Applying for a skilled visa? Here’s what you need to know about VETASSESS.
If you’re applying for an Australian skilled visa and your occupation is assessed by VETASSESS, you’ll need to complete a skills assessment before lodging your visa application. This assessment tests whether your qualifications and work experience meet Australian standards for your nominated occupation.
The expert team at Skylark have been helping people prepare for their VETASSESS assessments since 2015. If you’re not sure where to get started, reach out to us today.
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If you are applying for skilled migration or certain employer-sponsored visas, you will usually need to complete a positive skills assessment.
VETASSESS (Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services) is the authorised body for assessing a wide range of occupations for migration purposes in Australia. It is responsible for evaluating whether your qualifications and experience meet the standards required by Australian authorities for your nominated occupation.
VETASSESS assesses more than 360 occupations across both general and trade categories. General occupations are grouped into five categories (A to E), each with different qualifications and work experience requirements. Here are some examples of the types of roles included in each:
Career consultants, chemists, physicians, auditors, landscape architects, medical administrators, orthoptists, lecturers and teachers.
Cafe or restaurant managers, customer service managers, brokers, gym managers, insurance brokers and massage therapists.
Anaesthesiologists, cardiac therapists, medical specialists and related positions.
Actors, advertising marketers, beekeepers, sound engineers, writers, script editors, costume designers, stock traders, graphic designers and similar.
Auctioneers, divers, football players and real estate agents.
Incomplete applications are the most common cause of delays in a VETASSESS skill assessment, so it’s important to prepare all documents in advance. Use this VETASSESS skills assessment checklist as a starting point before you apply.
Note: Statutory declarations alone are not sufficient for a VETASSESS skill assessment. They can support your application, but cannot replace official employer documentation.
Providing clear, consistent documentation helps ensure your VETASSESS application is processed without unnecessary delays.
VETASSESS assesses more than 360 occupations across both general and trade categories. General occupations are grouped into five categories (A to E), each with different qualifications and work experience requirements. Here are some examples of the types of roles included in each:
Career consultants, chemists, physicians, auditors, landscape architects, medical administrators, orthoptists, lecturers and teachers.
Actors, advertising marketers, beekeepers, sound engineers, writers, script editors, costume designers, stock traders, graphic designers and similar.
Cafe or restaurant managers, customer service managers, brokers, gym managers, insurance brokers and massage therapists.
Auctioneers, divers, football players and real estate agents.
Anaesthesiologists, cardiac therapists, medical specialists and related positions.
If you are applying under the 189, 190, 491 or 482 Visa programs, you will require a full migration skills assessment. Fees vary depending on whether your nominated occupation is classed as a professional or the occupation itself and the visa that you’re applying for.
For applicants under the 485 Temporary Graduate Visa, you will need to complete the specific 485 Visa assessment, which has a different application fee. You can view that fee structure here.
One of the biggest factors affecting your VETASSESS processing time is the quality and completeness of your application. Delays are most commonly caused by incomplete submissions, documents in the wrong format, missing certified translations for non-English documents, or employment references that don’t clearly outline your job title, duties, hours, and dates.
Before lodging your VETASSESS skill assessment, make sure everything is prepared and carefully checked. VETASSESS also offers a Skills Assessment Support (SAS) consultation, where you can speak with an assessment officer before applying to identify potential issues early. You can learn more about this on our VETASSESS support service blog.
The qualification requirements for each category are as follows:
In addition to meeting these qualification thresholds, you will need relevant work experience. The amount required will vary depending on your occupation, qualification level and how recent your experience is.
Common mistakes we see include:
Our team can guide you through this process and help you avoid these errors. With our experience preparing successful VETASSESS applications, we’ll ensure your case is as strong as possible.
When you choose Skylark Migration, you’re not just getting a service; you’re gaining a trusted partner in your journey
Former-Department of Immigration
With a former Immigration officer on our team, we have unique insight into what a strong application looks like and red flags you should avoid.
100% success rate
We maintain a 100% success rate across a large range of visas. Our secret? A proven Skylark process and meticulous internal checklists.
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We are confident enough in our proven process that we offer you a 100% money-back guarantee.
Competitive, all-inclusive fees
We are transparent with our pricing and are fiercely against charging exorbitant fees.
Nothing beats hearing it from our customers. See what our customers have said.
100% success rate
We maintain a 100% success rate across a large range of visas. Our secret? A proven Skylark process and meticulous internal checklists.
Nothing beats hearing it from our customers. See what our customers have said.
Tell us about your situation, and we’ll try to help you get results like these:
Skylark Migration is the best place for migration advice and services. Skylark staff especially Tony has helped me to get my positive skilled employment assessment. I did not have any knowledge of the assessment process but they advised me and helped me in this difficult situation. I really recommend others as well to experience their migration services as they provide efficient and quality service. I really want to say thanks to Skylark to help me in my assessment process.
I reached out to Skylark as they were recommended to me by a friend, and it’s been a great experience thus far. The agents are really communicative and easy to work with. I opted for the full package and definitely recommend it. I just completed my skills assessment with no issues, even my mistakes were caught and highlighted to me. Looking forward to the next phase, I know I’m in the team’s capable hands.
Top quality service! Tony and Skylark team are very professional and friendly. The team helped me to get my positive skill assessment outcome. They were there for me every step of the way and were readily available to answer any of my queries. Highly recommended!
Book a free consultation with our migration experts, and we’ll help you understand your options and next steps.
A skills assessment checks if your qualifications and work experience meet Australian standards. It’s required for most Skilled visas and is done by the official authority for your job.
A VETASSESS skill assessment is generally valid for three years from the date of issue. Your assessment must still be valid at the time you receive your visa invitation. Some visa subclasses may have specific requirements, so it’s important to confirm with the Department of Home Affairs.
The VETASSESS occupation list covers over 360 professional and 27 trade occupations across a wide range of industries. To confirm whether your occupation is assessed by VETASSESS, you’ll need to check their official list.
Choosing the correct occupation is a critical step, so if you’re unsure, it’s worth getting tailored advice through a migration strategy consultant.
A negative VETASSESS skill assessment doesn’t necessarily mean your migration pathway is over. You may be able to request a review, submit additional evidence such as further work experience or updated qualifications, or consider a different occupation. VETASSESS also offers a pre-application consultation to help identify issues before reapplying.
You can learn more on our VETASSESS support service blog. For personalised guidance, consider booking a migration strategy consultation.
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