Engineers Australia, AITSL, ANMAC, AHPRA and TRA each publish their own translation requirements, and the department applies the NAATI standard to translations produced inside Australia.
Who this applies to
- Points-tested applicants for subclass 189, 190 and 491
- Applicants preparing a skills assessment before invitation
- Professionals seeking registration in a regulated occupation
- Applicants claiming points for overseas employment experience
Documents that usually need translating
| Group | Typical documents | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifications | Degree and diploma certificates, academic transcripts, course syllabus or subject outlines | Assessing bodies often compare subject content, so translate the syllabus if it is requested. |
| Employment evidence | Reference letters on letterhead, employment contracts, service certificates, position descriptions | Letters must show duties, dates, hours and the signatory's position. |
| Payment evidence | Payslips, bank credits of salary, tax returns, social security records | Several bodies require third-party payment evidence to corroborate reference letters. |
| Licences and registration | Professional licences, membership certificates, registration status letters | Registration status letters usually have a short validity window. |
| Identity | Passport, birth certificate, name-change certificate | A name change between qualification and employment records must be evidenced. |
How the work runs
- 1
List the documents the case officer will actually read
Start from the document checklist published for skilled visas and skills assessment and mark every item that is not already in English. Only those items need a translation; sending extra material rarely helps and slows the file down.
- 2
Obtain clean, complete originals
Request freshly issued certified extracts where the registry offers them. Scan in colour at 300 dpi or better, both sides of every page, including pages that carry only a stamp or a signature.
- 3
Confirm name spellings against passports
Send the photo page of the passport for every person named in the documents. Passport spelling is the reference the translation follows so that names match the application form exactly.
- 4
Translation by a certified translator in that direction
NAATI certification is granted per language pair and direction, for example Thai to English. Work is assigned to a practitioner certified in the exact direction the document requires.
- 5
Independent check, then delivery in the required format
A second reviewer compares names, dates, document numbers and page order against the source. You then receive a digitally certified PDF for online lodgement, with a printed wet-stamped copy couriered if the receiving body asks for hard copy.
Why translations get questioned
- Name spelling differing from the passport — the single most common reason a translation is queried.
- Sending only the front page and omitting a reverse side that carries stamps, corrections or annotations.
- Translating an extract rather than the complete document, so the certification does not cover the whole page.
- Printing and re-scanning a digitally signed PDF, which destroys the signature validation the agency relies on.
- Lodging a translation without a copy of the source document; most bodies want both side by side.
- Assuming consular legalisation is always required — most Australian bodies ask only for a properly certified translation.
- Submitting reference letters without translating the letterhead, stamp and signatory block.
- Reusing an old translation after the source document was reissued or amended.
Frequently asked questions
Does the translation have to be NAATI certified?
For documents translated inside Australia, the Department of Home Affairs asks that translations be done by a NAATI accredited translator. For translations prepared outside Australia, the translator must state their full name, address, telephone number and details of their qualifications and experience in the language being translated. In practice, for skilled migration and skills assessment, the NAATI certification format is the one Australian bodies recognise most readily.
Is a digitally certified PDF accepted for online lodgement?
NAATI certified translators may issue digitally certified translations carrying a digital stamp and signature, and online lodgement systems generally accept that PDF. Some registries, courts and embassies still want a printed copy with a physical stamp; tell us the receiving body and we issue the correct format.
Do I need to post my original documents?
No. A clear, complete scan is enough to produce the translation. Keep your originals — the receiving body may ask to sight them separately.
Do you work with clients outside Australia and Thailand?
Yes. The service is fully online worldwide, in every language pair where a certified practitioner exists. Send scans, receive the certified PDF by email, and request a printed copy to any address if one is needed.
Can you advise whether my application will succeed?
No. Decisions rest with the deciding authority, and immigration advice is the work of a registered migration agent (OMARA). We prepare and certify translations and explain document formatting requirements.
Which assessing authority applies to my occupation?
The authority is set by the occupation listed for the visa, not chosen by the applicant. Our assessing-body pages summarise the document rules for VETASSESS, ACS, Engineers Australia, AITSL, ANMAC, AHPRA and TRA, and each page links to the authority's own site for the current requirements.
Have your files checked first
Send your scans on LINE with the visa group and the receiving body. We confirm the language pair, stamp format and working-day turnaround in writing before any work starts.
Ask on LINE @NAATIRelated document guides
Other visa groups
Reviewed July 2026. General document-preparation information only, not immigration assistance. We are not a registered migration agent (OMARA).