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NQF levels explained for overseas employers: how to write yours on a CV without claiming too much

Tips · 2026-11-02 · 8 min read

An Australian or New Zealand employer has probably never heard of the NQF, so a bare "NQF level 5" on your CV tells them very little. The NQF is South Africa's National Qualifications Framework, a ladder of levels that sorts qualifications from school-leaving certificates up to postgraduate degrees. The safe way to use it overseas is to write what you actually hold, name the body that issued it, add the NQF level as extra detail, and never claim an equivalence that nobody has assessed.

Your CV is only half of your work history. A signed reference letter for an overseas job backs up the dates and duties you write on it.

What the NQF is, in plain words

SAQA describes the National Qualifications Framework as a "ladder" across three sub-frameworks. Each rung is a level, and each level is overseen by a different body. Knowing who sits behind your level helps you name the right issuer on your CV and the right office when someone asks you to prove it.

Notice that the ranges overlap. Level 5 to 8 can belong to the occupational stream or to higher education, so the level number alone never tells a reader what kind of qualification you hold. That is exactly why the type and the issuer must sit next to the number on your CV.

Matric and NQF level 4

"Matric" is the everyday name, and SAQA itself uses it for the NQF 4 school-leaving qualification. Overseas employers do not use the word, so write it out: "National Senior Certificate (matric), NQF level 4" is clear to anyone. If you are a tradesperson, matric is often the line that sits above your trade certificate, so it belongs on the CV but should not push your trade down the page.

Trade certificates and occupational qualifications

The QCTO, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, oversees occupational qualifications, part-qualifications and skills programmes. It also says a person is recognised as an artisan after passing a trade test and being issued a trade certificate. Those are the official words, so use them: "Trade test certificate, electrician" is stronger and truer than a loose phrase like "red seal". Many South Africans do call it a red seal in conversation, but it is an everyday word, not an official name, and an overseas reader will not know what it means.

If your qualification is an occupational certificate, give its exact title as it appears on the document, then the NQF level. If the level is not on your paperwork, ask the body that issued it rather than guessing. Our guide to getting your QCTO letter first explains how verification works for trade certificates.

Diplomas and degrees at levels 5 to 10

For tertiary qualifications, write the full title, the institution, the year completed and the NQF level. Where an employer or assessor asks for proof, SAQA's individual verification letter confirms tertiary qualifications obtained in South Africa. It is limited to registered qualifications, so short courses, foreign qualifications and professional designations are not covered. Our post on the SAQA verification letter covers the cost and the wait, which SAQA puts at a minimum of 25 working days.

How to write it on your CV

1. Open with the qualification's exact title, copied from the certificate.
2. Add the issuing body or institution and the year.
3. Put the NQF level in brackets after it, as extra detail.
4. For trades, add the trade test certificate and list the machines, plant or tools you worked on.
5. Keep a separate, plain line for matric, with its NQF 4 label.
6. Leave out any "equivalent to" wording unless an assessing body has given you that result in writing.

A CV builder can speed up the layout once the facts are straight. Build AI CV is one option for turning your qualifications into a clean CV, but the wording above is what matters.

Why you should not claim an equivalent

It is tempting to write "NQF level 6, equivalent to an Australian advanced diploma". Do not. A framework level in one country is not an assessment in another. In Australia, a skills assessing authority is an organisation that checks a person's skills meet the standards it sets for an occupation, and Home Affairs only accepts an assessment from the relevant authority. That is the body that decides how your skills compare, not you and not your CV.

The same applies to the visa itself. Some primary applicants for the Skills in Demand (482) visa need a mandatory skills assessment, by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS depending on the occupation, started before the application is lodged. Our Skills in Demand (482) visa guide sets out the conditions, and the Home Affairs skills assessment page explains how assessments work. An assessment with no validity period shown is valid for 3 years from the date of issue.

Latest update for tradespeople

Trades Recognition Australia lists South Africa as a nominated country for its Offshore Skills Assessment Program in trades including Welder (First Class), Fitter and Turner and Diesel Motor Mechanic. For licensed occupations such as Electrician (General) and Plumber (General), TRA says applicants from all countries need an OSAP assessment, unless applying for a 482 or 485 visa, where other advice applies. Read our post on whether your trade is on TRA's list, then check the occupation on the TRA programme page before you pay anyone.

New Zealand uses its own framework. For the Accredited Employer Work Visa, applicants must show 2 years or more of relevant job experience, or a qualification at level 4 or higher on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework, in the same field as the job. That is a New Zealand level, not your NQF level, so do not swap one number for the other. The Immigration New Zealand AEWV page lists the conditions. Fitters and welders can see what is advertised in the manufacturing jobs category, for example a fitter, turner and welder role in Christchurch.

Common mistakes

• Writing only a level number. "NQF 5" alone says nothing about whether it is a diploma or an occupational certificate.
• Calling it an Australian equivalent. Only the assessing body can say how your skills compare.
• Using "red seal" on the CV. It is an everyday word. Use "trade test certificate" and the trade name.
• Sending an unverified qualification. If an employer or assessor asks for verification, start early, because the wait is measured in weeks.
• Mixing frameworks. The New Zealand level 4 in the AEWV rules is not your NQF level 4.

Frequently asked questions

Is matric the same as NQF level 4?

SAQA uses "matric" as the everyday name for the NQF 4 school-leaving qualification. On an overseas CV, write the full certificate name and add "NQF level 4" so the reader understands what it is.

Should I put my NQF level on a CV for Australia or New Zealand?

You can, as extra detail after the qualification's full title and issuing body. Employers there rely on their own frameworks, so the number should never be the only thing you write.

Can I say my South African qualification is equivalent to an Australian one?

No, unless an assessing authority has told you so in writing. Comparing qualifications is the job of the relevant skills assessing authority, and a CV claim of equivalence can count against you if it does not match the result.

Does a SAQA verification letter cover my trade certificate?

Not necessarily. SAQA's letter covers tertiary qualifications obtained in South Africa. DIRCO says the QCTO verifies trade certificates it issued and those from the former departments, so ask the right body for your type of document.

How long does a SAQA verification letter take?

SAQA gives a minimum turnaround of 25 working days and a tariff of R713 per letter in 2026/27. Plan for that wait before an employer or assessor asks for it.

Key takeaways

• The NQF is a ladder of levels, and the level number alone does not show the type of qualification.
• Write the exact title, the issuer and the year, then the NQF level as extra detail.
• Use "trade test certificate", not "red seal", for the artisan qualification.
• Never claim an equivalent unless an assessing authority has confirmed it in writing.
• New Zealand's level 4 rule for the AEWV refers to its own framework, not the NQF.

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