Teachers and education professionals have several migration options across Australia and New Zealand.

The correct pathway depends on your occupation, qualifications, supervised teaching practice, registration position, English evidence, employment history and visa strategy.

Skillage Nimbus is a registered migration agent in Adelaide. Founder and Principal Consultant Ashish Thapa holds Australian registration with MARN 2217972.

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

You can also visit our Migrate by Occupation hub or explore our Migration Services hub.

Start with your occupation, not the country

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

A “teacher” may mean:

Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher.
Primary School Teacher.
Secondary School Teacher.
Special Needs Teacher.
Vocational Education Teacher.
Academic or tertiary educator.
Education manager or coordinator.

The occupation code matters.

So does the actual work performed.

A role may be eligible for one country but not the other. It may also require different qualification evidence, registration, employer sponsorship or state nomination settings.

Eligibility depends on your individual circumstances. It is assessed case by case.

Start with:

Your exact teaching role.
Your qualifications.
Your supervised teaching practice.
Your current registration or licence.
Your English evidence.
Your employment history.
Your preferred visa pathway.

Small detail. Big consequence. A job title alone is not enough.

Our skills assessment guide explains why the assessing authority must match the nominated occupation.

Australia: skills assessment for teaching and education

For Australian skilled migration, the skills assessment is a central step.

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, known as AITSL, assesses several school teaching occupations for migration purposes. These include:

Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher: ANZSCO 241111.
Secondary School Teacher, ANZSCO 241411.
Other eligible school teaching occupations.

AITSL generally looks at the structure and level of your higher education study.

The usual assessment framework includes:

At least four years of higher education study, or an equivalent study structure.
An initial teacher education qualification.
A relevant amount of supervised teaching practice.
English proficiency evidence accepted under current AITSL settings.
Academic documents, transcripts and identity evidence.
Evidence showing that your qualifications relate to the nominated occupation.

Do not rely on the title of your degree alone.

Two applicants may both hold a “Bachelor of Education”. Their outcomes may differ because the course structure, age range, teaching specialisation or supervised practice evidence is different.

AITSL may need to see evidence of:

The subjects completed.
The duration of each course.
The teaching level covered.
The age group covered.
The location and nature of supervised practice.
The relationship between the qualification and the nominated occupation.

Skills assessment is not teacher registration

This distinction is critical.

An AITSL assessment is a migration skills assessment.

It is not permission to teach in an Australian classroom.

Teacher registration is handled separately by the relevant state or territory authority. For example, South Australia has the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia.

Registration may involve its own requirements. These can include:

Qualification recognition.
Professional suitability.
Identity checks.
Criminal history checks.
English evidence.
Recent teaching experience.
Professional practice requirements.

A positive migration skills assessment does not automatically produce teacher registration.

You may need both processes.

Check current requirements with AITSL and the relevant state or territory authority before relying on an assessment for employment or migration.

Australia: visa pathways

Teaching can be a strong occupation for Australian skilled migration. However, occupation lists, state requirements and employer-sponsored settings can change.

Potential pathways may include:

Skilled Independent visa: subclass 189

The subclass 189 visa is a points-tested pathway.

It does not require state nomination or employer sponsorship. However, the occupation must be eligible under the current settings and the applicant must satisfy the relevant requirements.

An invitation is not guaranteed.

Skilled Nominated visa: subclass 190

The subclass 190 visa requires nomination by an Australian state or territory.

Teaching can be relevant to state nomination. Requirements vary between jurisdictions.

For applicants considering South Australia skilled migration, the current South Australian settings should be checked directly through migration.sa.gov.au.

A SA 190 nomination may depend on factors such as:

The nominated occupation.
The applicant’s location.
Work experience.
English evidence.
Registration or licensing.
Employment in South Australia.
State priorities.
Current nomination availability.

The State Nomination Occupation List is not permanent. Confirm the current list before preparing an expression of interest or nomination application.

Skilled Work Regional visa: subclass 491

The subclass 491 visa is a provisional regional pathway.

It may involve state or territory nomination, or eligible family sponsorship, depending on the pathway used.

A SA 491 pathway may be relevant for eligible applicants connected to South Australia. The occupation, location and nomination requirements must be checked at the time of application.

The subclass 491 visa is also known as the skilled work regional visa 491.

Employer-sponsored options

Teachers may also consider employer-sponsored pathways where the role and employer meet current requirements.

Possible visas include:

Subclass 482.
Subclass 186.
Subclass 494.
A Designated Area Migration Agreement, or DAMA, where the occupation and employer are covered.

A DAMA is not a general visa category available to every applicant. It operates through a specific regional agreement.

The occupation must be listed under the relevant visa settings or covered by an applicable agreement.

Employer sponsorship may require:

An eligible employer.
A genuine position.
Salary and employment conditions meeting the applicable threshold.
Skills and qualification evidence.
Registration or licensing where required.
English and health requirements.
Labour market or nomination steps, depending on the visa.

Do not assume that a teacher can use every pathway simply because teaching is in demand.

Check current requirements with the Department of Home Affairs and the relevant state authority.

New Zealand: registration and pathways

New Zealand uses a different sequence.

Professional registration is a major part of the process.

The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand is the relevant professional authority for teacher registration and practising certificates.

Overseas-trained teachers typically need to consider:

Teaching Council registration.
A practising certificate.
An International Qualification Assessment, or IQA, from NZQA.
Qualification comparability.
Identity evidence.
Police clearance.
English or te reo Māori competency evidence.
Evidence of professional suitability.

An IQA may help confirm that an overseas qualification is comparable to a New Zealand Initial Teacher Education qualification.

The Teaching Council may also require information about your training, supervised practice and teaching history.

Read the current guidance for overseas-trained teachers.

Green List pathways

Under the current settings described by Immigration New Zealand:

Secondary School Teacher: ANZSCO 241411 is listed as a Green List Tier 1 occupation, linked to the Straight to Residence pathway.
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher: ANZSCO 241111 is listed as a Green List Tier 2 occupation, linked to the Work to Residence pathway.

The role must still satisfy the current Green List requirements.

Those requirements may include:

Registration.
Qualification recognition.
A qualifying job or job offer.
An accredited employer.
Full-time employment.
Pay at or above the relevant threshold.
Health and character requirements.
English evidence.

For the current position, review Immigration New Zealand’s Straight to Residence Visa, Work to Residence Visa and Green List roles.

Accredited Employer Work Visa sequence

For an Accredited Employer Work Visa, the employer-side sequence is important:

The employer obtains accreditation.
The employer completes the Job Check.
The worker submits the visa application.

The worker’s visa application comes after the employer has completed the relevant steps.

An eligible job offer is essential.

The Skilled Migrant Category may also be relevant where the applicant has qualifying skilled employment and meets the current pay and points requirements.

No pathway should be treated as automatic.

Real requirements, not job titles

Teachers should watch for these practical traps:

AITSL is not teacher registration. A migration assessment does not authorise classroom teaching.
The four-year study rule matters. Course length, qualification structure and supervised practice must be evidenced.
Practicum evidence can be decisive. A transcript may not explain the teaching placement clearly enough.
State registration is separate. South Australian registration is handled by the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia.
New Zealand uses its own system. Teaching Council registration and NZQA IQA requirements must be considered.
Pay thresholds apply. Do not rely on an old employment contract or an outdated online guide.
Old occupation lists cause problems. A list from a previous year may no longer reflect the current position.
Employment must match the occupation. A generic education support role may not match a nominated teacher occupation.
Registration can affect employment. Immigration eligibility and the right to work as a teacher are related but separate questions.

Consultation CTA 1

Want your teaching background mapped before you choose a country?

Book a migration consultation with Skillage Nimbus.

Australia or New Zealand?

Both countries may offer pathways for qualified teachers.

Australia may provide points-tested, state-nominated and employer-sponsored options. South Australia may be relevant for applicants considering state nomination, including possible SA 190 nomination or SA 491 pathways.

New Zealand places strong emphasis on Teaching Council registration, qualification comparability and an eligible job with an accredited employer. Green List settings may connect some teaching roles with residence pathways.

The better option depends on your profile.

Consider:

Your teaching level.
Your qualification structure.
Your supervised practice.
Your registration position.
Your preferred location.
Your employment prospects.
Your family circumstances.
Your long-term residence plans.

There is no universal recommendation.

There is no guarantee of nomination, sponsorship, registration, a visa or permanent residency Australia.

How Skillage Nimbus helps

Skillage Nimbus provides structured migration and education pathway support for teachers and education professionals.

Our work may include:

Occupation mapping.
ANZSCO code review.
AITSL assessment planning.
Qualification and transcript review.
Supervised teaching practice evidence planning.
English evidence planning.
Expression of interest strategy.
State nomination strategy, including South Australia.
Employer sponsorship planning.
DAMA pathway assessment.
Teacher registration considerations.
New Zealand Teaching Council registration considerations.
NZQA IQA guidance.
Green List Straight to Residence planning.
Green List Work to Residence planning.
Accredited Employer Work Visa support.
Skilled Migrant Category planning.
Visa application preparation.
Administrative Review Tribunal representation where appropriate.

We also support employers seeking international education and teaching talent. Visit our Employer Sponsorship Adelaide service.

If you are comparing teaching with another occupation, you may also find our care sector migration comparison useful.

No outcome is guaranteed.

Every application depends on the applicant’s circumstances and the requirements in force when the relevant application is assessed.

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

For applicants searching for a migration agent Adelaide, migration agent Australia or immigration lawyer Adelaide, our role is to provide clear, evidence-based pathway guidance. Registration, professional status and the scope of service should always be checked before engagement.

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 a document review and pathway discussion.

Book your consultation with Skillage Nimbus

For urgent assistance, call +61 8 9131 6011.

You can also review our Registered Migration Agent Adelaide service and South Australia skilled migration service.

Important information

This page contains general information only. It is not migration advice, legal advice, teacher registration advice or employment advice.

Visa criteria, occupation lists, nomination requirements, registration rules, qualification standards, pay thresholds and application procedures can change.

The Australia information should be checked directly with the Department of Home Affairs, AITSL, the relevant assessing authority, migration.sa.gov.au and the relevant state or territory teacher registration authority.

The New Zealand information should be checked directly with Immigration New Zealand, the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and NZQA.

The Green List classification for Secondary School Teacher, the Green List classification for Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher, the registration requirements, IQA requirements, employer accreditation sequence and pay thresholds must be verified on the official government websites before you act.

Frequently asked questions

Does an AITSL skills assessment give me permission to teach in Australia?

No. An AITSL skills assessment is for migration purposes. Teacher registration is separate and is handled by the relevant state or territory authority, such as the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia.

What does AITSL generally assess for teachers?

AITSL generally considers at least four years of higher education study, an initial teacher education qualification, supervised teaching practice and accepted English proficiency evidence. Exact requirements depend on the occupation and current assessment settings.

Which Australian visas may be relevant to teachers?

Depending on the occupation and circumstances, possible pathways may include subclass 189, subclass 190, subclass 491, subclass 482, subclass 186, subclass 494 and a DAMA where the occupation is covered. Current eligibility must be checked before applying.

Can teachers apply for South Australia skilled migration?

Teaching may be relevant to South Australia skilled migration, including possible SA 190 nomination or SA 491 pathways. The occupation, nomination requirements and State Nomination Occupation List must be checked against the current South Australian settings.

Is Secondary School Teacher a New Zealand Straight to Residence occupation?

Under the current settings described in this page, Secondary School Teacher, ANZSCO 241411, is a Green List Tier 1 occupation linked to Straight to Residence. Registration, employment, pay and other requirements still apply.

Is Early Childhood Teacher a New Zealand Work to Residence occupation?

Under the current settings described in this page, Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher, ANZSCO 241111, is a Green List Tier 2 occupation linked to Work to Residence. The applicant must satisfy the current registration, employment, work experience and pay requirements.

Can Skillage Nimbus guarantee a visa, nomination or teacher registration outcome?

No. Skillage Nimbus can assist with occupation mapping, documentation, strategy and application preparation. No visa, nomination, sponsorship, registration or permanent residency outcome is guaranteed.