VETASSESS Skills Assessment: Processing Time and Fees in 2026
A VETASSESS skills assessment for a professional or general occupation takes about 7 weeks and costs $1,146, or $1,260.60 if you're an Australian resident for tax purposes and pay GST. Need it sooner? Priority processing costs another $863 (or $949.30 with GST) and takes 10 business days once VETASSESS confirms you're eligible for it. Those figures come from VETASSESS's own fees and processing times pages.
Below are every fee VETASSESS publishes for migration assessments, how long each service takes, and when paying for priority is worth it. Trade occupations work differently, and we cover that too.
Got an invitation deadline and no assessment yet? Book a consultation.
How long does VETASSESS take?
Seven weeks is the headline figure for a full skills assessment, counted from lodgement. That clock doesn't include time spent waiting on you. If VETASSESS asks for more documents, you get 28 days to send them, then two more attempts to obtain them. Still nothing, and the application is finalised as Not Suitable on what VETASSESS already has. So an incomplete file isn't just slow. It can fail.
| VETASSESS service | Approximate processing time |
|---|---|
| Full skills assessment, professional occupations | 7 weeks |
| Priority processing | 10 business days after the application is confirmed eligible |
| Subclass 485 assessment | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Post-485 assessment, same occupation | 7 weeks |
| Renewal | 2 to 5 weeks once all documents are received |
| Points Test Advice | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Outcome review, professional occupations | 7 weeks |
| Reassessment | 7 weeks |
| Appeal | 12 weeks |
| DAMA assessment, and review of a DAMA outcome | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Chinese qualifications verification | 8 to 10 weeks |
Notice the last row. Where your qualification needs verification through VETASSESS's Chinese qualifications service, allow for that wait on top of the assessment.
What VETASSESS charges in 2026
Every fee has two prices. You pay GST if you're an Australian resident for tax purposes, and the lower figure if you're not. VETASSESS points you to the Australian Taxation Office for which one applies. Where you happen to be living doesn't decide it.
| Application | Australian tax resident (includes GST) | Not an Australian tax resident (excludes GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Full skills assessment (qualifications and employment) | $1,260.60 | $1,146.00 |
| Priority processing, on top of the full fee | $949.30 | $863.00 |
| Subclass 485 assessment | $478.50 | $435.00 |
| Review of a 485 assessment | $304.70 | $277.00 |
| Reassessment of a 485 assessment | $435.60 | $396.00 |
| Post-485 assessment of employment, same occupation | $980.10 | $891.00 |
| Points Test Advice (another authority assessed your occupation) | $357.50 | $325.00 |
| Review within 90 days: qualification only | $391.60 | $356.00 |
| Review within 90 days: employment only | $700.70 | $637.00 |
| Review within 90 days: qualification and employment | $1,050.50 | $955.00 |
| Reassessment within 12 months | $856.90 | $779.00 |
| Appeal of a Not Suitable outcome | $1,245.20 | $1,132.00 |
| Renewal within 3 years | $544.50 | $495.00 |
| Reissue of outcome letter | $85.80 | $78.00 |
Five rules sit underneath those prices:
- Reviews have a 90-day window. Lodge a review after 90 days and VETASSESS charges the full assessment fee.
- Appeals have their own 90-day window, counted from a Not Suitable outcome on your review, and you can add documents to support it.
- Reassessment has a 12-month window. After that you lodge a new application.
- Renewal has a 3-year window. After that the full fee applies, and an expired outcome can't be renewed at all.
- Withdrawing costs $179. If you withdraw before the assessment starts, VETASSESS will consider a full refund less that administration fee.
DAMA assessments are priced at the same rates for the matching services. Payment is by MasterCard or Visa in Australian dollars, and VETASSESS processes the application once payment and the required documents are in.
Is priority processing worth the money?
Sometimes. It makes sense when a deadline is real and close: a state nomination window, an invitation period, or an employer's start date. It's wasted when the file isn't ready, because VETASSESS won't let you add documents after you lodge a priority application.
The 10 business days don't start on the day you pay. VETASSESS first checks the application meets the priority criteria, which normally takes up to two business days, and the clock starts once that's approved and the fee is received. Documents that need verification, or qualifications that need research, can push it past 10 days. Not accepted? VETASSESS refunds the priority fee within three to four weeks and assesses the application at the normal pace.
There's also a free option most people miss. If you've been invited to apply for a visa, have 60 days to lodge, and your previous skills assessment has expired, VETASSESS says you can ask for urgent processing without paying the priority fee. Email the request to migrate@vetassess.com.au with your invitation attached.
Who can pay for priority:
- New full skills assessment applications.
- Renewals of a Suitable outcome.
- Reassessment under a different occupation from your original assessment.
Reviews and appeals can't be prioritised. Nor can a fresh application for the same occupation after a Not Suitable outcome. Priority isn't offered for trade occupations at all.
Picture a construction project manager offshore, an occupation VETASSESS assesses, whose target state has opened a short nomination window. Paying the extra $863 can make sense if every document is scanned and ready on day one. If her employment references still need chasing, the same money buys nothing, because the application has to be complete when lodged.
What makes an application take longer than 7 weeks
Two parts of the file decide whether 7 weeks holds. The first is employment evidence. VETASSESS counts work only if it was paid and at least 20 hours a week. Two relevant jobs held at the same time can count together: VETASSESS may combine the hours to reach 20. Unpaid work doesn't count, however relevant.
Identity is the second. Since 1 December 2025 VETASSESS has required at least three separate identity documents. One must show your full name and date of birth, and one must be a current government-issued document with your photograph and signature. If you've changed your name, you need documents showing each change, and a statutory declaration won't do.
Trades, the 485 and other VETASSESS services
Trade occupations are assessed under the Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) programs, and VETASSESS says processing times for them are in TRA's own guidelines. Each program has its own fee. Our Carpenter 331212 guide shows how the TRA programs and fees work for one trade.
The 485 assessment is a separate, cheaper product for the subclass 485 Post-Vocational Education Work stream. For a later full assessment in the same occupation, VETASSESS offers a post-485 assessment of your employment rather than a whole new application.
Points Test Advice is for people whose skills assessment came from another authority. It's an opinion of how your qualification compares with the Australian Qualifications Framework. VETASSESS says the Department takes it into account but isn't bound by it, so treat it as evidence, not a guarantee of points. You can check how qualifications score with our points calculator.
How long is a VETASSESS assessment valid?
VETASSESS says a Suitable full skills assessment is usually valid for three years from its issue date. For points-tested visas, the assessment has to be valid when you're invited. Our post on how long a skills assessment is valid explains how that works with each visa.
VETASSESS's own advice is to renew early. A renewal can add new qualifications or employment, and the qualifying period for points is worked out from the date you lodge the renewal. Don't wait for a state invitation to arrive with an assessment that's about to expire. Renew at the same time as you apply for state nomination, or before.
FAQ
How much is the VETASSESS fee?
A full skills assessment for a professional or general occupation costs $1,146, or $1,260.60 if you're an Australian resident for tax purposes and pay GST. Priority processing adds $863, or $949.30 with GST. A subclass 485 assessment is $435, or $478.50 with GST.
How long does a VETASSESS skills assessment take?
About 7 weeks for a professional or general occupation, according to VETASSESS, and longer if the application is complex or the documents aren't sufficient. Priority processing takes 10 business days after VETASSESS confirms the application is eligible for it. A subclass 485 assessment takes 1 to 2 weeks.
Is a VETASSESS skills assessment valid for 3 years?
Usually, yes. VETASSESS says a Suitable full skills assessment is usually valid for three years from its issue date. You can renew it within those three years for $495, or $544.50 with GST. Once it has expired it can't be renewed, and you need a new application.
How much is a VETASSESS reassessment?
A reassessment within 12 months of the original outcome costs $779, or $856.90 with GST, and takes about 7 weeks. After 12 months you lodge a new application. A review of the outcome within 90 days costs $356 to $955 depending on what's reviewed.
How do I check my VETASSESS skill assessment status?
Through the VETASSESS online application portal, where you lodge and track your application. VETASSESS emails you if it needs further documents. The outcome letter can be downloaded from the portal, and for priority processing it's available within 24 hours of the decision.
What documents are required for a VETASSESS skills assessment?
For a professional occupation, VETASSESS lists a resume, a photograph, at least three identity documents, any change of name evidence, qualification evidence, employment evidence and the fee. Documents must be high quality colour scans of the originals, with English translations from a registered translation service where they aren't in English.
Not sure whether to pay for priority, or worried your employment evidence won't hold up? Book a consultation and we'll check the file before you lodge, because VETASSESS can decide on what you send. Our skills assessment service covers VETASSESS and the other assessing authorities.
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