Priya moved to Australia with a commerce degree from India and six years of experience in an accounting firm. She found work quickly, but as an accounts clerk rather than in the role she had held before. In interviews, she was often asked about Australian qualifications and her knowledge of the local tax system.
Credit Transfer or RPL?
Priya first assumed her degree would simply be "converted". She learned that Credit Transfer applies to nationally recognised Australian VET units, so her overseas qualification could not be credited that way. It could, however, be used as evidence for RPL, alongside her work experience.
She also learned that a skills assessment for migration purposes is a separate process with its own assessing authority. A VET qualification gained through RPL is not the same as a migration skills assessment, and the two should not be confused.
Choosing a qualification
Priya chose the Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping (FNS40222). She compared its units with her experience and saw that much of it matched her previous work. The units on Australian tax, BAS and payroll requirements would be the challenge, because her overseas experience involved different laws.
Her evidence
Priya gathered:
- her degree certificate and academic transcript, with certified English translations where needed
- a reference letter from her former employer describing her duties
- de-identified samples of reconciliations, reports and journals from her current Australian job
- a third-party report from her current supervisor
- a summary of the accounting software she had used, with examples of her work in it
The RTO checked the authenticity of her overseas documents, which took a few weeks.
Where the gaps were
The assessor found Priya's evidence strong for general accounting units. For units involving Australian legislation, such as GST and BAS, her overseas experience did not cover the local requirements and her Australian work was still recent and limited.
Instead of RPL alone for those units, the RTO recommended targeted training. Priya completed short gap training on GST, BAS and payroll compliance, then a practical assessment.
"I was disappointed at first, but the tax units were exactly what I needed to learn. It made me more confident at work."
The outcome
About five months after enrolling, Priya held the Certificate IV. A few months later she moved into an assistant accountant role. She is clear that the qualification was only part of it: her experience, her Australian references and her new local knowledge all helped.
Tips for people with overseas qualifications
- Overseas study is not Credit Transfer, but it can be strong evidence for RPL.
- Have documents translated by a recognised translator, and keep originals available.
- Expect units involving Australian laws, standards or regulations to need local evidence or gap training.
- Keep migration skills assessments and VET qualifications separate in your planning.
- Ask the RTO about support if English is your second language. Reasonable adjustments may be available.
To learn how Credit Transfer and RPL differ, see RPL vs your options.