A complete guide to every visa pathway for international teachers moving to Australia — employer sponsorship, points-tested permanent residency, working holiday, and the NZ Special Category Visa.
Information is general in nature and does not constitute immigration advice. Visa eligibility and occupation list status change regularly. Always consult a registered migration agent (MARA agent) or immigration lawyer before making any visa decision.
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Teacher Visa Australia: Which Visa Do You Need?
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About this guide
Australia has a national teacher shortage across every state and territory, and several different visa categories can apply to international teachers. Choosing the wrong pathway wastes application fees, delays your arrival, or blocks your path to permanent residency. This guide maps each pathway — who it suits, what it costs, what your employer needs to do, and how to get from visa to classroom.
Contents
01The visa landscape at a glance — six pathways compared3
02Getting your skills assessed: AITSL — requirements, fees, and timelines3
03The Skills in Demand (482) visa — employer sponsorship step by step4
04Points-tested visas: 189, 190, and 491 — the General Skilled Migration pathway5
05Working holiday visas: 417 and 462 — teaching CRT as a staging ground6
06New Zealand teachers: the Special Category Visa — automatic rights and PR pathway6
07From visa to classroom: state teacher registration — all 8 states and territories7
Teacher Visa Australia: Which Visa Do You Need?
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01
Section one
The visa landscape at a glance Six pathways compared
Visa
Type
Max stay
Pathway to PR
482 Core Skills
Employer-sponsored
Up to 4 years
186 TRT after 2 yrs same employer
186 Direct Entry
Employer-sponsored
Permanent
Already PR (3+ yrs exp.)
189 Skilled Indep.
Points-tested
Permanent
Already PR (secondary only, 85+ pts)
190 Skilled Nom.
Points-tested (state)
Permanent
Already PR — 2-yr state commitment
491 Skilled Regional
Points-tested (reg.)
5 years
Subclass 191 after 3 yrs regional
417/462 WHV
Working holiday
12 months
None directly
444 SCV
Automatic (NZ citizens)
Unlimited
Citizenship after 4 yrs lawful residence
Your ANZSCO occupation code determines eligibility: secondary (241411), primary (241213), special education (241311–241399), early childhood (241111 — assessed by ACECQA from Dec 2024). Primary and secondary teachers have different eligibility — this matters most for the subclass 189.
Section 02 — Getting your skills assessed: AITSL
Before applying for any employer-sponsored or points-tested visa, you need a positive skills assessment from AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership). AITSL requires: a minimum 4-year teaching qualification; at least 45 days supervised teaching practicum; and Academic IELTS only — Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0, Speaking 8.0, Listening 8.0 (within 24 months of application).
AITSL accepts Academic IELTS only. PTE, TOEFL, and Cambridge are not accepted — even though PTE is accepted by Home Affairs for visa points. Exemption applies if you studied 4+ years in English at a university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, NZ, UK, or USA.
Item
Fee (from 1 July 2025)
Skills assessment application
AUD $1,154
Appeal of outcome
AUD $904
Skilled Employment Statement (optional)
AUD $255
Processing time for complete applications: 4–6 weeks. Assessment valid for 2 years.
Teacher Visa Australia: Which Visa Do You Need?
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03
Section three
The Skills in Demand (482) visa Employer sponsorship step by step
The Skills in Demand (SID) visa, subclass 482 is the main employer-sponsored route. It replaced the old TSS 482 in December 2024. Both primary (241213) and secondary (241411) teachers are on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), with a maximum visa duration of 4 years. Minimum salary: AUD $76,515 CSIT (2025–26), but Australian teacher enterprise agreements set starting salaries above this — the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) almost always applies.
What the school must do
1
Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS)
Become an Approved Standard Business Sponsor via ImmiAccount. Fee: approximately AUD $420. Valid 5 years.
2
Nominate the position
Labour market testing (4 consecutive weeks on 2+ platforms). Nomination fee: approximately AUD $330. Pay SAF levy upfront for full visa period: AUD $1,200/yr (small school) or AUD $1,800/yr (large school/system). This levy cannot legally be passed to the teacher.
3
Teacher applies for the visa
Government application charge: approximately AUD $3,115. Teacher must hold a valid AITSL assessment, have 1+ year of relevant experience in the last 5 years, and meet Competent English (IELTS 6.0 in each band — lower than the AITSL 7.0/8.0 requirement).
Pathway to permanent residency from 482
After 2 years of full-time employment with the same sponsoring employer, teacher and employer can apply for the 186 TRT stream (permanent residency). Processing: 12–20 months.
Critical restriction from 29 November 2025: If you change schools during your 482 period, the TRT clock resets. Only work with the same employer who lodges the 186 nomination counts toward the 2-year requirement.
Total employer cost for a 4-year 482 at a large school system: approximately AUD $7,200 SAF levy + government fees + professional fees = roughly AUD $11,000+ before legal costs. Understanding this helps you approach sponsorship conversations realistically.
Teacher Visa Australia: Which Visa Do You Need?
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04
Section four
Points-tested visas: 189, 190, and 491 The General Skilled Migration pathway
All three GSM visas use the SkillSelect EOI system. The minimum score to submit an EOI is 65 points. For teachers in 2025–26, the effective cutoff for an invitation was approximately 85 points. Invitation rounds are quarterly.
Points category
Points
Age 25–32
30
Age 33–39
25
Age 40–44
15
Superior English (IELTS 8.0 average)
20
Proficient English (IELTS 7.0 average)
10
Overseas qualification (with AITSL assessment)
15
Australian qualification (bachelor+)
15
Skilled employment in Australia 8–10 years
20
State nomination (subclass 190)
+5
Regional nomination (subclass 491)
+15
Partner with Competent English + nominated occupation
+10
189 — Skilled Independent
Immediate PR, no employer or state required. Secondary teachers (241411) only — primary teachers are ineligible. Competitive score: ~85 points.
190 — Skilled Nominated
Immediate PR. State nominates you (+5 points); commit to live and work in that state for 2 years. Both primary and secondary teachers eligible.
491 — Skilled Work Regional
5-year provisional. Regional nomination adds +15 points. PR pathway via subclass 191 after 3 years in a regional area. "Regional" includes Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Darwin, and all rural areas.
Primary teachers — 189 not available
Primary (ANZSCO 241213) is on the STSOL, not the MLTSSL. Primary teachers must use the 190, 491, or an employer-sponsored pathway (482/186).
The 491 pairs well with regional incentives. NSW, QLD, WA, NT, and SA all offer salary loadings, housing subsidies, and relocation bonuses for teachers in regional schools — making a 491 placement financially attractive beyond the visa benefit alone.
Teacher Visa Australia: Which Visa Do You Need?
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Section five
Working holiday visas: 417 and 462 Teaching CRT as a staging ground
Subclass 417 (Working Holiday) — UK, Ireland, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malta, Cyprus. Age 18–30 (18–35 for UK, Irish, Canadian citizens). Subclass 462 (Work and Holiday) — USA, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Chile, Argentina, India, others. Age 18–30. Both allow 12 months, with extensions possible for regional work.
WHV holders can work in any occupation including teaching. The key restriction is a 6-month maximum with any single employer. Casual relief teaching (CRT) is the natural fit — CRT involves working across multiple schools. WHV holders cannot be formally employer-sponsored for a 482 while holding a WHV. Australian teaching experience adds points to your SkillSelect score via an AITSL Skilled Employment Statement.
Section 06 — New Zealand teachers: the Special Category Visa
NZ citizens arriving in Australia with a valid NZ passport automatically receive the Special Category Visa (subclass 444) at the border — no application, no cost, unlimited work rights. The 444 does not give you the right to teach; you must still register with the relevant state teacher registration authority.
PR and citizenship pathway (updated 1 July 2023): All subclass 444 holders are now treated as Australian permanent residents for citizenship purposes. Those who arrived before 1 July 2022 have PR backdated to that date. Citizenship after 4 years lawful residence (including 12 months as PR), with no more than 90 days outside Australia in the final year.
This is a direct pathway to Australian citizenship without needing to separately obtain a permanent visa — a significant advantage compared with other temporary visa holders who must first transition to PR before the citizenship clock starts.
Information current at May 2026. Visa eligibility and occupation list status change regularly. Always verify with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent (MARA agent) before making any visa decision.
Teacher Visa Australia: Which Visa Do You Need?
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07
Section seven
From visa to classroom: state teacher registration All 8 states and territories
A visa gives you the right to work in Australia. It does not give you the right to teach. Every state and territory requires registration with its own authority before you can stand in front of a class.
Registration timelines vary. VIT recommends completing the pre-assessment offshore before you arrive to de-risk your move. See the Teacher Passport accreditation guides for state-specific requirements: teacherpassport.com.au/guides
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Browse teaching jobs across Australia
Teacher Passport aggregates government, Catholic, and independent school roles across all states. Search by location — useful for identifying regional vacancies that support the 491 pathway.
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