Australian Visa Options for Secondary School Teachers

Depending on your circumstances, potential pathways may include:

Skilled Independent Visa – Subclass 189

The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) is a permanent points-tested skilled migration pathway.

Eligible secondary school teachers may potentially consider this pathway if they meet the applicable requirements, including:

• Eligible occupation
• Suitable AITSL skills assessment
• English requirements
• Points requirements
• Expression of Interest through SkillSelect
• Invitation to apply
• Health and character requirements

For subclasses 189, 190 and 491, the minimum points threshold is currently 65 points, but reaching 65 points does not guarantee an invitation.

Skilled Nominated Visa – Subclass 190

The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a permanent visa for eligible skilled applicants nominated by an Australian state or territory.

Teachers may be considered under state or territory nomination programs where their occupation and circumstances meet the current requirements.

A successful subclass 190 nomination provides 5 additional points under the points test.

Skilled Work Regional Visa – Subclass 491

The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) allows eligible skilled workers to live and work in designated regional Australia.

Secondary school teachers may potentially pursue this pathway through state or territory nomination or eligible family sponsorship, subject to the applicable requirements.

A qualifying nomination or family sponsorship provides 15 additional points under the points test.

Eligible 491 holders may later pursue permanent residence through subclass 191, subject to meeting the applicable requirements.

Skills in Demand Visa – Subclass 482

Secondary School Teacher is included on the current CSOL, making it relevant to the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) Core Skills stream, subject to the applicable employer nomination and visa requirements.

The current SID 482 program includes:

• Core Skills stream
• Specialist Skills stream
• Labour Agreement stream

For employer-sponsored pathways, the nominated position, employer, salary, occupation and applicant must satisfy the applicable requirements.

Employer Nomination Scheme – Subclass 186

The Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) provides a permanent employer-sponsored pathway.

Potential streams include:

• Temporary Residence Transition
• Direct Entry
• Labour Agreement

The requirements vary depending on the stream, including applicable occupation, skills assessment, experience, English and age requirements.

Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional Visa – Subclass 494

An eligible secondary school teacher may also consider the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) where the employer, position, location and applicant satisfy the applicable requirements.

Eligible 494 holders may have a pathway to permanent residence through subclass 191, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.

Secondary School Teacher ANZSCO 241411

The Department of Home Affairs lists Secondary School Teacher (241411) on the current CSOL.

AITSL Skills Assessment

AITSL provides skills assessments for teachers seeking to migrate to Australia through skilled migration pathways.

AITSL states that teacher migration applicants must satisfy both the relevant qualification criteria and English language proficiency criteria for a successful skills assessment.

Secondary School Teacher Assessment Criteria

For Secondary School Teacher (ANZSCO 241411), AITSL's current checklist requires:

Four Years of Higher Education

You generally need at least four years of full-time equivalent higher education study resulting in qualifications.

The study must include a relevant initial teacher education qualification.

Relevant Initial Teacher Education

Your initial teacher education must be relevant to secondary school teaching and comparable to at least an Australian Bachelor's degree level.

AITSL's current secondary teacher criteria require at least one year of full-time equivalent higher education study in secondary school teacher initial teacher education.

Supervised Teaching Practice

The qualification must include at least 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students across the 13–18 years age range in a secondary school setting.

The required evidence should come from the institution that awarded the initial teacher education qualification and should confirm the duration, student age range and school setting.

AITSL English Requirement

English language proficiency is part of the AITSL migration skills assessment.

AITSL states that applicants must meet both the qualification and English criteria for a successful assessment.

The English requirement can be met through the applicable study pathway or an accepted Academic IELTS result under AITSL's current criteria. AITSL updated its policy in July 2026 to extend the validity period of Academic IELTS results from two years to three years for its teacher migration assessment.

Applicants should check the current AITSL English requirements before booking a test or submitting an assessment.

Teacher Registration vs AITSL Skills Assessment

These are two different processes.

AITSL Skills Assessment

The AITSL assessment is for migration purposes and determines whether your qualifications and English meet the relevant teacher migration assessment criteria.

Teacher Registration

If you want to actually work as a teacher in Australia, you generally need registration with the relevant state or territory teacher regulatory authority.

AITSL specifically states that its migration skills assessment is separate from Australian teacher registration.

Therefore:

AITSL skills assessment ≠ Australian teacher registration

You may need both, depending on your migration and employment circumstances.

Secondary School Teacher Qualifications

Depending on your background, relevant qualifications may include:

• Bachelor of Education
• Bachelor degree plus recognised teaching qualification
• Master of Teaching
• Secondary teaching qualification
• Other recognised initial teacher education qualification

The qualification must satisfy AITSL's current migration assessment criteria.

AITSL assesses the qualifications and evidence submitted with the application and does not provide a guaranteed pre-assessment outcome.

Teaching Subjects and Specialisation

Secondary teachers commonly teach subjects such as:

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• English
• History
• Geography
• Business
• Economics
• Information Technology
• Languages
• Design and Technology
• Physical Education

Your teaching qualification and academic background should support the nominated secondary teacher occupation.

The nominated occupation should reflect your actual qualifications and professional teaching background.

Secondary School Teacher Work Experience

Work experience can be important for visa eligibility, points claims and employer-sponsored pathways.

However, AITSL states that its teacher migration skills assessment is qualifications-based and employment experience before or after completion of an initial teacher education qualification is not used to meet the AITSL skills assessment criteria.

For visa purposes, however, relevant employment may still be important depending on the particular visa pathway.

Employment Evidence

Where relevant, employment evidence may include:

• Employer reference
• Employment contract
• Payslips
• Tax documents
• Position description
• Employment dates
• Hours worked
• Salary information
• Duties and responsibilities

Points Test for Secondary School Teachers

Applicants considering subclasses 189, 190 or 491 may need to satisfy the points test.

Points can potentially be awarded for:

• Age
• English proficiency
• Skilled employment
• Educational qualifications
• Australian study
• Specialist education
• Professional Year
• Credentialled community language
• Partner circumstances
• State or territory nomination
• Eligible family sponsorship

The current minimum points threshold is 65 points, but meeting the threshold does not guarantee an invitation.

Nomination Points

State and territory nomination criteria are separate from the federal points test and can change according to each jurisdiction's current program.

Secondary School Teacher Pathway – Application Process

Step 1 – Review Your Teaching Qualifications

Assess your:

• Teaching degree
• Initial teacher education
• Teaching specialisation
• Academic history
• Supervised teaching practice

Step 2 – Confirm Your Occupation

Determine whether Secondary School Teacher – ANZSCO 241411 accurately reflects your teaching qualifications.

Step 3 – Complete the AITSL Skills Assessment

Prepare your qualifications, transcripts, supervised teaching practice evidence and English evidence for the AITSL assessment.

Step 4 – Check Teacher Registration

If you intend to work as a teacher in Australia, identify the teacher registration authority for the state or territory where you intend to work.

Step 5 – Complete Your English Requirement

Meet the English requirement applicable to your AITSL assessment and intended visa.

Step 6 – Calculate Your Points

If considering 189, 190 or 491, calculate your indicative skilled migration points.

Step 7 – Submit an EOI

Submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect for the relevant points-tested visa pathway.

Step 8 – Explore State Nomination

For subclass 190 or 491, review the current nomination criteria of each Australian state and territory.

Step 9 – Consider Employer Sponsorship

If you have an eligible Australian school or education employer, consider whether 482, 186 or 494 may be available.

Step 10 – Lodge Your Visa Application

After receiving an invitation or establishing an eligible employer-sponsored pathway, lodge the relevant visa application with supporting evidence.

Secondary School Teacher Visa Pathways at a Glance

The most suitable pathway depends on your teaching qualification, AITSL assessment, English, age, points, employment and the requirements applicable when you apply.

Secondary Teacher Migration to Australia

Qualified secondary teachers may find opportunities across:

• Government schools
• Independent schools
• Catholic schools
• Regional schools
• Secondary colleges
• Specialist education settings
• STEM education
• Mathematics and science teaching
• Languages
• Technology and vocationally related subjects

Employment opportunities and teacher registration requirements vary between jurisdictions and employers.

Common Secondary Teacher Migration Mistakes

Applicants should avoid:

• Assuming teaching experience automatically guarantees an AITSL assessment
• Selecting the wrong teacher occupation
• Failing to provide evidence of supervised teaching practice
• Providing insufficient evidence of the required four years of higher education
• Confusing AITSL assessment with teacher registration
• Using outdated English requirements
• Claiming unsupported skilled employment points
• Assuming 65 points guarantees an invitation
• Ignoring state or territory nomination criteria
• Assuming an AITSL assessment automatically provides permission to work as a teacher

Why Choose The Visa?

The Visa can provide professional guidance for secondary school teachers considering Australian migration, including:

• AITSL skills assessment guidance
• Teacher occupation assessment
• English requirement guidance
• Points calculation
• EOI preparation
• State nomination pathways
• Employer-sponsored visa options
• Regional migration
• Teacher registration pathway guidance
• Supporting documentation
• Visa application preparation
• PR pathway planning

Start Your Secondary School Teacher Migration Assessment

If you are a qualified secondary school teacher planning to migrate to Australia, your teaching qualification, supervised teaching practice, AITSL assessment, English, age, points, teacher registration and preferred visa pathway should be considered together.

Contact The Visa to discuss your potential Australian Secondary School Teacher migration pathway.

Disclaimer: Australian immigration requirements, occupation lists, AITSL assessment criteria, teacher registration requirements and state or territory nomination programs can change. A positive AITSL skills assessment does not guarantee an invitation, teacher registration or visa grant. Eligibility should be assessed against the requirements applicable when you apply.