VETASSESS-FAQ

Updated on 4 Nov 2019

Which occupation should I nominate?
You can find additional information regarding each occupation and the requirements for migration on the Department of Home Affairs website.
For information about the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), please refer to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website. Please note that many occupations listed in ANZSCO may not be available for skilled visa purposes.
For a customised consultation on the General Professional Occupations, click here to find out more about our Skills Assessment Support (SAS) service.

What if my occupation is not listed?
If your occupation is not listed with us, you can try locating the occupation on the Department of Home Affairs website. Details of the relevant assessing authority will be listed there too.

What is a highly relevant field of study?
A highly relevant field of study is the 'major' field of your qualification that matches your nominated occupation for skills assessment purposes. It is the discipline (study area) which is assessed as suitable preparation for employment in your nominated occupation in Australia.
In order to determine whether a qualification is in a highly relevant field of study to the nominated occupation, VETASSESS considers a number of factors including (but not limited to):
Whether you hold a specialised qualification or whether your qualification has a major or whether your qualification has a major field of study which VETASSESS has identified as being suitable for The occupation in Australia
The depth (progression) and breadth of study in the major
The employment outcomes of the qualification in the country concerned
Course requirements - including whether any thesis work, major projects, internships/work placements were needed in order for the qualification to be achieved.

What is study at the required educational level?
Your qualification to be assessed must be at the educational level required for your nominated occupation. Each occupation requires a specific educational level based on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Each occupation is also defined by an employment skill level. For example, the occupation of Actuary (ANZSCO Code 224111) requires an applicant to hold a formal academic qualification assessed at Australian Bachelor degree or a higher degree level.
In order to determine the educational level comparability of overseas qualifications against the AQF, the following is taken into consideration:
The education system of the country where qualifications were obtained
The accreditation status and recognition of the awarding institution and the program of study in The home country
The level, structure, length and content of the program of study undertaken
Please note: That we will not be assessing an Australian Graduate Diploma or comparable overseas postgraduate diploma in combination with underpinning sub-degree qualifications for comparability to the educational level of an Australian Bachelor degree. This is based on the different nature and learning outcomes of an Australian Bachelor degree compared to other qualifications on the AQF. The Postgraduate Diploma may, however, be considered for assessment against the requirements of occupations which require a qualification at AQF Diploma or Advanced Diploma/ Associate degree level.

Key terms for Employment Assessment Criteria
What is 'highly relevant employment'?
Only full time (at least 20 hours per week) and paid employment can be considered for skills assessment purposes. The major tasks undertaken in your everyday work should closely match major tasks usually undertaken in that occupation in Australia. The employment to be assessed must also be performed at the required skill level of the nominated occupation.

Employment must be skilled
For employment to be considered 'skilled', it must meet two requirements:
That it was undertaken after you met the entry level requirements for the nominated occupation
That it involved your primary/ main duties being performed at the level of depth and complexity for the nominated occupation
Each ANZSCO Unit Group of occupations lists a range of tasks based on the nature of each occupation as well as the differing skill levels required. Occupation tasks may vary in terms of the scope of responsibilities, knowledge and skills required. Usually the salary will reflect the level of skill required.
Example:
The ANZSCO tasks listed for a Customer Service Manager (ANZSCO Code 149212, VETASSESS Group C Occupation classification) include supervision of staff providing customer services, developing and reviewing policies and procedures concerning customer relations, and liaising with other organisational units to enhance customer service standards.
In comparison, a Construction Project Manager (ANZSCO Code 133111, VETASSESS Group A Occupation classification) requires specialised knowledge of the construction industry and major tasks may include: interpreting architectural drawings, specifications, bills of quantities and plans; estimating costs and quantities of labour and materials; creating and implementing coordinated programs for site activities and work control systems, and ensuring adherence to building legislation and standards of building performance.

Employment must be paid
For skills assessment purposes, full time work is paid employment performed for a minimum of 20 hours per week. Irregular periods that average out to 20 hours per week over a year will not be considered. For example, if you have worked in your nominated occupation for 12 hours per week over a three-month period and then worked 40 hours per week over a seven-month period, only the seven-month period would be considered for skills assessment purposes.

Please note: That unpaid / partially paid leave, volunteer services or work towards gaining professional skills and/ or qualifications will not be considered as paid employment at the required skill level of a nominated occupation for skills assessment purposes.

Leave periods
Only periods of leave on full pay may be counted as paid employment for assessment purposes.

What is pre- and post-qualification employment?
The skill level for employment is considered to be post-qualification if the employment follows a qualification which is assessed at the required educational level for the nominated occupation. For Groups A and E, the employment must be post-qualification.
In some cases, applicants may have gained relevant employment experience prior to achieving the required qualification. If your selected occupation is classified under our authority in Groups B, C and D, pre-qualification employment may be considered for skills assessment purposes.
The criteria for pre-qualification employment include a period of “qualifying” employment preceding the required one year of highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level.

Pre-qualification employment requirements for groups B, C and D are as follows:
Group B – five years of relevant employment required in addition to at least one year of highly relevant employment performed at the required skill level in the last 5 years before applying
Groups C and D – three years of relevant employment required in addition to at least one year of highly relevant employment performed at the required skill level in the last 5 years before applying.

What is Date Deemed Skilled?
As part of the assessment process, VETASSESS will determine the date you met the entry level requirements for the nominated occupation based on closely related employment within the last ten years. VETASSESS will only count skilled employment post the Date Deemed Skilled as eligible for points test purpose.
VETASSESS issues skills assessments on the basis of attainment of a qualification at the required educational level and also requires a period of post-qualification work experience before considering an applicant as suitably skilled for the purpose of employment points.
Therefore, the Date Deemed Skilled noted on the VETASSESS outcome letters will be determined by the number of years of employment required for meeting the skills assessment requirements for the applicant’s chosen occupation. Only highly relevant and/or closely related work experience completed after the Date Deemed Skilled will be considered as skilled employment that is eligible for points test purposes.
The work experience required to meet the skills assessment criteria will be noted as a qualifying period to meet the skill level of the nominated or closely related ANZSCO occupation. As such, the years of work experience required to meet the skills assessment criteria will not be included in the total number of years of skilled employment assessed positively for points test purposes.

Please consider the following scenarios for a skills assessment application received in January 2018:

Scenario 1
An applicant has nominated the occupation of Marketing Specialist (ANZSCO Code 225113). He has obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration in December 2008 and is now working as a marketing executive with a global pharmaceutical company since January 2014. Prior to this employment, he worked as a market researcher for a marketing research consultancy firm from January 2012 to January 2013.
For skills assessment purpose, the Bachelor of Business Administration is assessed as meeting the educational requirements for the nominated occupation. In addition to this, based on his current employment as marketing executive which falls within the last five years, he has at least one year of highly relevant employment which meets the employment requirements for the nominated occupation.
In order to determine the "Date Deemed Skilled", the applicant’s employment as market researcher (From January 2012 to January 2013) is used to calculate the qualifying period required to meet the skill level of the nominated or closely related ANZSCO occupation. The one year of work experience required to meet the skills assessment criteria for the chosen occupation is not counted as skilled employment assessed positively for points test purposes. Only skilled employment post January 2013 will be eligible for the purpose of employment points test.

Scenario 2
An applicant has nominated the occupation of University Lecturer (ANZSCO Code 242111). He has obtained a Doctoral degree in Biological Sciences in March 2012, worked as a postdoctoral researcher with a research centre from April 2012 to March 2015, and is now working as an assistant professor with a university since April 2015.
For skills assessment purpose, the doctoral degree is assessed as meeting the educational requirements for the nominated occupation. In addition to this, based on his current employment as assistant professor which falls within the last five years, he has at least one year of highly relevant employment which meets the employment requirements for the nominated occupation.
In order to determine the "Date Deemed Skilled", the applicant’s employment as postdoctoral researcher (from April 2012 to March 2013) is used to calculate the qualifying period. The one year of work experience required to meet the skills assessment criteria for the chosen occupation is not counted as skilled employment assessed positively for points test purposes. Only skilled employment after March 2013 will be eligible for the purpose of employment points test.

Scenario 3
An applicant has nominated the occupation of Café or Restaurant Manager (ANZSCO Code 141111). She has obtained a Bachelor of Computer Applications in March 2009. From September 2009 to November 2015, she worked as a store manager for a retail shop. From December 2015 to present, she has been working as restaurant manager in her own restaurant.
For skills assessment purpose, the Bachelor of Computer Applications meets the educational level requirement of at least AQF Diploma level but the major field of study is not highly relevant to the nominated occupation. Therefore, two years of highly relevant employment are required to meet the skills assessment criteria for the nominated occupation.
The applicant’s work experience as store manager is assessed as not highly relevant to the nominated occupation. However, based on her current employment as restaurant manager which falls within the last five years, she has at least two years of highly relevant employment which meet the employment requirements for the nominated occupation.
In order to determine the "Date Deemed Skilled", the applicant’s skilled employment as restaurant manager (from December 2015 to November 2017) will be used to calculate the qualifying period. The two years of work experience required to meet the skills assessment criteria for the chosen occupation are not counted as skilled employment assessed positively for points test purposes. Only skilled employment after November 2017 will be eligible for the purpose of employment points test.

What is closely related employment?
VETASSESS will only count skilled employment post the Date Deemed Skilled as eligible for points test purposes. In these circumstances, the claimed employment will need to be related to and at the skill level of your nominated occupation. This means that you must have undertaken closely related employment that is paid employment of at least 20 hours per week in an occupation in the same Unit Group of ANZSCO (the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) as the nominated occupation. Generally, all ANZSCO unit groups are at one skill level, which is defined as a function of the range and complexity of the set of tasks performed in a particular occupation. In addition to this, VETASSESS will also consider closely related employment that is consistent with a career advancement pathway relating to your nominated occupation. Career advancement would usually take the form of a promotion to a senior role or higher level that relates to your nominated occupation and incorporates greater responsibility.

What is ANZSCO?
ANZSCO is the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations.
The occupations in ANZSCO have a 6 digit code and are grouped by occupation type:
Major Group 1 Managers
Major Group 2 Professionals
Major Group 3 Technicians and Trades Workers
Major Group 4 Community and Personal Service Workers
Major Group 5 Clerical and Administrative Workers
Major Group 6 Sales Workers
Major Group 7 Machinery Operators and Drivers
Major Group 8 Labourers
To find out more information about the definition of ANZSCO Codes, refer to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website.

What is a 'nec' occupation and how does VETASSESS assess this type of occupation?
Some occupations assessed by VETASSESS are listed as ‘nec’ which means ‘not elsewhere classified’. Examples are Education Managers nec (ANZSCO Code 134499) and Environmental Scientists nec (ANZSCO Code 234399). If nominating one of these occupations, you must ensure that your qualifications and employment are highly relevant to one of the occupation titles given in the ANZSCO description for the particular occupation. Other specific occupation titles which cannot be found elsewhere in ANZSCO will be considered on a case by case basis so long as they are relevant to the 'nec' codes. In order to be assessed against an NEC code, your occupation would generally be described as non-classified, yet specialised or related to its ANZSCO Unit Group description.
Your employment in these nominated occupations should not better match another ANZSCO code (whether assessed by VETASSESS or not).
When considering whether to nominate a 'nec' occupation, you should consider the sub major group description and determine whether your skills best fit this category.

Which occupation do you recommend for my visa option?
For all general enquiries via phone or email, VETASSESS can only provide information regarding our assessment process. We are unable to tell you which visa is best for you, which state or territory list your occupation appears on, or whether you will meet the visa requirements. For any questions regarding visa requirements and/ or eligibility, please contact the Department of Home Affairs.
You need to decide which occupation to nominate before submitting an application for assessment with VETASSESS. If you are unsure about which occupation may be best suited to your credentials, you may consider using our Skills Assessment Support (SAS) consultation service. You can read more about the SAS consultation service by clicking here.

What are the qualification requirements?
We will assess the highest qualification held (regardless of the area of study), up to postgraduate doctoral degree level. The assessment for overseas qualifications determines the definitive educational level in Australian terms. Please note that according to the Department of Home Affairs, points for qualifications at Master degree level can only be awarded where applicants have also completed a Bachelor degree that is assessed by the relevant skills assessing authority as being comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree level.

What are the employment requirements?
Applicants with non-VETASSESS occupations will be provided with a Qualifications-only assessment and are advised to contact their relevant assessing authority for Points Test Advice on their employment claims.
When assessing employment for the Points Test Advice, we require the following for a positive outcome:
Employment must be highly relevant to the nominated occupation, or in a closely related Occupation and at an appropriate skill level for your nominated occupation
Employment must be full time (at least 20 hours per week)
Employment must be genuine and verifiable
Employment must be undertaken within the last ten years.
We define highly relevant employment as paid employment of at least 20 hours per week, in which the majority of everyday tasks closely match the major tasks undertaken in the nominated occupation in Australia and are performed at an appropriate skill level for the nominated occupation in Australia.
VETASSESS will only count skilled employment post the Date Deemed Skilled as eligible for points test purposes. In these circumstances, the claimed employment will need to be related to and at the skill level of your nominated occupation. This means that you must have undertaken closely related employment that is paid employment of at least 20 hours per week in an occupation in the same Unit Group of ANZSCO (the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) as the nominated occupation. Generally, all ANZSCO unit groups are at one skill level, which is defined as a function of the range and complexity of the set of tasks performed in a particular occupation. In addition to this, VETASSESS will also consider closely related employment that is consistent with a career advancement pathway relating to your nominated occupation. Career advancement would usually take the form of a promotion to a senior role or higher level that relates to your nominated occupation and incorporates greater responsibility.
For more information on ANZSCO skill level and unit groups please refer to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website.
In order to consider employment undertaken whilst completing a PhD for Points Test purposes, the employment would need to be paid, at least 20 hours per week and the tasks performed should be at the required skill level and highly relevant/closely related to the nominated occupation. PhD research tasks which are unpaid cannot be assessed for employment under the Points Test Assessment.

Which documents will I need to submit?
The documents required for Points Test Advice are the same as for Skills Assessment, although employment evidence for Points Test purposes may cover positions held in the last ten years. Please see Required Documents for more information. You will need to ensure that you submit sufficient evidence for the assessor to make an assessment of your employment claims. Employment documents and claims which cannot be verified as genuine and authentic cannot be given a positive outcome.

Where can I find more information about the Points Test?
The Department of Home Affairs has further information on their website regarding the Points Test for General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas.

What forms do I need to complete?
If you are applying online, you will be guided through a list of documents that you will need to supply for your application. If you are applying by mail, please ensure you view the list of required documents.

If my partner is the primary applicant, how can I claim points to support my partner's application?
For any enquiries relating to visa eligibility or points allocation, please contact the Australian Government's Department of Home Affairs at www.homeaffairs.gov.au

Do I have to pay the GST component of the fee?
If you are not in Australia at the time of lodging the application you may be exempt from paying the GST component. You need to provide evidence for this exemption if one of your addresses in the forms is an Australian address. Acceptable evidence includes:
A Statutory Declaration
A Notarial Certificate
A statement signed by a Registered Migration Agent.
This letter must clearly state that "the applicant was not in Australia at the time of lodging the application" and be written on company letterhead, and be signed by the individual RMA/lawyer making the statement (not a representative).

Priority Processing: GST documentation must be supplied at time of submitting application.

Will I obtain points based on my assessment result?
The Points Test Advice is an opinion only, and will be taken into consideration by the Department of Home Affairs when assessing your eligibility for points. The Points Test Advice provided by VETASSESS is not binding on the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Home Affairs may undertake further investigations to verify the qualification and employment claims made. Determination of points under the skilled migration points test program remains at the discretion of the delegated officers of the Department of Home Affairs.
A successful Skills Assessment from us is not a guarantee that you will meet the Points Test requirements. Also note that Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa applicants do not require a Points Test Advice from us.

What happens to my application if I am not eligible for Priority Processing?
If your application is assessed as not suitable for Priority Processing, VETASSESS will refund the Priority Processing Fee within 3 weeks of notification of non-eligibility. Your application will proceed through the standard process for a full Skills Assessment.The approximate time for a full Skills Assessment is 8-10 weeks, once we have received all documents and information required for the assessment.

Can I change Occupation while my application is in Priority Processing?
Change of occupation requests will not be accepted for applications with paid Priority Processing due to the limited timeframe for service delivery and the processes involved.

What happens if my occupation is removed from the Australian Government's Department of Home Affairs list of eligible occupations during Priority Processing?
VETASSESS will continue with the assessment for suitability against your selected occupation.

What is an Offshore Technical Skills Record?
Please refer to the Offshore Technical Skills Record Information Sheet.

What Australian qualifications are accepted in a Pathway 2 Assessment?
Please refer to the Pathway 2 Candidate Guide (327KB pdf) for a list of accepted Australian qualifications for each occupation assessed by VETASSESS.
You must provide one of the accepted qualifications listed for the occupation you are applying for. If you do not provide an accepted qualification (or if you provide a qualification listed for an occupation different to the occupation you are applying for), you will receive a negative outcome and no refund will apply.

What occupational licences are accepted in a Pathway 2 Assessment?
If you are currently licenced or registered to work as an electrician, plumber or refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanic in Australia, you may be eligible to apply to be assessed under Pathway 2.

What are the employment requirements for a Pathway 1 application?
For more information regarding the employment experience requirements for a Pathway 1 application, please refer to the Pathway 1 Employment Experience Guidelines.

Do I need to submit original or certified documents as part of my evidence?
Your supporting documentation does not require certification. If applying online, you'll need to upload and submit high quality colour scans of proof of identity, qualification and employment documents. If you're submitting the documents by mail, please provide high quality colour copies of the required documents along with the signed and completed application form.

Is there an exam or interview for the assessment?
As part of the assessment process, VETASSESS may contact you to clarify information in the application, and to discuss your occupational skills.

Will the assessment require English language skills such as IELTS test results?
You are not required to provide evidence of English language proficiency for a skills assessment application with a nominated general professional occupation. However, for information about the visa requirements for English language proficiency, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

Can my PhD studies be considered as employment?
VETASSESS will not accept doctoral studies supported only by living allowance and/or scholarships. Consistent with the Department of Home Affairs requirements, for skilled employment to be considered ‘remunerated’, applicants must be engaged in the occupation on a paid basis, generally at the award or market rate of the occupation. A person receiving minimal living allowances or scholarships designed to cover study expenses would not be considered to be remunerated.

How long will it take for my assessment to be completed?
For all full Skills Assessments including post-485 applications and reassessment - change of occupation applications received:
The approximate time is 10 -12 weeks once we have received all documents required for the assessment. Applications confirmed as eligible for Priority Processing are finalised in 10 business days.
Qualifications Assessment for Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485):
The approximate time is 4 to 6 working weeks once all documents required for assessment have been received by VETASSESS.
For Points Test Applications only (applicants for VETASSESS occupations):
The approximate time is 6 to 8 weeks.
For Points Test Applications (applicants for non-VETASSESS occupations):
The approximate time is 4 to 6 weeks.
For Reassessment - Skills Assessment Outcome Review and Appeal applications:
The approximate time is 14 to 16 weeks.
Please note that if you are also required to apply for verification of your Chinese education qualifications through VETASSESS, please allow an additional 8 to 10 weeks.

Some cases may take longer depending on the complexity of the case. As each case is different, the different time frames mentioned above can vary depending on the type of case and the investigations that might be required.

I am a recent graduate with no work experience. Can I apply for a full skills assessment?
VETASSESS Skills Assessment applications require an assessment of both qualifications and employment against the criteria for your nominated occupation - work experience is an essential component of the skills assessment application.

I have extensive work experience in a field highly relevant to my nominated occupation but no formal qualifications. Can I still apply for a skills assessment?
VETASSESS Skills Assessment applications require an assessment of both qualifications and employment against the criteria for your nominated occupation. Post secondary educational qualifications are mandatory in order to gain a positive skills assessment. Highly relevant employment cannot compensate for lack of qualification at the required educational level for the nominated occupation.

What if I do not meet the requirements for my nominated occupation?
If you do not meet the requirements for your nominated occupation, you will be issued with a letter that states that you have not met the pre-migration skills assessment requirements. The letter will indicate the assessment components where your application did not meet the requirements.
If you disagree with the outcome, you should discuss your case with the assessor who will advise you on the options available for a reassessment where applicable.

How are occupations categorised?
VETASSESS has categorised its general occupations into groups A, B, C, D and E for assessment purposes according to the indicative skill level on ANZSCO.

ANZSCO Skill Level VETASSESS	Occupation Group
Skill Level 1 Australian Bachelor degree or Master degree or Doctoral degree	Group A or B
Skill Level 2 Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Associate Degree or AQF Advanced Diploma or AQF Diploma	Group C or E
Skill Level 3 AQF Certificate III (with additional years of employment) or AQF Certificate IV	Group D

 
Which visa types can I apply for after a successful skills assessment?
For all visa types:
You will need to ensure that you meet the assessment requirements for your nominated occupation for both the VETASSESS assessment, and for your visa.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that they nominate an appropriate occupation for their visa/sponsorship requirements.
For information about visa requirements, applicants should visit the Department of Home Affairs website at http://www.homeaffairs.gov.au. For more specialised visa advice, applicants may wish to contact the Department of Home Affairs or a MARA registered migration agent.
For all general enquiries correspondence via phone or email, VETASSESS can only provide information regarding our assessment process, and cannot tell you which visa is best for you, which state or territory list your occupation appears on, or whether you will meet the visa requirements.

How do I submit my evidence?
You must upload your evidence online as part of the application process. You must submit all relevant evidence before you pay for your assessment.
You must upload colour scans of original documents. The minimum scan resolution is 150 dpi (dots per inch).

Do I need to submit original documents as part of my evidence?
Only scanned copies of original documents will be accepted. Do not send your original copies. If you submit original documents, they will not be returned. Your documents do not need to be certified.

What if my documents are not in English?
If your documents are not in English, you will need to have them translated into English. You need to submit copies of the original documents as well as the English translations. Please note that a registered translation service must be used.

I am self-employed. What evidence do I need to provide to support my application?
If you are or have been self-employed, you must provide evidence of your employment in your trade. Please refer to the Evidence Guide (548KB pdf) for more information about the types of evidence you should provide.

Will information I provide be shared with any other organisation?
Information provided to VETASSESS may be used for data matching with other Australian Government agencies such as the Department of Education, the Department of Jobs and Small Business, the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Taxation Office. If VETASSESS identifies any non-genuine evidence during the assessment process, the relevant Australian Government agencies will be notified and the candidate will receive a negative assessment outcome.

Can I reschedule my booking?
You are able to reschedule your consultation time by contacting us at least four business days prior to your original scheduled booking time. In order to request a reschedule of your initial consultation, email us to [e-mail]. Whilst we will attempt to accommodate a request to reschedule a booking, rescheduling will be based on availability of alternative booking times and will be confirmed by the Skills Assessment Support Officer allocated to your session.

Is the fee refundable?
Refunds are available in very limited circumstances. For VETASSESS refund policy click here.

What happens if VETASSESS is unable to make contact with you at the scheduled time?
VETASSESS will telephone you on your nominated contact phone number provided on booking. An SAS officer will attempt to establish contact with up until the first 10 minutes of your booking time. If after then you are still unreachable or cannot take the call VETASSESS will cancel your booking and you will forfeit the entire booking fee.

Do I need to use the Skills Assessment Support service before submitting a formal Skills Assessment?
No. There is no requirement to use either of the Skills Assessment Support services before applying for a formal Skills Assessment. Information is available on our website about the requirements for Skills Assessments.

How long will it take for a document checking service?
This will depend on the available booking you select. It is an expectation that the earliest booking date available should fall within 10 -12 business days from the date of confirmation.

How many occupations can I select per booking?
You can only select one occupation per booking for the document checking service.

Do I need to submit any documentation for review?
You do not need to upload any documents at all for the Document Checking Service. Instead you can opt for a guided discussion with a SAS officer regarding the types of documents required and how to apply for a skills assessment through VETASSESS. Please note, once payment is made, you will be unable to upload any additional documentation for review for the document checking service.

If I submit a Skills Assessment application to VETASSESS post the Skills Assessment Support, am I eligible for a discount?
No discount applies to Skills Assessment applications lodged to VETASSESS.No discount or credit notes applies to any subsequent services provided by VETASSESS.

How will VETASSESS protect my information and details submitted through this service?
To view the VETASSESS Privacy Statement, please visit the following link on our website: https://www.vetassess.com.au/privacy

How can I provide feedback about the service?
If you would like to provide any feedback or to lodge a complaint about the SAS Document Checking Service you can visit the Feedback and Complaints form on our website by accessing the following link: http://www.vetassess.com.au/home/feedback-and-complaints.

Can I provide academic documents verified by a public notary or the awarding body without needing verification through the VETASSESS service?
VETASSESS works directly with the relevant educational authorities in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) in order to verify both the authenticity and the recognition status of the qualifications and documents you submit for skills assessment purposes. Our verification service provides the ONLY source of verification outcomes for use in VETASSESS Skills Assessments.

What if I have already obtained Credential Reports directly from the Chinese Verification Authorities?
As part of the working arrangement with the Chinese government, VETASSESS requires all applicants who hold qualifications awarded in P.R. China to be verified through our Chinese Qualifications Verification of VETASSESS. You are required to apply through VETASSESS for your Qualifications Verification even if you have already obtained Credential Reports from the relevant verification authorities.

If I have more than one Chinese qualification, do I need to apply for verification for all of them?
For applicants who require the Chinese Qualifications Verification for VETASSESS skills assessment purposes, you only need to apply for verification of the qualification that meets the minimum requirement of your nominated occupation. However, if that qualification includes credits granted from any previous studies, the earlier qualification/s will also need to be verified together with the later or higher qualification.
Please note you may use the verification reports again when you lodge a subsequent application for skilled migration purposes with the Department of Home Affairs. It is therefore suggested that you submit both the verification results and any VETASSESS result letters together with your other visa-related documents when lodging an application to the Department of Home Affairs.
For applicants referred to us by other skills assessing authorities/ professional bodies, please ensure you have read the latest information regarding the verification process before applying to VETASSESS.

How does the verification result impact on a VETASSESS skills assessment?
A negative or non-genuine verification result, meaning that either the qualification is not recognised by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in China, or is not recorded in MOE's or the educational institution's database, will normally mean that a qualification cannot be assessed for skills assessment purposes and, will therefore lead to an unsuccessful VETASSESS skills assessment outcome. A positive verification result however, can be used for skills assessment purposes but does not automatically guarantee a positive skills assessment outcome. A positive (verified) qualification from P.R. China will be assessed by our assessment guidelines in order to determine equivalence to qualifications currently listed in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

How long will the verification take?
Most Chinese Qualification Verification applications are completed within 8-10 weeks, with a small number of cases taking longer (for instance, any qualifications awarded before 1995).
Therefore, please allow at least 8 weeks before making any status inquiries with VETASSESS. In addition, failure to submit all required documents in the first instance may cause considerable delays in completing your Chinese Qualification Verification application. Your Chinese Qualification Verification cannot be completed until we receive all required documentation. Please refer to the Required Documents section of our website before submitting your application.

Can I register for a consultation for an occupation not assessed by VETASSESS?
No. VETASSESS cannot provide information for occupations which are not assessed under our authority for Skills Assessment/ migration purposes.

How can I track my booking?
A username and password are generated when you register for a consultation. You are able to log on the SAS online portal in order to view the status of your booking.

Can I reschedule my consultation?
You are able to reschedule your consultation time by contacting us at least four business days prior to your original scheduled booking time. In order to request a reschedule of your initial consultation, email us t [e-mail]. Whilst we will attempt to accommodate a request to reschedule a booking, rescheduling will be based on availability of alternative booking times and will be confirmed by the Skills Assessment Support Officer allocated to your session.

What happens if VETASSESS is unable to make contact with you at the scheduled time?
VETASSESS will telephone you on the nominated contact phone number provided at the time you book your consultation. An SAS officer will attempt to establish contact up to until the first 10 minutes of your booking time. If you are still unreachable or cannot take the call, VETASSESS will cancel your phone consultation and you will forfeit the entire booking fee. A written summary will be sent to you by the SAS officer based on the information provided in your SAS application only.

Is the fee refundable if I am not satisfied with the service provided?
Please note that there is no refund for completed SAS applications. Refunds are available in very limited circumstances.

For VETASSESS refund policy click here.

Do I need to use the Skills Assessment Support service before I apply for a formal Skills Assessment?
No. There is no requirement to use either of the Skills Assessment Support services before applying for a formal Skills Assessment. Information is available on our website about the requirements for a Skills Assessment.

How many selected occupations can I include in one consultation?
For the consultation service, you may select one occupation or opt for a general discussion with an experienced assessment officer if you are unsure of an occupation to select.
Please note: that the SAS services are aimed at VETASSESS general professional occupations only, and does not include VETASSESS trades occupations, or other occupations not classified under our authority.

Do I need to submit any documentation for review?
You are unable to submit any documentation for the SAS Consultation Service. The SAS Consultation Service aims to provide customers with an overview of how we assess occupations listed under our authority for skills assessment purposes.

If I submit a Skills Assessment application to VETASSESS post the Skills Assessment Support, am I eligible for a discount?
No discount applies to Skills Assessment applications lodged to VETASSESS.

How will VETASSESS protect my information and details submitted through this service?
To view the VETASSESS Privacy Statement, please visit the following link on our website: https://www.vetassess.com.au/privacy.

How can I provide feedback about the service?
If you would like to provide any feedback or to lodge a complaint about the SAS Consultation Service, please visit the Feedback and Complaints form on our website at the following link: http://www.vetassess.com.au/home/feedback-and-complaints.