Occupational Therapists assess functional limitations of people resulting from illnesses and disabilities and provide therapy to enable people to perform their daily activities and occupations.

Skill Level

1

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Occupational Therapist is Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Limited (OTC). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• There are two steps in the skills assessment process
  • Desktop assessment; and
  • Supervised practice
• Desktop Assessment
  • Qualifications
    • Applicant must demonstrate successful completion of a tertiary course that results in an award in occupational therapy. This program must:
      • Be accredited by the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) at the time of graduation; and
      • Be comparable to an Australia Bachelor or Graduate Entry Master degree
    • English Language Proficiency
      • OTC require high level competence in English to practice occupational therapy
      • Applicants must provide evidence of one of the following:
        • That the applicant’s primary language is English, and they have completed their secondary education and tertiary qualifications in English in a recognised country; or
        • That the applicant has completed a combination of secondary and tertiary qualifications with at least two years of secondary education taught and assessed in English in a recognised country and tertiary qualifications taught and assessed solely in English; or
        • The applicant has undertaken and completed at least six years continuous education taught and assessment in English in any recognised country; or
        • Completion of an English Language Test with the following minimum results:
          • IETLS – minimum overall score of 7
          • OET – minimum grade B in each component
          • PTE Academic – minimum overall score of 65
          • TOEFL iBT – minimum total score of 94 (24 in reading and listening, 27 in writing and 20 speaking)
• Supervised Practice
  • Applicants must complete a minimum of three-months full-time equivalent supervised practice either voluntarily or in a paid role
  • The Occupational Therapist Supervisor must:
    • Have been registered with AHPRA for a minimum of two years
    • Have at least two years occupational therapy experience and practice in Australia
    • Previous supervision experience
    • Preferably have the same principal place of employment as the applicant

Assess functional limitations of people resulting from illnesses and disabilities, and provide therapy to enable people to perform their daily activities and occupations.

Tasks

• Assessing clients’ emotional, psychological, developmental and physical capabilities using clinical observations and standardised tests
• Assessing clients’ functional potential in their home, leisure, work and school environments, and recommending environmental adaptations to maximise their performance
• Planning and directing programs through the use of vocational, recreational, remedial, social and educational activities on an individual and group basis
• Providing advice to family members, carers, employers and teachers about adapting clients’ home, leisure, work and school environments
• Providing adaptive equipment, such as wheel chairs and splints, to assist clients to overcome their functional limitations
• Working with other Health Professionals in overall case management of clients
• Working with other professionals in providing specialist advice to specific client groups such as those requiring driver rehabilitation, third-party compensation and medico-legal representation
• Recording clients’ progress and maintaining professional relationships in accordance with relevant legislative requirements and ethical guidelines

Skill Level

Occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

Registration or licensing is required.

Occupations in this Group

• 252411 Occupational Therapist