Teacher Migration to Australia: State Lists, Points & AITSL Assessment (STEM priority)

#Teacher Migration to Australia: State Lists, Points & AITSL Assessment (STEM priority)

#Cross-State Comparison: Secondary School Teachers (ANZSCO 241411)

(Sources: state skilled occupation lists, as of June 2026. All figures subject to change — verify with each state's migration website before applying.)

#Which Australian state is easiest for Secondary school teachers to migrate to?

South Australia is the most consistently open state for secondary school teachers pursuing the Subclass 190 — it accepts the broadest range of teaching subjects and carries comparatively accessible nomination conditions. For STEM specialists, Victoria is the stronger play: it maintains a dedicated mathematics and science teacher nomination stream that can sidestep the general invitation queue entirely.

The data from the current pool reinforces the opportunity. With roughly 2,055 secondary teacher profiles in the Expression of Interest (EOI) pool against a 2,837-place annual allocation (2025–26 financial year), the pool has not yet exceeded available quota — unlike early childhood, which is severely oversubscribed. At 80 points, a secondary teacher stands a strong chance of invitation in most states; at 75 points, prospects are improving as the pool remains manageable (as of June 2026, state policy facts).

For offshore applicants without Australian work experience, the Subclass 491 regional visa is the most realistic first step. Regional schools face chronic teacher shortages, and DAMA (Designated Area Migration Agreements) arrangements in several regions explicitly target teachers.

#Secondary school teachers state nomination requirements and points in NSW?

NSW nominates secondary school teachers on both the Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 lists, with a clear bias toward STEM subjects and applicants with rural or regional school experience. Non-STEM teachers in NSW face a noticeably longer wait.

The state's policy treats rural teaching experience as an explicit advantage — applicants who can demonstrate time working in a NSW regional or rural public school move up the queue. This aligns with NSW's persistent teacher shortage in outer-metropolitan and country areas.

Tip: If you are a mathematics or science teacher with even a single term's experience at a NSW rural school, submit your EOI for 190 NSW before testing other states — the advantage is structural, not marginal.

Applicants have flagged confusion about whether casual teaching days count as "Australian work experience" in the EOI employment section. The answer is yes, provided you can document more than 20 hours per week — payslips are the standard evidence (as advised by migration practitioners working with NSW casual teachers, 2026).

#Secondary school teachers state nomination in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland?

Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland each operate distinct nomination strategies for secondary school teachers — and the outcomes for STEM versus non-STEM teachers diverge sharply.

Victoria runs the strongest STEM-specific channel. A dedicated mathematics and science teacher quota means an applicant with as few as 65 base points plus verified STEM subject qualifications can receive a 190 nomination ahead of higher-scoring generalists. The Victorian government has also committed AU$229 million to teacher scholarships tied to two-year public school service commitments — a sign of how seriously the state treats the shortage (as of June 2026, state policy facts).

South Australia is the most pragmatic option for non-STEM secondary teachers. All teaching subjects are nominally open, conditions are comparatively accessible, and SA has historically been a reliable fallback when Victoria and NSW close their lists between rounds.

Queensland prioritises STEM subjects in its 190 nominations and allocates fewer spots to humanities and languages teachers. Non-STEM teachers should check Queensland's current skilled occupation list before lodging an EOI — availability fluctuates by round.

#Secondary school teachers nomination in Tasmania and other states?

Tasmania nominates secondary school teachers on both Subclass 190 and Subclass 491 lists, and its regional visa pathway carries added weight: a 491 granted through Tasmania comes with the standard +15 points for future permanent residence consideration, and Tasmania's smaller talent pool means less competition for available nominations.

Western Australia is active on both lists — check WA's current skilled occupation list, as its rounds open and close on a separate schedule from the eastern states. The ACT has historically been selective; the Northern Territory operates DAMA arrangements that can benefit teachers willing to commit to remote placements.

Tip: For teachers without Australian work experience who are still offshore, Tasmania 491 or a NT DAMA arrangement often offer the clearest pathway — regional schools face structural shortages that state policy has not resolved through domestic supply.

Many secondary teacher applicants underestimate DAMA. Under a DAMA, an employer (such as a regional school system) sponsors you directly, bypassing the points test entirely. The trade-off is a two- to four-year regional posting obligation.

#How does the AITSL skills assessment for Secondary school teachers work?

AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership) is the sole assessing body for ANZSCO 241411 Secondary School Teacher. It does not simply rubber-stamp overseas qualifications — it evaluates whether your education and supervised teaching practice align with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

The two things applicants most commonly confuse are AITSL assessment and state teacher registration. They are separate processes: AITSL assessment comes first and is a migration requirement; state teacher registration (e.g., VIT in Victoria, NESA in NSW) is an employment requirement and comes after.

Core eligibility requirements:

The 7.5-per-band IELTS requirement is the single biggest filter. It directly explains why the secondary teacher EOI pool remains uncongested compared to early childhood — the English threshold disqualifies a large proportion of candidates before they can even lodge an assessment.

A key warning: applicants who completed only a Graduate Diploma (one year) on top of a three-year degree may fall short of the four-year total. AITSL counts years of higher education inclusive of teacher training — a three-year bachelor plus one-year GradDip equals four years and generally meets the threshold, but only if the GradDip includes the required supervised practicum days.

#How many points does a Secondary school teacher need? Real invitation cut-offs

For the Subclass 189 independent stream, 80 points is the realistic target for secondary school teachers in 2025–26. The 85-point threshold observed in some rounds reflects peak competition periods — at 75 points, invitations are possible but not guaranteed in the near term (as of June 2026, state policy facts).

The current pool data is encouraging: approximately 800 secondary teacher profiles sit at 75 points or above, against a 2,837-place annual quota with over 2,200 places still unallocated as of mid-year. This means 80-point applicants are in the main competition layer, and 75-point applicants retain genuine prospects — a structurally different position from early childhood, where 90 points is the realistic floor.

How points stack up for a typical secondary teacher applicant:

Multiple applicants we worked with in the November 2025 invitation round confirmed 80 points as the clearing score for that batch. One applicant going through a similar timeline noted their full timeline from pool entry at 75 points through an update to 80 points before receiving the November invitation — consistent with the pool data showing 75 points as viable but 80 as the safer target.

#Why are STEM and special-ed teachers in higher demand?

STEM teachers hold the strongest position in Australian teacher migration by a measurable margin. Mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computing teachers are in documented national shortage — the 2023–2027 skilled occupation projections rank secondary school teacher second only to nursing in terms of supply deficit, with STEM specialisations driving the bulk of that gap.

The practical consequence: Victoria, NSW, and Queensland operate STEM-specific nomination channels that do not exist for humanities or language teachers. A mathematics teacher with 65 base points can receive a Victorian 190 nomination ahead of an English teacher with 75 points — that is not a marginal advantage, it is a structural one.

Special education teachers (ANZSCO codes under the 241499 group) occupy a smaller but distinct niche. The assessment pathway through AITSL mirrors secondary teacher assessment — the same four-year education requirement, the same 45-day practicum standard. The practical challenge is that most universities offer limited genuine special education practicum placements, meaning applicants often need in-service experience at a special education school to support their application.

#Is a Master of Teaching (Secondary) a shortcut to migration?

A Master of Teaching (Secondary) — or MTea(Sec) — is not a shortcut, but it is often the most structurally reliable pathway for applicants entering Australia on a student visa. When completed at an Australian university after at least a three-year bachelor degree, it satisfies AITSL's four-year higher education requirement and includes the required supervised practicum days, making the skills assessment relatively straightforward.

The points benefit is concrete: 15 points for an Australian master's degree (compared to 10 for an overseas bachelor's), plus 5 points for two or more years of Australian study, and potentially 5 additional points for regional study if completed at a regional campus. Combined with a superior English score, an applicant who completes an MTea(Sec) in their late 20s can realistically reach 80 points before counting work experience.

The caveat: not all MTea(Sec) programs are equal for migration purposes. Graduate Diploma programs (one year) on top of a three-year degree meet the four-year minimum, but leave no buffer. Some applicants have found their practicum documentation questioned by AITSL — particularly where placement records were informal or school sign-off was incomplete.

One applicant we assisted completed their second master's degree in secondary teaching, achieved the AITSL assessment within weeks of graduation, and received a 189 invitation in the same financial year — a timeline that reflects both the relative health of the secondary teacher pool and the importance of English preparation running in parallel with study.

Tip: Begin PTE or IELTS preparation at least six months before you intend to lodge the AITSL assessment. The 7.5-per-band IELTS requirement (or equivalent) is non-negotiable and is the most common cause of delay.

#How does AITSL assessment work (fee, timeline)?

The AITSL assessment process involves five practical steps, and the most common delays come from document completeness, not AITSL processing speed.

Fee: Approximately AU$400–600 (check aitsl.edu.au for current fee schedule, as of June 2026, state policy facts)

Processing time: Typically 8–12 weeks once all documents are submitted (as of June 2026, state policy facts). Cases with incomplete documentation or credential verification delays can take longer.

Common document pitfalls:

A critical distinction: AITSL assessment confirms your qualifications meet Australian professional standards. State teacher registration (VIT in Victoria, NESA in NSW, Queensland College of Teachers, etc.) is a separate process you complete after finding employment — and each state's registration board has its own requirements, which may include a working-with-children check, additional probationary assessments, and proof of current teaching practice.

#Employer sponsorship for secondary school teachers: the private school route

The Subclass 482 employer-sponsored visa works for secondary school teachers — but only through private schools, Catholic school systems, and international schools. State government-run public schools cannot sponsor overseas teachers under the standard 482 framework.

This is the most persistent misconception we encounter. Teachers who arrive in Australia expecting to work their way into PR via a NSW or Victorian public school quickly discover the sponsorship pathway is closed to them in that sector. The viable channels are:

The salary minimum under TSMIT for 2026 is AU$73,150 (as of June 2026, state policy facts). Teacher salaries under state government awards typically range from AU$60,000 to AU$100,000 depending on seniority and state — most experienced teachers satisfy TSMIT, but graduate-level starting salaries in some states may sit below threshold.

Tip: If you have a STEM teaching background, approach independent schools directly before committing to a 489 or 491 pathway. A 482 with a private school employer converts to the Subclass 186 permanent residence after two to three years, without requiring additional points.

#CTA

Planning your migration as a secondary school teacher?

The secondary teacher pathway has more moving parts than most occupations — AITSL assessment, state nomination rounds that open and close without warning, and STEM advantages that require the right positioning from the start. A miscalculation on English timing or state list strategy can cost twelve months.

At VJ Consulting, we work specifically with teachers navigating the 189, 190, and 491 pathways — including AITSL document preparation, STEM nomination strategy, and private school 482 arrangements.

Book a consultation with a MARA-registered agent to map out your specific subject area, qualification, and timeline.