On this page (6 sections)
The short answer
From 7 September 2026, an AITSL skills assessment for overseas-trained teachers costs $1,198, up from $1,154. An appeal costs $938 and a Skilled Employment Statement $265. There's no GST. Most assessment-ready applications are decided within 4 weeks, some taking up to 6. The assessment is for your visa only: you still need state registration to teach.
- The rise is $44, about 3.8%.
- $982 is refundable only if assessment hasn't started.
- AITSL accepts IELTS Academic only: 7 Reading, 7 Writing, 8 Speaking, 8 Listening.
- As at 16 October 2026, AITSL was assessing applications received in the week of 5 October.
What changed
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) is the assessing authority for school teachers applying for most skilled visas. Its fees page lists new prices from 7 September 2026. The figures below are from that page, which we checked on 16 October 2026.
No GST applies. Source: AITSL fees page.
Work out your pay rise and back pay
⚙Your details
New pay rates
Default: the new rates' operative date, 9 October 2026.
When the back pay lands. Default: six weeks from today. New rates apply from the following pay.
E.g. a sign-on or cost-of-living payment in the agreement (gross).
Back pay owed (before tax)
$505
New salary
$92,882
+3.0% on $90,177
Rise per fortnight
$104
$71 after tax
Tax on back pay
$162
32% of the lump
Back pay in hand
$344
What this means
From 9 October 2026 you should have been paid $104 more each fortnight. Because the new rates weren't paid yet, the difference builds up and arrives as one back payment: about $505 before tax. After that, your fortnightly take-home goes from $2,723 to $2,794.
Payroll taxes back pay at your marginal rate rather than spreading it, so roughly 32% comes off. That's your actual tax on the money: it doesn't push the rest of your salary into a higher bracket. These are the latest rates already in force: if they are on your payslip, nothing is owed. This shows what you're owed if payroll was late applying them.
Estimate only. Back pay = (new − old) fortnightly pay × fortnights between the two dates, using the pay column in force at the start of each fortnight. Tax uses the ATO marginal-rate method on your annual salary for 2026–27; back pay for an earlier financial year over $1,200 may be taxed differently and is reported as a lump sum E. Old rates: 9 October 2025 column; Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2024, verified 16 October 2026.
Background: who needs an AITSL assessment
If you're applying for a skilled visa as a school teacher, AITSL checks that your qualification and English meet the Australian standard. It assesses primary (241213), middle (241311) and secondary (241411) teachers and special needs teachers (2415 codes). Early childhood (pre-primary) teachers are no longer on AITSL's list; migration agents say that assessment moved to ACECQA from December 2024.
The core requirements
- At least 4 years of full-time (or equivalent) university study, including an initial teacher education qualification with supervised teaching practice.
- IELTS Academic with at least 7 in Reading and Writing and 8 in Speaking and Listening, on one test report. AITSL doesn't accept PTE or TOEFL.
- An exemption from the English test if you completed 4 years of study, including a recognised teaching qualification, in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA.
Full detail on documents and the practicum requirement is in our AITSL skills assessment guide, and English scores are covered in IELTS for teachers.
What it means for your budget and pay
The $44 rise is small next to the overall cost of moving, which includes visa charges, health checks, police certificates and state registration. It's still worth putting the full assessment cost against what you'll earn once you're teaching.
AITSL fee against a teacher's first pays (2026–27, no HELP debt)
- NSW Step 3 ($104,156): take-home a fortnight
- $3,089
- NSW Step 5 ($115,972): take-home a fortnight
- $3,398
- AITSL application
- $1,198
- Application plus a Skilled Employment Statement
- $1,463
Take-home from our tax engine: 2026–27 income tax after LITO plus 2% Medicare. Where you start on the scale depends on how your overseas experience is recognised; see overseas experience and your salary step.
Free calculator
UK to Australia teacher pay converter
Coming from the UK? Compare your current point with the Australian step you might start on, after tax in both countries.
Compare my payWhether any of these costs can be claimed against tax is a personal question that depends on your circumstances and residency. Ask a registered tax agent rather than assuming.
Processing times
AITSL says most assessment-ready applications are finalised within 4 weeks, and some take up to 6 weeks. On 16 October 2026 it said it was assessing applications received in the week of 5 October 2026. Incomplete applications take longer, so check every document before you pay. See AITSL processing times.
What happens next and dates to watch
If you're planning to apply
- Budget $1,198 for the application, plus $265 if you need a Skilled Employment Statement.
- Check your IELTS report meets 7/7/8/8 on one test, and check AITSL's current rules on how recent the test must be.
- Line up state registration. A positive AITSL outcome doesn't let you teach; you also register with the state regulator (NESA, VIT, QCT and so on).
- Check the visa settings for your pathway. See teacher visas for Australia.
Planning the whole move? The teacher move planner builds a checklist of documents, fees and registration steps, and the teacher pay rise tracker shows where each state's pay deal stands.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the AITSL skills assessment in 2026?
How much did the AITSL fee go up?
Can I get a refund on the AITSL fee?
How long does AITSL take in 2026?
Does AITSL assess early childhood teachers?
Can I teach in Australia once AITSL approves me?
Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-17
About this page
Written and fact-checked by the TeacherPay AU Editorial Team against the enterprise agreements, awards and official pages listed in the sources. It is general information, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it, usually within a day. See our editorial policy and how we calculate.
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