VETASSESS is the designated assessing authority for many occupations—and its standards are strict. Small mistakes can lead to refusals. Below are two real-world scenarios to help you avoid common pitfalls.

Case 1 — Group A Occupation: A “hung-up” phone check that derailed the application

Profile: Applicant nominated a Group A occupation (e.g., University Lecturer, Landscape Architect, Internal Auditor, Food Technologist, Biotechnologist). For Group A, your qualification and employment must be highly consistent.

What happened: VETASSESS conducted a phone verification, which may be directed to the employer or to the applicant.

• If VETASSESS calls the applicant, be prepared to respond in English the entire time. This call effectively tests whether you can clearly explain your duties at the required skill level.
• If the call is to the employer and the contact person is Chinese, Chinese may be used.

The applicant’s English preparation was weak. When asked to describe their role, they hesitated and could not explain core duties. The case officer concluded the role did not demonstrate the expected Group A level and refused the assessment.

Lessons learned:：

1. Match matters for Group A: Your degree and employment must be highly relevant to the nominated occupation.
2. Rehearse phone verification: Simulate an English Q&A (duties, mapping to ANZSCO tasks, reporting lines, tools/software, hours, employment type). Don’t improvise on the day.

Case 2 — Group C Occupation: Refused for insufficient experience

Profile: Applicant nominated Building and Engineering Technicians nec (Group C). Their qualification was not closely related to the nominated occupation, which triggered a minimum experience requirement.

What happened: For Group C where the qualification is not highly relevant, VETASSESS typically requires at least two years of relevant employment (with a minimum portion at the required skill level). The applicant submitted before reaching two full years and was refused.

• Once you submit to VETASSESS, your materials and timelines are on record.
• Overlapping dates and previously claimed periods are effectively “locked in” and cannot be casually re-allocated later.
• Without accruing additional compliant experience, a quick re-try is unlikely to succeed.

Lessons learned:：

1. For Group C, carefully check whether your qualification relevance triggers extra years of work experience—and wait until you meet the threshold.
2. Pre-calibrate your experience with a professional adviser before lodging.
3. An early, non-compliant lodgement wastes fees and can delay your overall migration plan.

A successful VETASSESS outcome is not just document collection. It’s a holistic check of qualification relevance, evidence of duties at the correct skill level, work chronology, and your ability to substantiate your role—sometimes live on the phone. Ensure your degree ↔ duties alignment is sound, and that you can confidently describe your company, position, and day-to-day tasks in line with the nominated occupation.

Quick Pre-Lodgement Checklist：1. Occupation & Group: Confirm the correct ANZSCO and VETASSESS Group (A–E) and what each requires.2. Qualification relevance: Map your major/units to the occupation’s core knowledge areas.3. Employment evidence: Employer letters with detailed duties, dates, hours; payroll, tax/BAS, contracts, and organizational charts where available.4. Duration math: Count only relevant, non-overlapping periods; ensure you meet any minimum experience triggered by limited qualification relevance.5. Duties mapping: Align your daily tasks to ANZSCO descriptors—avoid generic titles.6. Phone-check readiness: Prepare concise English explanations (role scope, tools, KPIs, reporting line, project examples).7. Consistency: Make sure CV, forms, reference letters, and dates match across all documents.