How Much Does It Cost for a Nigerian Engineer to Relocate to Australia? 🇦🇺
Nigerian engineers migrate to Australia through Engineers Australia's Migration Skills Assessment. Because Nigeria is not a Washington, Sydney or Dublin Accord signatory, Nigerian engineers use the Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway rather than an accredited-qualification fast track. This guide covers the web-verified CDR fee, English requirement, visa cost, timelines and salary.
Quick Numbers
Total Cost
₦1.0M – ₦1.3M
Starting Salary
A$70,000/yr
Engineer — national range (2026)
Nigerians Who Moved
Not published
Not published
Source Rank
Engineers Australia / Department of Home Affairs / SEEK
Step-by-Step: Registration & Costs
1Engineers Australia CDR assessmentStandard CDR assessment fee, incl. GST (CDR + skilled employment AUD 1,512.50; CDR + overseas PhD AUD 1,336.50)
Prepare a Competency Demonstration Report (three career episodes, a summary statement and CPD) and submit it to Engineers Australia for a migration skills assessment. This is the required pathway for Nigerian engineers, whose qualifications are not covered by an accreditation accord.
2English language proficiencyTest fee paid to provider (not Engineers Australia)
Provide an accepted English test result. Engineers Australia accepts IELTS (General or Academic) with at least 6.0 in each band, or, for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, PTE Academic with at least 47 Listening, 48 Reading, 51 Writing and 54 Speaking. Tests must be within 3 years before lodging.
3Optional fast-track CDRFast-track add-on, incl. GST (in addition to the assessment fee)
An optional add-on that assigns your application to an assessor within 20 business days (assignment time, not a guaranteed final outcome). Charged in addition to the assessment fee.
4Skilled visa application (subclass 189 / 190 / 491)Base application charge, primary applicant (189; AUD 6,140 for 190/491). +AUD 3,070 per adult; +AUD 1,540 per child (AUD 1,535 for 190/491)
Lodge an EOI, receive an invitation, then apply for the points-tested skilled visa. Base charge is the same across 189, 190 and 491.
Other Costs to Budget For
Same base charge for subclass 189, 190 and 491. Verify on official page before relying on it.
Official source ↗Good News: Employer Sponsorship
Australian engineering employers sponsor overseas engineers through employer-nominated and skilled-employer-sponsored streams, especially in mining, civil and energy where shortages persist; the GSM points-tested route also remains popular.
What employers typically cover:
- Nomination and visa charges (employer-sponsored streams)
- Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy where applicable
- Relocation packages in resource and infrastructure roles
What You'll Earn: Engineer — national range (2026)
Entry
A$70,000
per year
After 2 Years
A$108,224
per year
Top of Band
A$180,000
per year
SEEK engineering-industry average ~AUD 108,224; typical geographic range ~AUD 93,000–200,000 (Sydney avg ~AUD 120,000). Specialisations vary: mining/resources & energy ~AUD 147,990, ICT ~AUD 137,496. Entry ~AUD 70k–85k; senior/lead AUD 150k–180k+. Some figures include superannuation, some do not. Source ↗
Important Things to Know
- Nigerian engineers use the CDR pathway: Nigeria's COREN is only a provisional signatory of the Washington Accord (not a full signatory), so Nigerian degrees do not use the Accord pathway.
- A well-prepared, plagiarism-free CDR is essential; failed CDRs delay the whole process.
- The EA outcome letter does not expire on EA's side, but Home Affairs requires a recent assessment for the visa (commonly within 3 years of lodgement).
- Fast-track only speeds assessor assignment, not the final outcome.
Calculate YOUR Japa Score for Australia
Get a personalised cost estimate based on your salary, education, and family size. Takes 2 minutes.
Start Free CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Do Nigerian engineers need a CDR for Australia?
Yes. Nigeria's engineering regulator COREN is only a provisional signatory of the Washington Accord, so Nigerian engineers use the Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) pathway with Engineers Australia, which costs AUD 1,034 (incl. GST) for a standard assessment.
What English score do engineers need?
Engineers Australia accepts IELTS (General or Academic) with at least 6.0 in each band, or, for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025, PTE Academic with at least 47 Listening, 48 Reading, 51 Writing and 54 Speaking. Results must be within three years before lodging.
How long does the EA assessment take?
About 15 weeks to be assigned to an assessor for a standard CDR. The optional fast-track (AUD 396) assigns your file to an assessor within 20 business days.
Related guides
Same profession, other countries
See cost breakdowns for this profession in other countries
Compare what it costs Nigerian engineers to relocate to each top destination.
Sources & Verification
We reviewed this page against official sources on 8 Oct 2026; each figure links to its source where an official one exists. We do not use AI training data for any costs, fees, or policy claims.
Verification Notes
The Engineers Australia fee page currently displays the schedule labelled 'from 1 July 2026' (CDR AUD 1,034; fast-track AUD 396). The pre-1-July-2026 figure is marginally lower; the published figure is used here.
Skilled visa base charge (AUD 6,135 for subclass 189; AUD 6,140 for 190 and 491) read on 6 October 2026 from the Home Affairs price service that fills the official visa pages.
Salary bands are SEEK-sourced and indicative (some include superannuation, some do not); not a single official ABS figure.
Migration count was not retrieved and is omitted.
Written by Max Ayobami
Founder of Japa Calculator, Nigeria's first data-driven relocation decision tool. Every cost figure and expert tip on this page is independently researched and verified against official government and regulatory body sources.