Accountant Migration to Australia: CSOL, CPA/CA ANZ, Visas 482, 189 and PR
Can this occupation migrate to Australia?
Yes — Accountant (General), ANZSCO 221111, is one of the occupations eligible to migrate to Australia through several different routes. The occupation is on the CSOL , allowing sponsorship through the 482 visa (Core Skills stream), points-tested independent assessment through the 189 visa, state nomination through the 190 and 491 visas, and employer-sponsored permanent residence through the 186 visa. The core condition is a recognised skills assessment result and meeting the English requirement that corresponds to each visa type.
ANZSCO and CSOL: where the occupation sits
The ANZSCO code for Accountant (General) is 221111, in Skill Level 1 — the highest level in Australia’s occupational classification system, comparable to a university qualification or higher. The code covers roles preparing financial reports, cost analysis, budget management, internal control and general-level tax advice — it does not include auditors (221213) or specialised tax accountants.
The 221111 occupation is on the CSOL (Core Skills Occupation List), the list that applies to the 482 visa Core Skills stream. Being on the CSOL means an Australian employer can sponsor a foreign worker in this occupation without having to prove they could not recruit a local worker (labour market testing is still mandatory, but there is no cap on visa numbers). In addition, the occupation is on the points-tested visa list (189/190/491), creating a further independent migration route that does not depend on an employer sponsor.
Skills assessing authority: CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants ANZ (CA ANZ), or IPA
Three bodies are recognised by the Department of Home Affairs to assess skills for ANZSCO 221111:
- CPA Australia — the most commonly used assessing authority. The accounting body’s assessment fee varies; check the current fee schedule on the site of the body you choose. The process involves: lodging the application online, providing certified qualifications and certified translations, transcripts, and evidence of work experience. CPA assesses whether your accounting qualification is comparable to the Australian standard. Processing usually takes 8–12 weeks.
- Chartered Accountants ANZ (CA ANZ) — suitable if you hold or are studying for the CA designation. The process and requirements are similar to CPA, with comparable fees and processing times.
- Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) — a third option, generally less common but equally valid for visa purposes.
The common requirement across all three bodies is a university degree in accounting (or a related field with enough accounting subjects), relevant work experience (usually at least 1–2 years), and a properly certified file. If the qualification was taught in Vietnamese, all documents must have a certified English translation. The assessment result is valid for 3 years from the date of issue.
Suitable visas: an overview
Accountants can access four main visa streams: the 482 visa (temporary employer sponsorship, Core Skills stream); the 186 visa (employer-sponsored permanent residence, via the TRT route after a 482 or via Direct Entry); the 189 visa (independent permanent residence through the points system, no sponsor required); and the 190/491 visas (state/regional-nominated permanent or temporary residence). Each stream has its own requirements for English, points, experience and sponsor conditions.
Visa 482 — employer-sponsored
The 482 visa Core Skills stream (formerly TSS) allows an Australian business to sponsor a foreign accountant to work for a fixed term — usually up to 4 years (with certain standard sponsors) or 5 years (labour-agreement sponsors). To sponsor occupation 221111, the employer must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor or apply concurrently, must carry out labour market testing (advertising the role domestically for at least 4 weeks within the 4 months before lodging), and must offer a salary at least equal to the current TSMIT (Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold), currently (current TSMIT level — check homeaffairs.gov.au).
Applicants need: a valid skills assessment result from CPA, CA ANZ or IPA; a number of years of relevant work experience (depending on the pathway/visa — check the official source); to meet the English requirement (IELTS 6.0 in each band or PTE/TOEFL equivalent); and to meet health and character requirements. Accountants are eligible to apply for a 482 visa under the Core Skills stream . The 482 visa does not allow immediate settlement but is a common first step before moving to the 186 permanent visa.
Visa 186 — employer-sponsored permanent residence
The most common route is the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT): after working at least 2 years full-time for the same sponsor on a 482 visa (or certain earlier equivalent visas), the employer can sponsor you for permanent residence via the 186 TRT. A separate skills assessment is not needed at this step because the skills assessment from the 482 stage is still recognised (provided it remains valid). The English requirement for the 186 TRT is Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band).
The Direct Entry route is also feasible if you have never worked in Australia on a 482 visa — but it requires an independent skills assessment and the employer must demonstrate you have the required competence. Direct Entry is less common for accountants than TRT because most applicants have already gone through the 482 stage. Accountants are eligible to apply for a 186 visa under employer sponsorship . The 186 visa grants permanent residence on approval, along with Medicare and the right to sponsor family members.
Visa 189 — independent points-tested, no sponsor needed
The 189 visa (Skilled Independent) is a route that requires no sponsor: you lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect, wait for an invitation, then lodge the formal visa application. The 221111 occupation is eligible , meaning you can receive an invitation if your score is competitive enough. In practice, the points threshold for accounting in recent invitation rounds has ranged from 65–85 points depending on the timing and the number of EOIs in the pool — there is no fixed threshold, and the actual level changes from round to round.
Your score depends on age (up to 30 points for the 25–32 age group), English level (up to 20 points for Superior English — IELTS 8.0 or above), experience inside and outside Australia, qualifications (10 points for an Australian university degree, or 10 points for a master’s/doctorate), and other additional factors. Applicants often score 65–75 points at the early stage and need to improve their English or build experience to raise their score. The minimum English requirement to lodge a 189 EOI is Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band), but to be competitive in practice you need Proficient (IELTS 7.0 in each band) or above.
Visas 190 and 491 — state nomination
The 190 visa (Skilled Nominated) and the 491 visa (Skilled Work Regional) both require nomination from a state/territory or, for the 491, an eligible family member in a regional area. Many states include occupation 221111 on their nomination lists — among them Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania frequently open accounting nominations, but these lists change from intake to intake. Each state has its own requirements: some require a job offer or that you have lived/studied in that state, others only require an EOI with enough points.
A 190 state nomination adds 5 points to the SkillSelect score, and a 491 nomination adds 15 points — a significant advantage for those who do not have enough points for the independent 189. The 491 visa is a temporary visa (5 years) requiring you to live and work in a designated regional or local area; after 3 years meeting the minimum income condition for the 491 visa (see the current level at homeaffairs.gov.au), you can apply for the 191 visa to move to permanent residence. The 190 visa grants permanent residence directly on approval.
English requirements
English requirements vary by visa type and directly affect both your score and your eligibility:
- Visa 482: Competent English — IELTS 6.0 in each band (or PTE 50 in each section, TOEFL iBT total 36 with no band below 9). This is the mandatory minimum, with no exceptions for accountants.
- Visa 189/190/491: Competent English to lodge an EOI (IELTS 6.0); however, to actually be invited you need Proficient English (IELTS 7.0 in each band — plus 10 points) or Superior English (IELTS 8.0 in each band — plus 20 points). The 10–20-point difference between English levels is decisive for the chance of receiving an invitation.
- Visa 186: Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band) — applies to both TRT and Direct Entry.
IELTS results are valid for 3 years from the test date. PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT are accepted as alternatives to IELTS for all of the above visas.
Indicative salary
The figures below are reference points, not guaranteed salaries. Actual pay depends on city/region, level and experience, the type and size of the company, full-time/part-time status, professional designation (CPA/CA), the compulsory superannuation contribution (super), and the visa/sponsorship context.
Labour-market benchmark (official): According to the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile (data from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours), the median weekly earnings for the Accountants occupation group (ANZSCO 2211) are 2,003 AUD/week — equivalent to about 8,680 AUD/month or 104,200 AUD/year on a simple 52-weeks-a-year conversion (pre-tax, a reference point only, not a guaranteed salary). This is the median for full-time, non-managerial, adult, pre-tax workers — neither the minimum nor the maximum, and a figure for the whole occupation group.
Salary ranges from job ads (market): Sites such as SEEK Salary Insights publish salary ranges based on job advertisements. At the time of updating, AustraliaHub has not been able to verify the SEEK range; you should look it up directly and compare against the median benchmark above.
Legal minimum floor (legal floor): Many accounting roles are specialist occupations that are award-free; in that case the legal minimum floor is the National Minimum Wage together with the terms of the employment contract. Some accounting-support roles may fall under the Clerks — Private Sector Award (MA000002). Check using the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool (https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/).
Official sources (checked 12/06/2026):
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Accountants occupation profile (ANZSCO 2211): https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-and-industry-profiles/occupations/2211-accountants
- Fair Work Ombudsman: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/
Road to permanent residence: a summary
The most common pathway for accountants is: complete the skills assessment with CPA Australia or CA ANZ → find a sponsor in Australia → apply for a 482 visa (Core Skills, up to 4 years) → work a full 2 years full-time for the same sponsor → the sponsor lodges a 186 TRT visa → permanent residence is granted. In parallel, if your score is competitive enough (75 points or above), the 190 visa (state nomination, direct permanent residence) or the 189 visa (independent) route may be shorter and not dependent on a sponsor. With a score below 75, improving English to IELTS 7.0 or building further experience in the field is the priority step before lodging an EOI.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the wrong assessing authority: Lodging with a body not recognised by the Department of Home Affairs for ANZSCO 221111, or confusing the different accounting codes (for example, management accountant 221112 has a different list of assessing authorities).
- Not checking the validity of the skills assessment before lodging the visa: The assessment result is valid for 3 years; many people lodge an EOI when their assessment is close to expiry and find it has lapsed by the time they receive an invitation.
- Confusing the minimum IELTS level with the level needed to be competitive: IELTS 6.0 is enough to lodge a 189 EOI but in practice is not enough points to be invited — you need at least 7.0 in each band for an extra 10 points and a better chance of an invitation.
- Overlooking labour market testing when sponsoring under the 482: The employer must complete labour market testing properly (advertising the role for at least 4 weeks within the 4 months before lodging) — missing this step leads to refusal of the nomination.
- Not keeping records to prove work experience: Both the skills assessment and the visa require detailed evidence of experience (employment contracts, payslips, employer reference letters specifying the role, duties and dates). A lack of these documents is a common cause of a file being returned or refused.