International Recognition of Prior Learning (IRPL)

Below we answer some of your most common questions when it comes to IRPL. If you don't find the information below, simply reach out to us!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an International IRPL Assessment?

Our IRPL process is the most inclusive and thorough aviation maintenance RPL process in Australia. All theory and practical will be assessed. The RPL process has been designed to provide minimum cost to the students, while at the same time provide value for money for those students with more complicated IRPL evidence.

An IRPL process assesses your current aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licence against the relevant Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) licence requirements. These requirements are specified in the CASA Part 66 Manual of Standards (Part 66 MOS) and the Maintenance Training Organisation’s (MTO) Country Files. An MTO Country File is a standard assessment of a country’s current LAME training and licencing system. It authorises an MTO to provide IRPL assessment to people holding licences from the country file country.

Currently, ATS holds the following Country files.

  1. A valid EASA licence from an EASA recognised country.
  2. United Kingdom (UK) Part 66 licence.
  3. United States of America (USA) FAA licence.
  4. New Zealand (NZ) licence.
  5. Singapore SAR-66 licence.
  6. Canada CAA licence.
  7. Ireland IAA Part 66 licence.
  8. South Africa CAA licence.

To be eligible for a Country File IRPL pathway, your AME licence must be current, and you must have used your licence to conduct aircraft maintenance, including signing for airworthiness, for a total of six (6) months in the last 12 months before applying for your licence.

The duration of an IRPL process depends on many factors including the qualification required, and the type and amount of evidence supplied. A typical RPL will take between 2 and 8 weeks.

An assessment for the international RPL compares your evidence with the requirements of a specific CASA licence. You must nominate this licence on the RPL Application form.

  • B1.1 – Aircraft Airframe, Avionics, Propellors, and Gas Turbine Engine.
  • B1.2 – Aircraft Airframe, Avionics, Propellors, and Piston Engine.
  • B1.3 – Helicopter Airframe, Avionics, and Gas Turbine Engine.
  • B1.4 – Helicopter Airframe, Avionics, and Piston Engine.
  • B2 – Aircraft and Helicopter Avionics (Electrical, Instruments and Radio).

Items or processes that are covered in the IRPL Application fee are as follows.

  • Processing of the IRPL Application.
  • Discussion with your ATS IRPL Assessor(s).
  • Assessment of your theory component.
  • Assessment of your practical evidence.
  • Issuing of the final RPL Report.
  • Issuing of a CASA 465 Form (if applicable).
  • Issuing of a Gap Training Plan and Quote (where applicable).

Items or processes that are not covered in the ATS IRPL Application Fee are as follows.

  • Assessments to confirm your skills, knowledge, or English language level (unless otherwise
    stated).
  • Re-issue of reports or statements.
  • Assessment of additional evidence once a final IRPL Report has been issued.
  • Gap training and assessment.

Please Note: The IRPL process DOES NOT mean you will obtain the nominated licence at the end of the IRPL assessment. Most people are required to enrol in a course to remove the identified training or experience gap after the conclusion of the IRPL process.

For people using an AME licence from a country other than Australia, CASA requires you to demonstrate you have used your licence. We can recognise two types of licence holders.

Untyped Licence Holders
AME licence holders (B1 or B2) who do not have a types rating on their licence may providesuitable evidence in the following ways.

  1.  A person working on untyped aircraft and signing for the maintenance may provide maintenance records containing their signature.
  2. A person working in a recognised Part 145 maintenance organisation with a company authorisation to sign for specific aircraft maintenance, may provide the authorisation document as evidence.
  3. A person working in a recognised Part 145 maintenance organisation with a Category A licence in addition to a B1 or B2 AME licence and has a company authorisation to sign form maintenance, may provide the AME licence (B1 or B2), the Category A licence and the company authorisation as evidence. Any training documents associated with the authorisation (e.g. familiarization courses) should also be submitted.

Typed Licence Holders
AME licence holders (B1 or B2) who have one or more aircraft types rating on their licence may provide suitable evidence in the following ways.

  1. A person working on untyped aircraft and signing for the maintenance may provide maintenance records containing their signature.
  2. A person working on typed rated aircraft should provide his/her maintenance authority from the employing maintenance organization.
  3. A person working on typed rated aircraft may provide maintenance documents showing the person’s signature for release of an aircraft, components or maintenance.

Unused Licence Holder
AME licence holders (B1 or B2) who have not done one or more of the following cannot obtain a CASA licence directly from their existing licence:

  1. Signed for maintenance they have performed.
  2. Signed a component or aircraft certificate of release.

If an AME licence holder has not exercised the privilege of the licence, it is still possible to obtain a CASA licence through an Australian Diploma of Aeroskills pathway. AME licence holders (B1 or B2) taking a Diploma pathway must provide the following evidence.

  1. A person holding a recognised EASA licence must provide all EASA theory results and complete an ATS Self-Assessment form to provide evidence for practical experience.
  2. A person holding a licence from a Country we recognise must provide licence related theory results and complete a Self-Assessment form to provide evidence for practical experience.
  3. A person holding a licence not from a Country we recognise cannot obtain credit towards a CASA licence through us.

English proficiency is defined as a person’s ability to use the English language to make and communicate meaning in spoken and written contexts at a level sufficient for safety within a specific environment.

According to CASA regulations a person applying for an AME licence must prove the ability to read, write, speak and understand the English language. The level of competence should be sufficient to safely exercise licence privileges, complete Part 66 basic knowledge multiple-choice examinations and correctly complete the required essay examinations.

For international applicants CASA requires a level of English proficiency determined by one of the following formal English Proficiency assessments (Note: IELTS is the preferred alternative).

  1. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – All individual test scores to be grade 6 (six) or higher and an overall grade of 6 or higher.
  2. Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT) – A score of 78 or higher.
  3. Test of English as a Foreign Language Paper Based (TOEFL PB) – A score of 547 or higher.
  4. Test of English for International Communication Secure Program – The following scores are required: Listening 350, Reading 330, Speaking 160 and Writing 160.

Note: For the term ‘writing’, CASA does not distinguish between handwritten and typed text. The main focus of written text being the following:

  • Legibility, readability, and tidiness.
  • Clarity, grammar, and conciseness.
  • Style and structure.
  • Coherent and logical statements.

A certified copy is one that has been seen by an authorised person and assessed as identical to the original document. When a certifier signs and certifies (stamps, enters authority number, writes certifying statement, etc) a copy, the certifier is stating that the copy is a true, accurate and reliable reproduction of the original document.

The process of certifying a document requires you to present both the original document and the photocopy to a recognised certifier to validate the accuracy of the copy. The certifier will sign, date and certify the copy. The certifier will also write his/her certifier number (or other identifier used in your country) on the copy.

The RPL Application form gives details regarding who can certify a document to be used as evidence. These people include any one of the following:

  • A Justice of the Peace (JP) [A government recognised person whose primary roles are to witness a person making a statutory declaration or affidavit and certifying copies of original documents.]
  • A currently serving police officer,
  • A current minister (pastor) of a formal religion,
  • The training manager in your workplace,
  • The company quality manager in your workplace,
  • A Licenced Aircraft Maintenance Engineer who is the base senior maintenance engineer in your workplace,
  • An ATS staff member (documents must be presented in person at the ATS facility, Australia).

A certified translation is a direct (word-of-word) translation of a non-English document into a document written only in English. The translation is then certified in the same manner as other evidence.

The translations must be done by a qualified translator such as either one of the following:

  • A company whose primary or secondary business is translating documents. Any translation service accepted by the Australian immigration department or Australian universities is acceptable.
  • An independent translator who is registered with the translation association (or government recognised body) in your country. In this case you need to provide a certified copy of the translator’s credentials.

We do not usually allow personal friends to provide translated evidence due to the conflict of interest and the possibility of fraud. Please be aware, we may have the translation verified by an independent translator and if there are deliberate discrepancies, your RPL will be cancelled without refund. Remember we need certified copies of the untranslated document and the translation to be submitted as evidence.

Although all applications for IRPL are unique, different countries have different CASA requirements due to their current aircraft maintenance training systems.

Some of the known IRPL outcomes are shown below:

EASA Part 66 licence

Recognition for all theory except module 10.

UK Part 66 licence

Recognition for all theory except module 10.

USA FAA licence

Recognition of most theory, however gaps exist in most modules. Module 10 is also required.

NZ licence

Recognition is via the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA). Module 10 is required. After a CASA assessment you may be required to undertake any identified gap.

Singapore SAR-66 licence

Recognition of all theory except Module 10 for full Part 66 licences. Licences which have not been converted to Part 66 will have theory gaps.

Canada CAA licence

Gaps exist in avionics modules 3, 4 and 5. Module 10 is also required.

Ireland IAA licence

Recognition for all theory except module 10 for all EASA recognised licences.

South Africa (SA) CAA licence

No one SA licence is directly equivalent to a CASA licence. However, a combination of SA licences may provide credit towards a CASA licence.

After the completion of your IRPL assessment you may want to continue your studies with us and complete any gap training identified by your IRPL Report. To do this, contact us for an enrolment for your gap course. You will receive academic credits according to your IRPL Report.

The gap training is NOT part of the IRPL process and a quote for the gap training will be provided with your final IRPL Report.

Below are some examples of typical IRPLs . If your situation does not fall into any of these categories, please contact us for further information.

Example 1 –Carlos’ Story [Evidence from an EASA country]

Carlos has a non-Australian aircraft maintainer licence and wants to obtain an Australian CASA licence. Carlos comes from an EASA recognised country and holds an EASA Approved licence which he used in his home country before coming to Australia.

Carlos submitted the following evidence:

  • His current aircraft maintenance licence from his home country.
  • A letter of employment from his last employer in his home country.
  • A letter of employment from his current Australian employer.

Since Carlos’s licence is from an EASA officially recognised country and he has applied his licence in his workplace, Carlos can receive full credit for his non-Australian licence. He will however be required to successfully complete the Australian Aviation Legislation examination (CASA Module 10) to meet the requirements for a CASA Part 66 licence.

The IRPL Report will provide the following:

  • Practical Credit for a CASA licence outcome;
  • Theory credit for all completed CASA modules except Module 10;
  • Optionally – if a Diploma of Aeroskills outcome is requested, practical credit towards the Units of Competency covered by an EASA licence.

Carlos will need to enrol in the Module 10 course to complete his CASA Part 66 Licence requirements.

Example 2  – Sarah’s Story [Evidence from a Non-EASA Country File country]

Sarah has a non-Australia licence, from a non-EASA country. She is currently working in Australia and wants to obtain an Australian licence.

Sarah provided the following evidence with official translations where necessary:

  • Aircraft maintenance certificate and academic transcript;
  • Non-Australian AME licence;
  • Letters of employment from her home country employer;
  • Work history from her current Australian employer;

As Sarah’s evidence is from an ATS Recognised Country File Country, it will be processed according to the ATS Country File. This process differs between countries and allows credits not applicable to other applicants.

Sarah’s IRPL Report will provide the following.

  • Theory credits for some CASA modules or submodules.
  • An indication of the CASA modules and submodules that are needed to be completed to meet the CASA theory requirements.
  • Practical credits for various CASA modules or submodules.
  • Practical evidence that is needed to be submitted to obtain the required licence.

Sarah will need to enrol in the gap training to complete her CASA Part 66 Licence requirements.

Example 3 – Jen’s Story [Evidence from a Non-Country File country]

Jen has a licence from a country not appearing on the ATS Recognised Country File Country list. Therefore, Jen will need to successfully complete all the relevant CASA theory Modules. In addition, the associated practical skills must also be assessed.

Jen thinks getting a certificate IV in Aeroskills might be a good first step. However, Jen must be careful when having his evidence assessed at the Certificate IV level. The Certificate IV is not regulated by CASA, and some institutions will issue non-CASA recognised certificates. Jen is strongly advised to seek clarification from any institution that their certificate IV outcome will be CASA recognised.

If you are gaining a Diploma of Aeroskills as well as your Country File assessment, you will need to provide examples of your practical experience. This is achieved by completing the Self-assessment form that you will receive at enrolment. Simply complete the form and submit it with the relevant evidence.

If you are only applying for CASA recognition of your existing licence, the practical assessment from your previous country which was done to obtain your licence will be sufficient.

Please note: By not obtaining a Diploma of Aeroskills you may limit your future career or training options.

The practical evidence you submit is determined by the competency units you wish to obtain. Each competency unit focuses on one or more aspects of aircraft maintenance. The most common of these, with a brief explanation of each, are listed below.

  1. Inspect – Visually and physically check an aircraft or component for signs of deformation, defects or damage and assess the damage or defect against standard damage or wear limits to determine the required actions. [example: MEASTR0001 – Inspect aircraft structures].
  2. Test – Applying power to an aircraft or component and performing functional tests to identify any malfunctions. The use of appropriate test equipment, system test functions and status displays are used as applicable. [example: MEA322 – Test and Troubleshoot gas turbine engine systems and components].
  3. Troubleshoot – Use inspections and testing results, as well as maintenance documents to determine the faults in the aircraft, aircraft system or component. Fault diagnosis guides, logic processes, and specialist advice may also be used to determine the fault. [example: MEA227 – Test and troubleshoot aircraft electrical systems and components].
  4. Inspect, test and troubleshoot – The evidence for a competency unit that specifies inspect, test and troubleshoot must contain all three elements. If, for example, the competency unit requirement is three examples, the evidence needs to contain three instances of inspection, testing and troubleshooting (3 x inspect, 3 x test, 3 x troubleshooting).
  5. Remove and install – The evidence for a competency unit that specifies remove and install must contain both elements. If, for example, the competency unit requirement is three examples, the evidence needs to contain three instances of removal and installation (3 x removal, 3 x installation).
  6. Maintain – Cleaning, inspection for wear or damage, lubrication and adjustment where applicable. [example: MEA328 – Maintain or repair aircraft mechanical components or parts].
  7. Repair – Standard techniques for replacement of components such as bearings, rods, pulleys, bushes, rafts, seat restraints, etc. Repairing does not include the replacement of major components such as wing spars or fuselage frames. It can however include metal scab and other patches on non-pressurised aircraft, removing corrosion, restoring protective coatings, minor upholstery mending, soldering cables, and other activities associated with standard repair methods [example: MEA246 Fabricate or repair aircraft electrical hardware or parts].

Note – If a competency unit requires multiple practical evidence types (for example, remove and install) then evidence for each type must be provided in the quantity stated.

Practical evidence must be submitted on an ATS Self-Assessment form (see Stage 2 in the next section for full details).

There are standard pieces of evidence that CASA requires before a licence can be granted.

Pass Mark
CASA requires a pass mark of 75 percent for all theory examinations.
If you hold an EASA licence you do not need to prove examination results, since EASA tests at 75 percent. If you hold an ICAO or other licence, you will need to provide the results of all assessments you undertook to gain your licence. This includes the following (if applicable):

    • Full theory examinations.
    • Final theory examinations (written or oral).

Where the initial full theory was examined at a university, college or authorised maintenance training organisation, ensure full academic transcripts are provided.

English Proficiency
CASA requires a minimum IELTS of rating 6 for each section and as and overall result. For further details see the section above regarding English Proficiency.

Please note: If you were born and completed school in a recognised English speaking country, you do not need to provide English Proficiency evidence. However, if you were born and raised in Canada you will need to provide evidence that your training and assessment was conducted in English.

The recognised English speaking countries are as follows:

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

The Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Canada

Dominica

Grenada

Guyana

Ireland

Jamaica

Malta

New Zealand

St Kitts and Nevis

St Lucia

St Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

United Kingdom

United States of America

Currency
CASA requires you to provide evidence that you have exercised the privileges of your licence for at least 6 months in the last 12 months (See section above on exercising the authority of my licence).
If you have not maintained aircraft (i.e. performed aircraft maintenance) in the last 12 months, you will not be able to obtain as CASA licence. If you have been in a management role in the last 12 months or more where you have not performed aircraft maintenance or signed maintenance releases, you will need to be requalified in the licence country and provide that requalification result as evidence for your IRPL.

Authorisation
An authorisation from your current1 employer stating the tasks you are authorised to perform. This document must be specific to your role as a licenced AME.

CASA Individual Aviation Reference Number
An ARN (aviation reference number) is a unique number assigned to every person who has been in contact with CASA, and it remains with you for the rest of your life. CASA uses this number for identification purposes, tracking your records, and issuing licences.

To apply to CASA for international licence recognition you must provide your ARN on theapplication. You can apply for an ARN online at the myCASA portal. 

Be aware that you will need to verify your identity. So read the information on the website above very carefully before you apply for your ARN.

What are the stages in the IRPL Process?

Stage 1 - Application

To obtain an application form for the IRPL process you will need to contact us and request the application package.

The Application pack will contain the following documents:

  • Form E1025 Enrolment Application
  • Form E1020 Application for LNA RPL RCC

All documents must be completed in full. Failure to complete any part of the forms will result in a longer processing time.

Please note: On page 4 of form E1020 Application for LNA RPL RCC you are asked the following question.

What is the name of this qualification?

Please tick the qualification that you are hoping to achieve through the RPL process. Do not tick your current qualification. Once you have completed the forms, return them to ATS Administration with payment (or proof of payment if paying by digital funds transfer). Also include your evidence with your application.

When applying for an IRPL, all your evidence must be relevant to the qualification against which your IRPL will be assessed. For a CASA licence IRPL the following information should be submitted (where applicable).

The evidence you submit must be certified copies of the originals and clearly
written in English. Non-English documents MUST be accompanied by a certified
English translation. Illegible documents cannot be accepted.

  • Certified documents proving your identity (birth certificate, nationalisation
    certificate, passport, etc.).
  • Current English Language Proficiency assessment conducted within the last three (3) years. This must be a full assessment including reading, listening, speaking and writing.
  • All AME licences currently held, regardless of the country of origin. These must be full copies including any aircraft types, limitations, exclusions or inclusions.
  • All official AME academic transcripts for theory you completed to gain your current licences. The transcripts must show the title of the assessments and the marks you achieved.
  • Any official AME academic transcripts for training you have completed that have not yet been converted to an AME licence. The transcripts must show the title of the assessments, the marks you achieved, and the date of the assessments.
  • All previous RPL Reports from any Australian RTO or MTO.
  • Letter of employment from each place you worked as a licenced AME within the last 5 years. Letters are to include your specific duties and the requirement to sign for aircraft or component airworthiness.

Please note: A letter of employment is NOT a character reference. It must clearly state your job title, duties and responsibilities.

  • Certified documents indicating you have exercised the privileges of your licence. This may be achieved by providing any of the following certified documents.
    1. Completed aircraft airworthiness documents with your signature as the
      authorising LAME.
    2. Completed aircraft maintenance task documents with your signature as the authorising LAME.
    3. Any other workplace documentation bearing your signature that relates to theuse of your LAME licence.
  • All CASA Basic examination results regardless of your required licence category (if
    applicable).

Please Note: CASA Recognition Regulations
If you have undertaken any AME related training (Aeroskills) in Australia, CASA recognition for these certificates, diplomas or competency units are as follows:

  1. The practical component of any unit of competency is acceptable by CASA
    towards a relevant CASA qualification.
  2. The theory component of any unit of competency will ONLY be accepted by CASA if the training for that unit was undertaken through a CASA authorised Maintenance Training Organisation (MTO) or has been assessed equivalent through RPL by an MTO. Not all Australian training institutions are CASA authorised, even though they may offer certificates or diplomas in Aeroskills.

Practical Evidence:
For the Country File Pathway (IRPL) you do not need to provide specific practical evidence for each learning component. However, you must provide evidence you have used your AME licence to exercise the privileges of that licence. This means providing evidence you have signed for aircraft or aircraft component airworthiness. As well as performed other duties of a Licenced AME. The practical experience should also indicate the type of aircraft (fixed or rotary wing) and the type of engine (gas turbine or piston).

If you need or are asked to provide further practical evidence, use the guidelines below.

  • Practical evidence consists of actual maintenance logs, task cards, industry
    journal/log, and other workplace documentation containing your name, the task date and the specific tasks completed.

More information regarding general evidence can be found in ATS form E1020 in your application pack.

The initial processing of your evidence covers the following actions:

  • Documenting all your evidence.
  • Identifying any gaps in your evidence.
  • Identifying any inconsistencies within your evidence.
  • Identifying any automatic country file credits.

If any gaps or inconsistencies are identified in your evidence, you will be contacted by your assessors to provide further evidence to address the identified issues.

Stage 3 may be actioned several times until all your relevant evidence has been submitted or the assessor believes further evidence is not required.

Please note: CASA has time limits on theory training. Theory assessed as part of your current licence does not have a time limit. However, theory evidence that has not yet been converted into an AME licence will not be accepted if it is greater than ten years old.

Practical evidence must be recent – within the last five years. You must also have at least 6 moths practical experience in the previous 12 months.

Please discuss this issue with your IRPL assessor if you have any questions regarding your evidence.

Please Note: Submit COPIES ONLY as IRPL evidence will NOT be returned. Further, all IRPL evidence must be certified by a suitable person (e.g JP). Contact ATS Administration for further details of acceptable certifiers.

Please Note: If original documents are submitted and you want them returned, a fee will be incurred. The fee includes the cost of scanning all documents, an administration charge, and the cost of return by registered postage to your location.

Note: Your final report will NOT be issued until all outstanding fees and charges have been fully paid.

Your final RPL Report will be issued digitally, accompanied by a training plan for any gap training identified during the RPL process. If you have obtained the requirements for an application for a CASA licence, you will also receive a completed CASA 465 form.

Please Note: Any changes you request after the issue of your final IRPL Report may incur further charges.