Turnaround
Current turnaround time (March 2012) for our general professional occupations is 12 to 16 weeks for full assessments (of qualifications and employment). Applications will be further delayed if required documents or fees are missing.
Cases are processed in the order they are received.
Urgency requests
Urgency requests will be accepted for upcoming major birthdays and visa expiry, but not because you wish to apply to DIAC under its current processing arrangements, i.e. before 1 July 2012 when DIAC will implement its Skilled Migration Selection Model, known as Skill Select.
Skilled – Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 485)
485 visa holders are eligible to apply for a GSM visa under the SOL in place on 8 February 2010.
Applicants in this group who require a full Skills Assessment with optional Points Test Advice from VETASSESS to support their PR application should submit their application to VETASSESS by 31 August 2012.
Changes to fees for Chinese Verification and revised application forms
VETASSESS has increased the fees payable for Chinese Qualification Verification – please refer to the VETASSESS Fee Schedule for Chinese qualification verification effective from 1 February 2012.
Advisory Service
For a fee, the on-line VETASSESS Advisory Service :
• Sets out the steps required to prepare an application for a skills assessment
• Advises you on what documents are required.
Online status update improvements
We can check the progress of your application with VETASSESS by logging in online to access the following details:
• When the application is received
• If there is any outstanding payment which has been requested
• When initial documents are received
• If any additional documents have been requested or received
• Delays if the case has been referred for external advice
• When there is an assessment outcome
Change to hours of employment criteria
For our skills assessments for our general occupations VETASSESS will now consider paid employment of at least 40 hours per fortnight provided that 40 hours are worked for each fortnight in the required employment period.
Previously, we required at least 20 hours of paid employment per week.
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