An overseas early childhood qualification does not count under the National Quality Framework until ACECQA determines it is equivalent to an approved qualification (National Law s 169(7); regulation 139). You apply online with certified colour copies of your passport, certificate, full transcript and English language evidence, plus translations of anything not in English (regs 140 to 143). The fee for 2026–27 is $136, and ACECQA aims to decide within 80 days of a complete application. ACECQA checks five things: academic level, a birth-to-five age focus, supervised placement, curriculum content and English. A successful outcome lets you work as a qualified ECT, diploma or certificate III educator; it is not a migration skills assessment and does not give teacher registration.
How ACECQA decides whether a qualification gained outside Australia counts under the NQF, what each level must show, the English test scores, the documents, and what a service can do while you wait.
ACECQA publishes the lists of approved early childhood teaching, diploma and certificate III qualifications (regulation 137). A qualification that is not on a list can still count if ACECQA determines it to be equivalent under section 169(7) of the National Law. The application rules are in regulations 139 to 143:
Organisations such as universities and RTOs use a different process, regulation 138, to have a whole course added to the approved list.
ACECQA assesses each qualification against five areas, and it must meet all five: academic level, age focus, supervised professional experience, curriculum content and English language proficiency (ACECQA guidelines, August 2025).
| Level | Academic level | Age focus | Supervised placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early childhood teacher | Comparable to at least an Australian bachelor degree (AQF level 7). Teacher registration or accreditation, including under mutual recognition, is taken to be level 7 | Birth to five, including transition to school. Birth to eight is preferred; a birth to twelve course needs a clear early childhood specialisation | 45 days, with at least 10 days with children under 3 and typically 25 to 30 days with children aged 3 to school age |
| Diploma level educator | Comparable to at least an Australian diploma (AQF level 5) | Birth to five | At least 280 hours in an early childhood setting |
| Certificate III level educator | Comparable to at least an Australian certificate III (AQF level 3) | Birth to five | At least 160 hours in an early childhood setting |
Where a placement fell short, ACECQA will consider significant work experience, typically 3 to 6 months, in its place. For the ECT under-3 requirement, it will also consider 3 to 6 months’ work with children under 3, or an approved certificate III or higher. Curriculum content is checked against areas such as child development and care, including health, safety and safe sleep.
ACECQA’s English language proficiency information sheet (updated November 2024) accepts these:
| Evidence | Early childhood teacher | Diploma, certificate III or OSHC educator |
|---|---|---|
| Study in an exempt country | One year of full-time tertiary or higher education study in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States | |
| IELTS (within the last three years) | Academic: 7.0 or more in reading and writing, and 8.0 or more in speaking and listening | General or Academic: 5.0 or more in each of reading, writing, speaking and listening |
| ISLPR teacher-focused (within the last three years) | Level 4 in all four skills, at an approved testing site | |
| Alternative evidence | Case by case, a professional reference from an employer in one of the six countries above. Call ACECQA on 1300 422 327 first | |
Without acceptable English evidence ACECQA may be unable to assess the application.
If you succeed, you receive a certificate and can work as a qualified educator at the level determined. If you fail, ACECQA gives reasons and you can ask for a review.
Until ACECQA makes a determination, the overseas qualification does not count. You can still be employed, but you count toward the qualification requirements in regulation 126 only if you hold, or are actively working towards, an approved qualification, for example by enrolling in an approved certificate III or diploma. The rules for “actively working towards” are in regulation 10 and are explained in childcare educator qualifications. A service rostering someone in this position should record their real status in the staff record, not the qualification it expects them to receive.
Yes, as a qualified educator once ACECQA determines your qualification equivalent to an approved early childhood teaching, diploma or certificate III qualification under section 169(7) of the National Law. Until then it does not count toward regulation 126.
For 2026-27 the fee for a determination of equivalent qualification under regulation 139 is $136. A migration skills assessment is a separate application costing $1,100.
ACECQA aims to decide within 80 days of receiving an assessment-ready application with every required document.
For an early childhood teacher: Academic IELTS with 7.0 in reading and writing and 8.0 in speaking and listening. For diploma, certificate III or OSHC: 5.0 in each band, General or Academic. Tests must be from the last three years, and a year of full-time study in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, the UK or the US is also accepted.
No. It confirms the qualification counts under the NQF. Teacher registration is a separate process run by each state or territory teacher regulator.
WIDEN Law answers National Quality Framework questions with inline citations to the National Law, the Regulations and the NQS, so you can check the source provision yourself.
14-day free trial, no card →This page is a research summary, not legal or compliance advice. It is written in our own words from the sources linked on the page; confirm the position with your regulatory authority before relying on it for a compliance decision.