Secondary School Teacher Migration to Australia: CSOL, AITSL, Visas and PR
Can this occupation lead to migration to Australia?
Secondary school teachers (Secondary School Teacher, ANZSCO 241411) can migrate to Australia through several different pathways. The occupation appears on the CSOL , qualifies for the employer-sponsored visa (482), state-nominated visas (190 and 491), and the points-tested independent skilled visa (189). The 186 visa is only feasible after you have worked the required period on a 482 visa. The prerequisites are a positive skills assessment from AITSL and registration with the teacher regulatory authority in the state where you intend to work.
ANZSCO and CSOL: where the occupation sits
Secondary school teaching is classified under ANZSCO code 241411 — Secondary School Teacher, in Skill Level 1, which corresponds to a bachelor’s degree or higher. This ANZSCO code covers teachers delivering subjects from Year 7 to Year 12 at secondary schools in Australia, and does not include primary school teachers (a separate code) or vocational trainers.
The occupation appears on the CSOL — the core occupation list that allows overseas workers to apply for the 482 visa (Core Skills stream) and to be nominated by states through the 190 and 491 visas. There is currently a significant teacher shortage across many states, particularly in STEM subjects (Maths, Science, Technology), English and Geography, which works in favour of candidates with the right specialisation.
Skills assessing authority: AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership)
The sole skills assessing authority for secondary school teachers in Australia is AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership). AITSL assesses whether your qualifications and teaching experience are comparable to the Australian teaching standard, based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
The AITSL assessment process involves: lodging an online application; providing certified copies of your qualifications and academic transcripts (with certified English translations if the originals are not in English); evidence of teaching experience; and a description of the subject specialisation you have taught. AITSL reviews whether your subject specialisation matches the occupation you are applying under — this matters, because a candidate who taught one subject but applies under a different ANZSCO will be rejected. The assessment fee is currently set at (the current fee — check the assessing authority’s official website) (verify the latest fee on the AITSL website before lodging). Processing usually takes 8 to 12 weeks, and may take longer if your application requires additional documents.
After receiving a positive assessment from AITSL, you still need to register with the teacher regulatory authority in the state where you intend to work. Each state has its own body: VIT (Victorian Institute of Teaching) in Victoria, NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) in New South Wales, QCT (Queensland College of Teachers) in Queensland, and so on. State teacher registration is mandatory before you can teach in a school — the AITSL assessment does not replace this step.
Suitable visas: an overview
Secondary school teachers can access the following visa pathways: the 482 visa (Temporary Skill Shortage) under the Core Skills stream if you have a sponsoring school; the 190 visa (Skilled Nominated) if a state nominates you and you meet the EOI points; and the 491 visa (Skilled Work Regional) for areas outside the major cities, with a lower points bar, leading to PR through the 191 visa after 3 years. The 186 visa (direct ENS) does not apply at the outset — it is only feasible after you have worked the required period on a 482 visa.
The 482 visa — employer-sponsored
The 482 visa under the Core Skills stream is the most widely used pathway for secondary school teachers who want to come to Australia to work. Under this stream, the school (typically an independent secondary school, or public school systems through an appropriate sponsorship arrangement) must be an approved sponsor (Standard Business Sponsor). The sponsor needs to show it has made genuine efforts to find local workers before sponsoring an overseas worker (Labour Market Testing), and the salary offered must meet the TSMIT.
The candidate needs: a valid AITSL assessment; at least 2 years of work experience within the last 5 years as a secondary school teacher; to meet the English requirement; and a clean criminal record. Secondary school teaching qualifies under the Core Skills stream . A 482 Core Skills visa is granted for up to 4 years and can be renewed if the sponsor continues the engagement. This is a temporary visa, not permanent residence, but it opens a route to PR.
From the 482 to permanent residence
After working on a 482 visa for 2 years with the same sponsor, a candidate becomes eligible to apply for the 186 visa under the TRT (Temporary Residence Transition) stream. This is the most common route to PR for teachers on a 482 visa. The main requirements include: having worked full-time for the same sponsor for at least 2 of the past 3 years; nomination by the sponsor; and continuing to meet the skills and English requirements. The occupation qualifies for the 186 visa via the TRT stream after completing the required period on a 482 visa. Beyond the 186 TRT route, someone on a 482 visa can still lodge an EOI for the 190 or 491 visa if a state opens nominations.
The 190 and 491 visas — state nomination
The 190 visa is a permanent visa nominated by a state or territory. Secondary school teachers often have good prospects of a 190 nomination, because many states have teacher shortage lists. States such as Victoria, NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia regularly open nominations for this occupation, particularly for teachers specialising in STEM, English and Geography. To be nominated, you need to lodge an EOI through SkillSelect, meet the state’s minimum points (often 65 points or more after the extra 5 nomination points), and meet each state’s own requirements — many states require the candidate to already be living in the state, or to have a job offer from a school within the state.
The occupation is on the MLTSSL — secondary school teachers (ANZSCO 241411) qualify to lodge an EOI under the points-tested independent 189 visa once they reach the minimum points.
The 491 visa is a temporary visa for regional areas, nominated by a state or by a relative living in that area. The candidate receives an extra 15 EOI points compared with the 190 visa, improving the chance of an invitation. After 3 years of living and working in a regional area as required, a 491 visa holder becomes eligible for the 191 visa — permanent residence. This is a suitable route for those who do not yet have enough points for a 190 nomination in the larger states.
English requirements
The English requirement for secondary school teachers is higher than for many other occupations, because this is a role that works directly with students. For the 482 Core Skills visa, the usual minimum is IELTS 5.0 overall (with no band below 4.5), or an equivalent PTE/TOEFL score. However, many schools and states require a higher level, often IELTS 7.0 overall or above with no band below 7.0, especially for high-quality schools or when registering with VIT or NESA.
For the 190 and 491 visas, candidates need “Competent English” (IELTS 6.0 in each band) to lodge an EOI, and “Proficient English” (IELTS 7.0 in each band) to gain an extra 10 points in the points system. Because this is an occupation that requires professional English communication with students and parents, investing in improving your English before lodging is both necessary and realistic.
Indicative salary
The figures below are indicative benchmarks, not guaranteed pay. Actual earnings depend on the city/region, level and experience, the type of employer, full-time/part-time/casual status, the award classification level, penalty rates, compulsory superannuation (super), and the visa/sponsorship context.
Labour-market benchmark (official): According to the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile (drawn from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours), the median weekly earnings for the Secondary School Teachers occupation group (ANZSCO 2414) are 2,322 AUD/week — roughly 10,060 AUD/month or 120,700 AUD/year if you simply convert at 52 weeks/year (before tax, indicative only, not guaranteed pay). This is the median for full-time, non-managerial, adult-rate workers, before tax — neither the minimum nor the maximum, and it is a figure for the whole occupation group rather than a single role.
Salary range from job listings (market): Sites such as SEEK Salary Insights publish salary ranges based on job listings. At the time of writing, AustraliaHub has not verified the SEEK range; you should look it up directly and compare it against the median benchmark above.
Legal minimum floor (legal floor): Secondary school teachers in the private sector fall under the Educational Services (Teachers) Award (MA000077); the public sector follows the relevant state enterprise agreement. This is the legal minimum floor, which is different from market pay; the specific rate depends on the classification level, the type of work, allowances and overtime. Look it up using the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool (https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/).
Official sources (checked 12/06/2026):
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Secondary School Teachers occupation profile (ANZSCO 2414): https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-and-industry-profiles/occupations/2414-secondary-school-teachers
- Fair Work Ombudsman: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/
Pathway to permanent residence: summary
A common route for secondary school teachers is: complete the AITSL assessment and state registration → apply for a 482 visa through a sponsoring school → work for 2 years → lodge a 186 TRT application for permanent residence. In parallel, while on the 482 visa, a candidate can lodge an EOI and wait for a 190 nomination from a state for faster PR if they have enough points. Those who do not yet have enough points for the 190 can consider the 491 in a regional area, living and working there for 3 years before moving to the 191.
Common mistakes
- Lodging an AITSL application with a mismatched specialisation: Many candidates hold a teaching qualification but have taught several different subjects, then apply under an ANZSCO for a subject that is not their main specialisation — AITSL will reject this. Make sure the subject in your AITSL application matches your training specialisation and your actual teaching experience exactly.
- Skipping state registration: Many people think the AITSL assessment is enough to start work. In reality, you must register with VIT, NESA, QCT or the equivalent state authority before you are allowed in front of a class — this is a separate mandatory step that takes additional time.
- Overlooking the 189 visa pathway: Secondary school teachers (ANZSCO 241411) are on the MLTSSL and qualify for the points-tested independent 189 visa — this route needs no sponsor, and many candidates miss it because they do not check the list.
- Underestimating the English requirement: States and schools often require IELTS 7.0 in each band, not just the minimum visa level. Candidates who prepare their application and only then discover their English score is short can lose many months redoing it.
- Not checking the state list before lodging an EOI: The 190/491 nomination lists of each state change with every opening round. Lodging an EOI and then simply waiting, without tracking the nomination rounds and their attached requirements (such as needing to be in the state, or to have a job offer), leads to a fruitless wait.