When it comes to proving that you are experienced enough in certain areas to meet the requirements of a qualification, we have to abide by certain criteria. These are set by the federal government, specifically, ASQA (the Australian Skills Quality Authority). The criteria for the evidence that can be submitted in an RPL application is: Validity Sufficiency Authenticity Currency It’s this last one, currency, which applies to the time frame for evidence. To meet the currency rule of evidence, the federal government requires that experience must be within the last five years to be admissible. The reasoning behind this is that industry practices and regulations are updated frequently. To maintain the high standard of qualifications awarded through RPL, they must remain up-to-date, too. This gives both the holders of a qualification and potential employers confidence in the credibility and timeliness of that qualification.