This is the practical, step-by-step VETASSESS skills assessment guide for ANZSCO 221214 Internal Auditor.
For the upstream pathway choice, see the Internal Auditor pathway guide. For costs and timelines, see the internal auditor cost & timeline case study.
Why VETASSESS
VETASSESS is the listed assessing authority for ANZSCO 221214.
For 189 / 190 / 491 / 186 / 494 / 482, you need a positive VETASSESS outcome before lodging the visa.
Step 1 — Confirm 221214 is the right code
| Code | Title | Use if dominant role is... |
|---|---|---|
| 221214 | Internal Auditor | In-house corporate / government internal audit |
| 221213 | External Auditor | External assurance / public practice audit |
| 221111 | Accountant (General) | Financial accounting / general practice |
| 132511 | Project Manager | Project / program management (with audit overlap) |
| 261112 | Systems Analyst | IT systems analysis (with IT audit overlap) |
Pick 221214 only if your dominant role over 5 years is internal audit at corporate / government / financial services in-house teams, OR Big 4 internal audit advisory consulting.
Step 2 — Map your qualification
VETASSESS requires AQF Bachelor degree-level qualification in a highly relevant field. For 221214:
- Bachelor of Commerce / Accounting
- Bachelor of Business (Accounting)
- Bachelor of Information Technology / Information Systems (for IT audit specialisation)
- Bachelor of Engineering (with strong post-qualification internal audit record)
- Equivalent international degrees from recognised institutions
Specialist credentials strengthen the mapping:
- CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) — Institute of Internal Auditors
- CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) — ISACA
- CRMA (Certification in Risk Management Assurance) — IIA
- CCSA (Certified in Control Self-Assessment) — IIA
- Chartered IIA (UK / Ireland Chartered Internal Auditor)
- CPA / CA / ACCA with internal audit specialisation
Step 3 — Document post-qualification employment
VETASSESS expects "highly relevant employment":
- Performing risk-based internal audits across business processes
- Reporting findings and recommendations to senior leadership / Audit Committee
- Liaising with external auditors on shared work / coordination
- Providing assurance over governance, risk management, internal controls
- IT audit / SOX testing / regulatory compliance audits
- Forensic / investigative audit work
- Managing internal audit teams / Chief Audit Executive responsibilities
Evidence VETASSESS accepts
- Employment letters for internal audit roles at corporates / government
- Reference letters from CFO / CAE / Audit Committee Chair
- CIA / CISA / CRMA / IIA / ISACA membership credentials
- Sample audit reports (sanitised for confidentiality)
- Tax returns showing internal audit income
Step 4 — Build the portfolio submission
VETASSESS for 221214 typically wants:
- CV / internal audit CV — chronological list of internal audit roles with dates, employer, scope
- Reference letters from CFOs / CAEs / Audit Committee Chairs
- Specialist credentials — CIA / CISA / IIA / ISACA membership
- Sample audit reports / scope documents (sanitised)
Step 5 — Lodge the assessment
Lodge online at the VETASSESS portal. Standard fee AUD 1,096; Priority Processing AUD 836 extra.
Step 6 — Handle a Request for Further Information
About 25-35% of 221214 applications trigger an RFI. Common prompts:
- Confirmation of internal audit role (vs general accounting / risk management / compliance)
- Additional reference letters / audit report evidence
- Translation issues for foreign-language reference letters
Respond comprehensively within 30 days.
Reassessment if you receive a negative outcome
Options:
- Reassessment (AUD 372) — additional evidence within 90 days
- Appeal (AUD 200) — only if procedurally wrong
- Reapply for a different occupation — pay full fee. Realistic alternatives: 221213 External Auditor (if external dominates), 221111 Accountant General (if mixed accounting / audit), 261112 Systems Analyst (if IT audit dominates)
Common VETASSESS rejection patterns for 221214
"Insufficient evidence of internal audit focus." Risk / compliance / IT staff without explicit internal audit appointment often fail. Get clear internal audit appointment letters.
"Qualification not at AQF Bachelor level." Diploma / short-course candidates without strong post-qualification internal audit record often fail.
"Insufficient years of post-qualification highly relevant employment." VETASSESS typically wants at least 1 year for positive outcome; 3-5 years for visa points.
After a positive VETASSESS outcome — next steps
- English testing — push for Superior (IELTS 8 / PTE 79) for 20 points
- Lodge EOI via SkillSelect — for 189 / 190 / 491
- State nomination application — for 190 / 491
- Sponsor search — for 186 / 494 / 482 (ASX-200 corporates, Big 4 advisory, federal / state government)
- Health, police, character checks — closer to lodgement
Tools
- Document checklist — VETASSESS evidence pack template
- Visa fee calculator — model fees per pathway
- Eligibility wizard — quick scan
- ANZSCO search — confirm 221214 vs 221213 / 221111
Where to verify the rules
- VETASSESS
- Department of Home Affairs
- Institute of Internal Auditors Australia — peak body
- ISACA Australia — IT audit / CISA peak body
Next step
Want a personalised review of your internal audit credentials before you lodge with VETASSESS? Book a 30-minute free strategy call and we'll walk through readiness, evidence gaps, and pathway choice.