Last updated: September 16, 2026
If you are applying for Australian skilled migration and your occupation requires a VETASSESS skills assessment, the cost just went up. From 9 September 2026, VETASSESS revised its fee schedule across professional skills assessments, priority processing, reviews, and renewals. Here is exactly what changed and what it means for your application.
What Changed on 9 September 2026
VETASSESS increased fees for Professional Skills Assessments and several related services, in line with inflation. The revision touches almost every stage of the assessment process, not just the initial application.
Key changes include:
- Full Skills Assessment : AUD 1,096 → AUD 1,146
- Priority Processing : AUD 825 → AUD 863
- Points Test Advice : AUD 311 → AUD 325
- Post-485 Assessment : AUD 852 → AUD 891
- Appeal : AUD 1,082 → AUD 1,132
- Renewal of Skills Assessment : AUD 473 → AUD 495
- Review of assessment outcome : Qualification only $340 → $356; Employment only $609 → $637; Both $913 → $955
One important carve-out: trade occupation assessments are NOT affected by this increase.
What It Means for You
None of this changes eligibility criteria or how the assessment itself works – it is a cost change, not a process change. But if you are planning your migration budget, a few things are worth factoring in:
- The core assessment fee rose by AUD 50, but if you also need priority processing, a renewal, or a review down the line, the increases compound.
- Applications lodged before 9 September 2026 were charged at the old rates. If you are reading this after that date, the new fees apply to you.
- If you are weighing whether to rush an application to beat a fee deadline that’s already passed, that’s no longer relevant, the focus now shifts to budgeting accurately for the new rates rather than racing the clock.
Does This Change Your Strategy?
Not fundamentally but it is a good moment to reassess your overall cost picture, especially if you are also budgeting for English test fees, state nomination costs, or migration agent fees alongside VETASSESS. A fee increase on its own is rarely a reason to delay or rush an application; a mismatched occupation, weak evidence file, or unclear pathway choice is a far more expensive mistake than an extra AUD 50–90 in fees.
Processing times and outcomes remain case-by-case. VETASSESS does not guarantee a specific turnaround, and neither can we. What we can help with is making sure your application is accurate and complete the first time, since reassessments and appeals cost both money and months.
What to Do Next
If you are planning a 2026–27 skilled migration application, the reform uncertainty is a reason to plan carefully, not a reason to wait indefinitely.
Book a pathway assessment call with The Veritas House team, and we will map your occupation against current ceilings, state lists, and realistic timing, rather than just your raw score.
Book your FREE consultation: theveritashouse.zohobookings.in/tvh
LinkedIn: in.linkedin.com/company/theveritashouse
Visit us at: www.theveritashouse.com
WhatsApp: +91 87968 85510
Last updated: September 16, 2026
