VETASSESS – Skill Assessment for Australia Migration Under Skilled Worker Visa

VETASSESS is an Australian skill assessment body that assesses your skills for migration, education and sponsored employment purposes. Basically, VETASSESS stands for Vocational Education and Training Assessment.

Occupations that VETASSESS assess are classified as either a general professional occupation or a trade occupation. While reading this article, you will learn in detail about these classified occupation classes and learn how VETASSESS assesses these occupations.

General Professional Occupation for VETASSES

Before applying for an assessment of your occupation, you are advised to find out whether your job is listed in the General Professional Occupation Class. Once you are clear about your occupation class, you can go ahead with the assessment of the same. To determine if your occupation falls under the General Occupations List or Trades Occupation, please visit the skills assessment page of VETASSESS.

Also, note that VETASSESS will not assist any visa category, and you are advised to consult a professional migration agent or DIBP for any visa-related assistance.

Applications for General Professional Occupations can be submitted online or by post.

Skills Assessment Support for VETASSESS

The Skills Assessment Support can provide you with support in the completion of your Skills Assessment application. For applicants who are unfamiliar with the VETASSESS process, they can proceed with the Skills Assessment Support.

The Skills Assessment Support helps applicants prepare their documents so they can be used for a general professional occupation with VETASSESS. You can use the Skills Assessment Support for Priority Processing of your application.

There are two ways in which you can avail the Skills Assessment Support service:

1. Document Checking Service: This is a systematic service in which an applicant’s documents undergo a thorough review. The checking service assists you with documentation requirements for VETASSESS skills assessment applications.
2. Telephonic Consultation: Applicants can also take advantage of the telephonic consultation service, which typically lasts 30 minutes. As an applicant, you are required to provide accurate information about yourself to an experienced assessment officer.

What if you do not meet the requirements of your nominated occupation?

In case you do not meet the requirement for your nominated occupation, you will be issued a letter stating that you did not meet the requirement and the places where you failed to qualify.

If you disagree with the result, you can discuss with the skills assessor and learn how you can apply for a reassessment.

How does VETASSESS classify occupations?

VETASSESS has classified its general occupations into five groups: A, B, C, D, and E. The table below provides an overview of how these classes interact with VETASSESS.

ANZSCO Skill Level	VETASSESS Occupation Group
Skill Level 1 Australian Bachelor degree or higher degree or comparable qualification	Group A or B
Skill Level 2 Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Associate Degree or AQF Advanced Diploma or AQF Diploma or comparable qualification.	Group C or E
Skill Level 3 AQF Certificate III or IV or comparable qualification	Group D

Priority Processing by VETASSESS

The VETASSESS priority processing is for new applicants who wish for a full skills assessment for a general professional occupation. Also, note that applications already with VETASSESS for a full skills assessment are not eligible for priority processing.

With priority processing, applicants can speed up their application processing duration in exchange for an additional fee. VETASSESS assures applicants that it will complete the processing of documents within 10 business days for applications that meet the eligibility criteria.

These 10 days, as mentioned above, will only begin after:

• VETASSESS confirms that the submitted application meets the eligibility criteria; and
• Payments for the priority processing have been received, along with the applicable taxes.

VETASSESS will take up to 2 business days to process applications and payments upon receipt. An email will be sent to the applicant about the status update upon completion of the process.

Applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be assessed within 10 business days.

How to Apply for Priority Processing?

To begin with, your application must meet the eligibility criteria for priority processing.

Applications for priority processing need to be submitted online. Priority processing does not accept paper-based documents.

Before applying for priority processing, you are advised to go through the VETASSESS website and confirm your eligibility for priority processing. Upon reaching the fees and payment section of priority processing, you can select the option for priority processing.

Once an application is submitted for priority processing, you are unable to submit any further document uploads. It is highly advised that you double-check your documents before uploading them for priority processing.

Nominate Your Occupation

You are required to nominate yourself for an occupation as part of applying for Skilled Assessment. You should nominate yourself for an occupation that is closely relevant to your skills and qualifications.

Skills assessment for Employer-Sponsored Nomination, General Skilled Migration, Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme and 457 Visa will require a qualification that is closely relevant to the nominated occupation.

Additionally, applicants are required to have at least one year of highly relevant work experience within the last five years of employment. In some cases, additional years of highly relevant work experience can compensate for the lack of educational relevancy to the nominated occupation.

Applicants who meet the skilled assessment requirements, as determined by VETASSESS, will also be informed of the date when their work experience is considered qualified in the nominated occupation.

Skilled Occupation List

Any occupation from the Short-term Skilled Occupations List (STSOL) or the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) can be removed at any time without any prior notice.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their nominated occupation remains available on the specified skilled occupations list at the time of submitting documents to VETASSESS. If your occupation has been removed from the skilled occupations list, VETASSESS will continue assessing your application for the nominated occupation.

Eligibility Criteria

Here is the list of eligibility criteria that you are supposed to meet to submit your application for skills assessment. Also, note that VETASSESS will not contact you if the documents provided by you are unclear. Your application will be rejected. It is highly recommended that you provide all necessary documents to VETASSESS for a swift and thorough assessment.

While applying for priority processing, you must provide evidence that satisfies VETASSESS about your Fee payment, proof of identity, qualifications and employment. These proofs should be uploaded to the online priority processing application.

You are not required to submit original documents for the process. However, you must provide high-quality, coloured scanned copies of your documents in the priority processing application.

List of Required Documents

All documents mentioned below are required in high quality and original colour. A registered translation service should translate any document that is not in the English language.

1. Fee: You are required to pay the mentioned application fee at the time of submitting your application for assessment.
2. Photograph: Provide a passport-size colour photograph. The photograph should not be older than 6 months. Self-taken pictures are not accepted.
3. Proof of Identity: Your passport’s bio page can be used as proof of identification. In case you do not have a passport, a birth certificate is acceptable.
4. Change of Name: Any time you change your name, evidence of the name change should be provided.

Qualification Evidences

Your qualification evidence includes your qualification award certificates and transcript of marks. Before assessing your application, VETASSESS will need to determine if your qualifications are comparable to Australian Qualification Framework standards.

If VETASSESS thinks that your qualifications require an in-house assessment, your application will be considered ineligible for priority processing.

Award Certificate

The award certificate denotes that you have completed a professional award course of study. Suppose you have not received an award certificate. In that case, a provisional award certificate issued by the awarding body or an official statement of marks from the Registrar’s department of the awarding institution will be accepted.

Academic Transcript

You are also required to submit your academic transcript. An academic transcript is a document that outlines the courses you undertook through an awarding institution. Along with the paper courses, the academic transcript should also mention your grades attained as part of your educational qualification.

Employment Evidence

You must provide proof of all your previous employment evidence while submitting your documents.

If you are assessing your application through Priority processing, VETASSESS will need to determine if your employment details can be verified within 10 business days. To expedite the process, here is some key information and documents to keep in mind when applying for priority processing.

Statement of Service

A statement of service is a written statement by your employer on the company’s official letterhead. The official letterhead should include the company’s name, complete address, telephone number, email address and website link. Your direct supervisor or manager, or the manager of the Human Resources department, should sign the letterhead.

The statement of services should include:

• Your full name
• Working hours per week
• Your designation is held in the company
• Exact period for how long the position was held in the company
• Description of your primary duties performed for each designation
• Salary earned
• Official details and the signature of the person writing the statement of services

Payment Evidences

Payment evidence can include the following:

• First and last payslip
• Taxation records of assessment bearing the company’s and applicant’s names
• Bank statement showing at least two salary transactions, your name and the employer’s name
• Employment-linked insurance evidence

Self Employed

If you are a self-employed individual, you are required to provide proof of sole trading, such as business registration details and official statements issued by your accountant or legal team. The statement written on the letterhead by your accountant should include your accountant’s name, your name, the nature of your business and signature of your accountant.

Resume/ Curriculum Vitae

If you are applying for a formal skills assessment, submitting your CV may benefit in the evaluation of your application. Your CV outlines the education you pursued and completed, and your employment records.

Fees and Payments

The following are separate fee structures for assessments carried out outside and within Australia.

Full Skills Assessment

Application method	Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
Online application	$660.00	$1039.50
*Priority Processing Fee (available for online applications only)	AUD 880.00	$945.00
Paper-based application (Priority Processing not available)	$600.00	AUD $945.00

Points Test Advice (Pending or Returning VETASSESS applicants)

Application method	Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
AUD 418.00	AUD 380.00	AUD $380.00

Points Test Advice (Pending or Returning non-VETASSESS applicants)

Application method		Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
Qualifications Online application	Overseas postgraduate doctoral degree	$359.00	AUD 156.20
	Other overseas qualification	AUD $275.00	AUD $250.00
	Australian qualification	AUD 142.00	Other overseas qualifications
Qualifications: based on application	Overseas postgraduate doctoral degree	AUD 380.00	AUD 299.20
	AUD 418.00	AUD 272.00	AUD 394.90
	Australian qualification	Other overseas qualifications	AUD 179.30

Qualifications Assessment to support 485 Visa Application

Application method	Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
Online application	AUD 359.00	AUD 418.00
Paper-based application	AUD 380.00	AUD $380.00

Post 485 Assessment under the same occupation

Application method	Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
Assessment of employment for final Skills Assessment	AUD 684.00	AUD $684.00

Post 485 Assessment under the same occupation

If you are applying for a 485 assessment and wish to change your nominated occupation, you will need to lodge a new occupation.

Reassessment – Review of assessment outcome

Subject of reassessment	Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
Qualification(s)	AUD $299.20	AUD 272.00
Employment	AUD 489.00	AUD 299.20

Change of occupation

Application Type	Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
Qualification(s) Assessment for subclass 485 visa	AUD $358.60	AUD 358.60
Full Skills Assessment	AUD 598.00	AUD 326.00

Reissue/Printed Outcome Letter

Purpose	Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
Printed Copy of Outcome Letter	AUD 66.00	AUD $66.00

Appeal

Application Method	Applying from within Australia (includes GST)	Applying from outside Australia (excludes GST)
Paper-based application	AUD 739.00	AUD $739.00

Making a Payment

VETASSESS has different payment methods available.

Payments must be:

• Made payable to VETASSESS
• In Australian Dollars
• Should be paid and cleared within 7 days of the assessment

Payments can be accepted online, by email or in person.

Apply or Track Application

By applying online for the VETASSESS skills assessment, you can benefit in two ways. Firstly, your application can be assessed more quickly, and secondly, you can track its progress.

Reviews

If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can ask for a review of your application. The review of the application involves experienced assessing officers not involved in the original assessment. Review of the application would, though, attract a fee.

Request for a Review

A request for review begins with the applicant setting forth the grounds on which the review is sought. The review request should also include additional information to support the claim. You are also advised to provide further evidence to support your claim.

Appeals

If you believe that the review of your application is incorrect, you can apply for an appeal of the decision. No information from you will be considered during the appeal stage. The appeal stage is the final stage after which you cannot appeal.

Change of occupation

You only have 10 business days from the date of applying for the change of your occupation without paying any extra fee. Any request for a change of your occupation after those 10 business days will incur additional costs.