Social work, welfare and community services roles can open skilled migration pathways in Australia and New Zealand. But the correct pathway depends on your occupation, qualifications, duties, registration position, experience and destination.

Skillage Nimbus is a registered migration agent in Adelaide, led by Ashish Thapa, Australian Registered Migration Agent MARN 2217972. We assist with occupation mapping, skills assessment planning, employer sponsorship and skilled visa pathways.

Need help now? Call our 24/7 direct line: +61 8 9131 6011.

Explore our Migrate by Occupation hub or contact us before choosing a visa strategy. Eligibility depends on individual circumstances and is assessed case by case.

Start with your occupation, not the country

The same job title can be assessed differently in Australia and New Zealand.

A “social worker” may have a professional social work qualification. A “welfare worker” may have a community services or human services background. A “community support worker” may perform different duties again.

The title is only the starting point.

Migration authorities examine:

Your actual daily duties.
Your qualification and subjects.
Your supervised placement or field education.
Your employment history.
Your professional registration or eligibility.
Your English evidence.
The visa or residence pathway.
The current occupation list or agreement.

An occupation may be eligible in Australia but not New Zealand. It may also be available through one Australian visa but not another.

That is why a country-first approach can create problems. You may choose a destination before confirming whether your occupation fits the relevant assessment authority or visa pathway.

Start with the role. Then compare the countries.

Australia: skills assessment for social work, welfare and community services

Australia separates professional social work from broader welfare and community services occupations.

Social Worker ANZSCO 272511

The Australian Association of Social Workers, or AASW, assesses Social Worker ANZSCO 272511 for migration purposes.

AASW generally expects a specific professional social work qualification. This is usually comparable to an Australian Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work, depending on the applicant’s background.

A related degree is not automatically enough.

Degrees in psychology, counselling, community development or general human services may not meet the AASW standard for Social Worker. The full course content matters.

Supervised field education is also important. AASW looks at the structure, length, supervision and practice focus of your placements. You may need evidence showing:

The placement was part of your qualification.
It was formally supervised.
It involved relevant social work practice.
The required field education was completed.
The placement details match the academic record.
The work involved suitable client or community contact.

Work experience does not automatically replace missing field education. A strong employment history may not fix a qualification that is not comparable to an Australian professional social work program.

AASW may also require evidence of English proficiency under its current migration assessment rules. Check the latest AASW criteria before preparing your application.

Welfare Worker ANZSCO 272613 and community services roles

Community Work Australia, formerly known as ACWA, assesses Welfare Worker ANZSCO 272613 and relevant community services occupations.

CWA has its own qualification, experience, English and industry currency pathways. These requirements are not the same as the AASW process.

A qualification in welfare, community services, human services or a related field may be relevant. However, CWA will still examine your academic background and actual duties.

Your employment reference should describe what you did. A job title alone is not enough.

Typical evidence may include:

Detailed position descriptions.
Employer references.
Qualification documents.
Academic transcripts.
Evidence of professional duties.
English test results, where required.
Evidence of recent or relevant work.

AASW and CWA are not interchangeable.

Applying to CWA when you need an AASW assessment can produce an assessment that is useless for your intended nomination. Applying to AASW with a broad welfare qualification may also lead to the wrong assessment outcome.

The correct authority depends on the occupation you intend to nominate. It also depends on whether the visa pathway accepts that occupation.

Skills assessment is not work registration

A migration skills assessment is separate from any licensing, registration or screening requirement to work in Australia.

Australia does not currently have a mandatory national registration scheme for social workers. The profession is working toward registration arrangements. Employer and role requirements still apply.

Depending on the state, employer and client group, you may need:

A Working with Children Check.
NDIS worker screening.
Police checks.
Employer-specific compliance checks.
Other state or sector requirements.

A positive migration assessment does not automatically authorise you to practise in every role.

Read our skills assessment guide before selecting an occupation or assessment authority.

Australia: visa pathways

Social work, welfare and community services applicants may have several possible Australian visa routes.

The correct route depends on the occupation, current lists, points position, nomination requirements, employer circumstances and location.

Potential pathways may include:

Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa.
Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa.
Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa.
Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa.
Subclass 482 employer-sponsored pathway.
Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme visa.
A Designated Area Migration Agreement, or DAMA, where the occupation is included.

The occupation must be on the relevant list or covered by an applicable agreement. A role being in demand in the community does not automatically make it eligible for every visa.

State nomination

State and territory nomination can be relevant for a subclass 190 visa or subclass 491 visa.

For South Australia, applicants should review the current requirements through the South Australian migration authority. Check the current occupation settings, nomination criteria and application instructions on migration.sa.gov.au.

Searches for “SA 190 nomination” or “SA 491” often produce older information. Be careful. Lists and requirements can change.

The current State Nomination Occupation List, work history rules, residence requirements and graduate settings must be checked before relying on a South Australia skilled migration strategy.

A state nomination is not guaranteed. An Expression of Interest is not a visa grant. Meeting a published criterion does not guarantee an invitation or nomination.

For a broader overview, visit the SA Skilled Migration service page.

Employer sponsorship

Employer sponsorship may be suitable where the applicant has an Australian employer and the role meets the relevant requirements.

The employer, position, occupation, salary and employment conditions must be assessed under the current visa rules. Do not rely on a job title or informal promise of sponsorship.

See our Employer Sponsorship Adelaide service for more information.

The 482, 186 and 494 pathways have different requirements. Some require a skills assessment. Some involve experience, registration, age, English or employer nomination conditions.

A DAMA may provide additional options in a participating region. The occupation must be listed in the relevant agreement. Concessions, if available, are agreement-specific.

New Zealand: registration and pathways

New Zealand treats professional social work differently from many welfare and community support roles.

Social Worker: Green List Tier 1

Social Worker ANZSCO 272511 is listed as a Green List Tier 1 occupation under current Immigration New Zealand settings.

The role has a registration requirement. Applicants generally need to be registered with the Social Workers Registration Board, or be eligible for registration under the applicable process.

SWRB registration is a professional requirement. It is not simply a migration formality.

The registration assessment may examine your qualification, professional competence, character, fitness to practise and other evidence. Start this review early.

Where the Green List requirements are met, a qualifying social worker may be able to use the Straight to Residence pathway. A qualifying job or job offer with an accredited employer is generally central to the pathway.

You must still meet all applicable residence, health, character, employment and pay requirements.

Do not assume that a positive Australian assessment automatically produces New Zealand registration. AASW and SWRB are separate bodies. Their standards and processes are separate.

Welfare and community support roles

New Zealand welfare and community support roles are generally not Green List occupations.

That does not mean work is impossible. It means the pathway may be different.

The Accredited Employer Work Visa, or AEWV, is often the usual route where an accredited New Zealand employer offers a suitable role. The employer must complete the employer-side process before the worker applies.

The sequence is:

Employer accreditation.
Job Check for the specific role.
Worker’s AEWV application.

The role must meet current New Zealand employment and immigration requirements. The worker must also show the required skills, experience, health, character and genuine employment position.

The Skilled Migrant Category may be available where the applicant has eligible skilled employment and meets the current points, registration, qualification, work and pay requirements.

A pay threshold applies. Do not rely on an old figure from a social media post or previous application. Check the current threshold with Immigration New Zealand before lodging.

Real requirements, not job titles

This occupation group has several practical traps.

Wrong assessing authority

A social work degree may point to AASW. A welfare or community services qualification may point to CWA. The distinction matters.

Qualification comparability

A qualification must be assessed for content, level and professional relevance. A familiar title does not prove equivalence.

Supervised field education

Keep clear evidence of placement hours, supervision, practice area, university requirements and completion. Missing placement evidence can delay or weaken an assessment.

Duties that do not match

Your reference letter should explain your actual duties. Generic statements such as “provided support to clients” may not show the required professional level.

Screening requirements

A migration skills assessment does not replace a Working with Children Check, NDIS screening or employer checks.

New Zealand registration

Professional social work in New Zealand requires attention to SWRB registration. Do not treat registration as an optional later step.

New Zealand pay requirements

AEWV and residence pathways can involve pay requirements. These settings change. Check the current Immigration New Zealand rules before making a decision.

Old occupation lists

A list found in an older blog post may no longer apply. Confirm current settings with the Department of Home Affairs, Immigration New Zealand, the relevant state or territory authority and the relevant assessing authority.

Book a migration consultation

Bring your qualification documents, transcript, CV, employment references, placement evidence and current visa history.

We can help map your occupation before you spend money on the wrong assessment or pathway.

Book a consultation with Skillage Nimbus.

Australia or New Zealand?

Australia may offer independent, state-nominated, regional, employer-sponsored or agreement-based options. The best route depends on the current occupation settings and your personal profile.

New Zealand may offer a direct residence route for eligible registered social workers under the Green List Tier 1 pathway. Welfare and community support applicants may instead need to consider an AEWV or the Skilled Migrant Category.

Australia and New Zealand use different authorities. They also use different registration systems, occupation settings and employer requirements.

There is no universal winner.

There is no guaranteed pathway.

Compare the current rules against your evidence. Then choose a strategy that fits your occupation and circumstances.

How Skillage Nimbus helps

Skillage Nimbus provides end-to-end support for Australia and New Zealand migration matters.

We can assist with:

Occupation mapping.
ANZSCO role analysis.
Selecting AASW or CWA.
Reviewing qualifications and transcripts.
Organising skills assessment evidence.
Checking supervised field education records.
Preparing Expressions of Interest.
Reviewing state nomination strategy.
Assessing SA 190 nomination and SA 491 options.
Reviewing employer-sponsored pathways.
Supporting DAMA planning where available.
Preparing New Zealand Green List applications.
Reviewing SWRB registration considerations.
Preparing AEWV applications.
Assessing Skilled Migrant Category options.
Preparing supporting documents.
Responding to procedural issues.
Administrative Review Tribunal representation where appropriate.

We also provide broader support through our Migration Services Adelaide hub and Registered Migration Agent Adelaide page.

No outcome is guaranteed. Sponsorship, nomination, visa approval and permanent residency Australia are not automatic. Eligibility depends on individual circumstances and is assessed case by case.

Credentials

Australian Registered Migration Agent MARN 2217972
New Zealand Licensed Immigration Adviser IAA 202503676
Founder Ashish Thapa admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia
QEAC, CCG and ITAC certifications
Employment Agent Licence issued by the Government of South Australia
Member of Business Australia and Migration Alliance
Core values: Honesty, Reliability and Accuracy

Adelaide office

Skillage Nimbus

Suite 11, Floor 2
12 Pirie Street
Adelaide SA 5000

Strictly by appointment only.

Office hours

Monday to Friday: 9:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

Emergency appointment support may be available within one hour, subject to availability.

Learn More

Your next step is simple.

Prepare your qualification documents and book an assessment of your options.

Book your consultation with Skillage Nimbus.

If you also work in aged care or disability support, read our care sector migration comparison.

For urgent enquiries, call +61 8 9131 6011.

General information disclaimer: This page provides general information only. It is not migration advice, legal advice, professional registration advice or a guarantee of eligibility or outcome. Australian and New Zealand immigration settings, occupation lists, registration requirements, state nomination criteria, employer requirements and pay thresholds can change. Verify current information directly with the Department of Home Affairs, Immigration New Zealand, the relevant state or territory authority, and the relevant assessing or registration authority before taking action. Obtain advice based on your individual circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

1. Which Australian authority assesses Social Worker ANZSCO 272511?

The Australian Association of Social Workers, or AASW, assesses Social Worker ANZSCO 272511 for migration purposes. The assessment generally considers your social work qualification, professional comparability, supervised field education and other current requirements.

2. Which authority assesses Welfare Worker ANZSCO 272613?

Community Work Australia, formerly known as ACWA, assesses Welfare Worker ANZSCO 272613 and relevant community services occupations. CWA and AASW are separate authorities. Choosing the wrong authority can leave you with an assessment that does not support your intended visa pathway.

3. Does a positive skills assessment allow me to work as a social worker in Australia?

No. A migration skills assessment is separate from licensing, registration and employment screening. Australia does not currently have a mandatory national registration scheme for social workers. However, employers, states and sectors may require checks such as a Working with Children Check or NDIS worker screening.

4. Can social workers apply for a subclass 190 visa or subclass 491 visa?

Potentially. Social workers and related occupations may have access to skilled, state-nominated or regional pathways where the occupation and applicant meet the current requirements. Check the Department of Home Affairs and relevant state or territory authority before relying on a subclass 190 visa or subclass 491 visa strategy.

5. Is Social Worker on New Zealand’s Green List?

Under current Immigration New Zealand settings, Social Worker ANZSCO 272511 is a Green List Tier 1 role with a Social Workers Registration Board registration requirement. Applicants must meet the current registration, employment, residence, health, character and other requirements.

6. Are welfare and community support roles on New Zealand’s Green List?

Welfare and community support roles are generally not Green List occupations. The Accredited Employer Work Visa may be a possible route where the role and employer meet the current requirements. The Skilled Migrant Category may also be relevant in some cases.

7. What is the New Zealand AEWV process?

The employer-side sequence is employer accreditation, then Job Check, followed by the worker’s AEWV application. The job, employer and worker must each meet the current Immigration New Zealand requirements.