Preparing VETASSESS employment evidence becomes difficult when HR will not issue a detailed reference, a former manager stops replying or the business has closed. The useful next step is to identify what you can prove through records you already have, and what remains unsupported.
This guide concerns VETASSESS professional and other non-trade occupations. Do not apply it automatically to a trade assessment or another assessing authority.
Start with the missing information
Under VETASSESS’s professional-occupation evidence requirements, an employer statement should identify your position, exact employment dates, weekly hours, salary and main duties. It also needs the issuer’s details and appropriate signature on company letterhead.
Rather than writing “reference missing” on your checklist, make a row for each fact. A basic HR letter may confirm dates but omit duties. A contract may describe the original role while leaving a later promotion unexplained. Separating those gaps makes your next request more useful.
Gather official records before writing a declaration
Locate employment contracts, appointment and promotion letters, existing references, position descriptions and payment records. VETASSESS’s expert guidance identifies these as useful material when an employer will not cooperate. It also explains that an electronic statement issued directly by the organisation may be acceptable when it carries the required organisational details and signatures.
For each document, note the role and period it supports. Keep a separate list of contradictions to resolve, such as a promotion taking effect on a different date from the letter announcing it. Do not change genuine records to make the timeline look tidier.
If the business has closed, look for official registration or closure information as well as your employment records. VETASSESS’s guidance on unresponsive and closed employers explains that closure evidence can help, alongside official pay and employment material.
Understand what a statutory declaration can and cannot do
The current VETASSESS professional FAQ allows a statutory declaration to explain information unavailable in official documents, such as duties, reporting relationships or why documents cannot be obtained. It is supporting evidence, not a stand-alone basis for assessment.
Importantly, a statutory declaration cannot establish employment dates or salary/payment information. Those need official documentation.
Use any declaration to address the actual gap. Explain which records are unavailable, describe the relevant facts truthfully and identify the documents supporting the account. Do not copy an occupation description and present it as work you performed. A declaration does not guarantee that VETASSESS will accept an employment period.
Keep duties and payment evidence separate
A strong account of your responsibilities still leaves the question of paid employment. VETASSESS lists payslips, suitable taxation records, salary deposits and employment-linked superannuation or insurance records among the possible payment evidence. Check its current requirements for identifying details and quantities.
Create two document groups for each role: one for the work and employment history, another for payment. Cross-reference them in a short index. This helps reveal a period supported only by your own explanation.
Before submitting
Check the nominated occupation’s specific requirements, not just the general checklist. Record the evidence still missing and whether another official source can supply it. Retain genuine correspondence showing your attempts to obtain employer documents, but do not treat unanswered emails as proof of the employment itself.
Our application cross-check guide explains how to compare dates and claims across records. If a key period remains difficult to substantiate, contact WiseKangaroo about your skills-assessment evidence before relying on it in your migration planning.
General information only, checked 26 October 2026. This article is limited to professional/non-trade assessments. Requirements and individual outcomes vary; obtain advice about your occupation and evidence.
