VETASSESS Skills Assessment Fees: What You'll Actually Pay

VETASSESS skills assessment fees depend on the type of assessment you need. This guide covers fees for professional and general occupations, including Priority Processing, reviews, reassessments, renewals and other services. If you're applying under a trade occupation, see the note below on Trades Recognition Australia (TRA). 

VETASSESS increased many of its professional skills assessment fees from 9 September 2026. The increase also affected services such as Priority Processing and Chinese Qualifications Verification, but it did not apply to trade occupation assessments.

This guide covers the main VETASSESS fees relevant to migration skills assessment applicants, with figures current as of September 2026. Professional assessment fees are shown in Australian dollars excluding GST unless stated otherwise.

If you are still working out what VETASSESS assesses, which occupation to nominate or what documents you need, read our VETASSESS Skills Assessment guide. You can also see how Knowbal can help with a VETASSESS Skills Assessment.

VETASSESS Fees at a Glance

From 9 September 2026, the standard Full Skills Assessment fee is $1,146, excluding GST, for professional and general occupations.  Priority Processing costs an additional $863 excluding GST where the service is available. Other charges depend on whether you need an initial assessment, another type of assessment or a service relating to an existing outcome.

Some of the main current VETASSESS professional fees are:

These are not different prices for the same assessment. The fee you pay depends on the service you need. Trade occupations are assessed differently. 

How VETASSESS Fees and GST Work

VETASSESS states that GST applies to your fees if you are an Australian resident for tax purposes. It means that GST depends on tax residency and not where you happen to be. Being physically in Australia doesn’t automatically make you a tax resident, and being outside Australia doesn’t automatically make you GST-exempt. 

Australian tax residency is also different from immigration status. A person can be an Australian resident for tax purposes without being an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Similarly, holding an Australian visa does not automatically make someone an Australian tax resident. If you are unsure about your status, check the Australian Taxation Office residency rules before calculating the final amount you expect to pay.

VETASSESS Fees for Professional Occupations

VETASSESS assesses a wide range of professional and general occupations, with the assessment criteria depending on the nominated occupation. The professional fee structure is separate from the fees charged for trade assessments, so applicants should first confirm which category their occupation falls under.

If you are still comparing assessing authorities or trying to understand where the assessment fits into the migration process, Knowbal's Skills Assessment services page provides an overview of skills assessments used across different Australian visa pathways.

Full Skills Assessment Fee

From 9 September 2026, the VETASSESS Full Skills Assessment fee is $1,146 excluding GST. This assessment considers both qualifications and employment against the requirements for the nominated occupation.

The same Full Skills Assessment fee is listed for relevant applications under Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) and Industry Labour Agreements (ILA). The fee increased from $1,096 to $1,146 on 9 September 2026.

Paying the assessment fee does not mean that you will receive a positive outcome. The qualification, employment and other evidence still need to meet the VETASSESS criteria for the nominated occupation.

VETASSESS Priority Processing Fee

VETASSESS Priority Processing costs an additional $863 excluding GST. It is an extra charge on top of the Full Skills Assessment fee rather than a separate lower-priced assessment option.

Priority Processing is available for eligible General and Professional occupation applications. VETASSESS aims to complete an accepted Priority Processing application within 10 business days after confirming eligibility and receiving the required fee.

Before that period begins, VETASSESS may take up to two business days to check whether the application meets the Priority Processing criteria. Applications that require further verification or research can also take longer, so Priority Processing should not be treated as a guaranteed 10-business-day outcome in every case.

The service is not available for every type of application. Reviews and appeals, for example, are not eligible for Priority Processing.

Trade Occupation Fees

Trade skills assessments for migration are generally overseen by Trades Recognition Australia (TRA), not VETASSESS directly. If you're applying under a trade occupation, check TRA's current fee structure and assessment pathway rather than the professional fees in this guide. 

VETASSESS Review, Reassessment, Appeal and Renewal Fees

Having an existing VETASSESS outcome does not necessarily mean you need to start again with a new Full Skills Assessment. Depending on what has changed and what you want VETASSESS to reconsider, a review, reassessment, appeal or renewal may be the relevant service.

These options have different purposes and fees. They also have their own time limits and requirements, so the cheapest option is not necessarily the correct one for a particular situation.

Review Fees

For professional assessments, the review fee depends on which part of the original outcome you want reviewed.

VETASSESS allows a review request to be lodged within 90 days of the original assessment decision, and new evidence can be submitted as part of the review.

A review is not the same as a reassessment or appeal. Check what part of the original decision you want reconsidered and whether you are still within the relevant timeframe before lodging.

Reassessment Fee

A professional reassessment within the applicable 12-month timeframe costs $779 excluding GST. Reassessment may be available in different circumstances, including where you want to be assessed against another occupation.

The correct option can depend on whether the previous outcome was suitable or not suitable and what has changed since the assessment. Check the current VETASSESS reassessment criteria before paying the fee.

Appeal Fee

The current professional assessment appeal fee is $1,132 excluding GST. An appeal comes later in the VETASSESS review process and should not be treated as another name for requesting a review.

There are specific conditions and timeframes for lodging an appeal. If you have received an unfavourable outcome, check which review option is actually available before paying for another service.

Renewal Fee

Renewing a professional skills assessment within the applicable three-year period costs $495 excluding GST. A renewal may be relevant where you need an updated assessment outcome, but the existing assessment still falls within the period allowed by VETASSESS.

If the assessment is outside the renewal timeframe, a different assessment service may be required. Check this before lodging so you do not select the wrong application type.

VETASSESS Fees for Subclass 485 Assessments

VETASSESS has separate assessment fees connected with the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) Post-Vocational Education Work stream. These assessments should not be confused with the standard Full Skills Assessment used for many professional occupations.

As of September 2026, the relevant fees are:

The initial Post-Vocational Education Work assessment is qualifications-only, and VETASSESS does not require work experience for this particular assessment. A former Subclass 485 applicant who later has sufficient relevant employment may be able to use the Post-485 assessment process under the same occupation.

If the VETASSESS assessment is part of your Temporary Graduate visa plans, you can read more about the Post-Vocational Education Work stream or compare the different options on Knowbal's Subclass 485 visa page.

Other VETASSESS Fees You May Need to Pay

The main assessment fee is not the only possible VETASSESS cost. Depending on your qualifications, migration pathway and the type of help you need from VETASSESS, separate services such as Points Test Advice, Chinese Qualifications Verification or Skills Assessment Support may also carry a fee.

Not every applicant will need these services, so they should not automatically be added to the expected cost of a standard skills assessment.

Points Test Advice

VETASSESS charges $325 excluding GST for Points Test Advice for non-VETASSESS occupations. This service applies if a different assessing authority completed your skills assessment, but you want VETASSESS's advice on your qualifications or employment for points-test purposes. 

VETASSESS Points Test Advice is not binding on the Department of Home Affairs. The Department makes the final decision about the points recognised when assessing a visa application.

For applicants considering the Skilled Independent, Skilled Nominated or Skilled Work Regional pathways, our guide to submitting an EOI through SkillSelect explains how the skills assessment and points claims fit into an Expression of Interest.

Chinese Qualifications Verification

Some applicants with qualifications from China may need Chinese Qualifications Verification as part of the relevant VETASSESS process.

Current fees excluding GST include:

• Degree Certificate: $155
• Certificate of Graduation: $155
• Academic transcript or exam record: $190

These charges are document-specific. Do not add them to your expected VETASSESS cost unless the verification service applies to your qualifications.

Skills Assessment Support

VETASSESS offers optional Skills Assessment Support services for applicants who want assistance directly from the assessing authority before the assessment process.

Current fees include:

• Applicant consultation: $282 excluding GST
• Document Checking Service: $191 excluding GST

These are support-service charges rather than fees for the skills assessment itself. Paying for one of these services does not replace the Full Skills Assessment or other assessment fee that applies to your application.

Are VETASSESS Fees Refundable?

VETASSESS fees can be refundable in some circumstances, but the refund rules depend on the service and how far the application has progressed. For a standard professional assessment, a refund may be considered if the applicant withdraws before assessment work has started, although VETASSESS generally retains an administration fee.

Once an assessment or service has started or been completed, a refund will generally not be available. For Full Skills Assessments and other applicable services where more than $400 has been paid, the current retained administration fee is $179 excluding GST.

Priority Processing has separate refund conditions. A refund may be considered if the application is not eligible for Priority Processing or if VETASSESS cannot meet the stated service timeframe, with an administration fee applying where relevant.

Trade skills assessments have their own refund arrangements. If you are considering withdrawing an application, check the refund rules for the exact assessment program rather than assuming the professional assessment policy applies.

Which VETASSESS Fee Applies to You?

For most first-time professional occupation applicants, the main starting cost is the $1,146 Full Skills Assessment fee, with GST added where applicable. If an eligible applicant chooses Priority Processing, the additional $863 Priority Processing charge also needs to be included.

If you already have a skills assessment, first check whether a review, reassessment, appeal or renewal applies to your situation. You may not need to lodge a new Full Skills Assessment.

The skills assessment may also be one part of a wider skilled migration pathway. You can compare skilled visa options, or read about the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) and Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) if these pathways are relevant to your plans.

Before You Pay a VETASSESS Fee

Check your nominated occupation, assessment type and pathway before making payment. This is especially relevant if you already have a VETASSESS outcome or are considering Priority Processing, as the service you choose can affect the total cost. 

The fee is only one part of the assessment. Your qualifications, employment history and supporting evidence still need to meet the criteria for the occupation you nominate. If you are unsure about the assessment itself, start with our complete VETASSESS skills assessment guide.

For help with your assessment and how it fits into your Australian migration plans, you can also speak with Knowbal about its VETASSESS Skills Assessment service.