Resources · International teachers
Teacher visa sponsorship in Australia usually means a school employer nominating you for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, with a path to permanent residence through the subclass 186. Teachers can also apply without a sponsor through the points-tested 189 and 190 visas, which need an AITSL skills assessment. Whichever route you take, you need VIT registration before you can teach in Victoria.
The main ways to immigrate to Australia as a teacher
| Visa | Who drives it | Stay | Cost from (AUD) | Skills assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 482 Skills in Demand, Core Skills stream | Employer sponsor | Up to 4 years | 4,015 | Only if required for the occupation (not usually for teachers) |
| 186 Employer Nomination, Temporary Residence Transition | Employer, after time on a 482 | Permanent | 6,140 | Not in the headline criteria |
| 186 Employer Nomination, Direct Entry | Employer | Permanent | 6,140 | Required, unless exempt |
| 189 Skilled Independent | You (by invitation) | Permanent | 6,135 | Required |
| 190 Skilled Nominated | You, plus a state nomination | Permanent | 6,140 | Required |
| 407 Training | Sponsor, for a training program | Up to 2 years | 535 | No |
| 417 Working Holiday | You | 12 months | 840 (first visa) | No |
Costs are the base applicant charge shown by Home Affairs on 20 October 2026. Family members, health checks, police certificates, VIT and translation fees are extra.
482 visa sponsorship for teachers
The Skills in Demand visa is the usual route for teaching jobs with visa sponsorship in Australia. A school or school employer becomes an approved sponsor, nominates you for an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, and pays you at least the market salary rate and the Core Skills Income Threshold. Home Affairs says you must have at least one year of relevant work experience, meet the English requirement unless exempt, and work only for your sponsor.
On skills: Home Affairs lists the 482 occupations that need a mandatory skills assessment, and those assessments are done by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS. School teaching is assessed by AITSL, so teachers usually do not need one for a 482, although Home Affairs can ask in writing. What you do need is VIT registration, because you cannot teach in a Victorian school without it.
We compare the 482 with the 407 Training visa in detail, including the income threshold from 1 July 2026 and Ministerial Direction 121, in 482 or 407: which visa fits a teacher. We will not repeat it here.
Employer sponsored visa for teachers: the 186 to permanent residence
The Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) is permanent. It has two streams that matter to teachers:
- Temporary Residence Transition: for people already on a 482 (or 457). Home Affairs says you usually need to have worked in eligible sponsored employment for at least two years full time on that visa, with a nomination from your employer approved in the six months before you apply. This is the common path for a teacher who arrives on a 482 and stays at the same school.
- Direct Entry: for people who have not held a 482 with that employer. You need an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, at least three years of relevant work experience, a positive skills assessment before you lodge (for teachers, from AITSL), and the English, health and character requirements, unless exempt.
Skilled independent and state nominated visas (189 and 190)
These visas do not need a job offer. You lodge an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect, and Home Affairs (for the 189) or a state (for the 190) invites you to apply. For both, Home Affairs says you need an occupation on the relevant skilled list, a suitable skills assessment, an invitation, and enough points on the points test. For school teachers the skills assessment is from AITSL: see our AITSL skills assessment guide for fees, English scores and processing times.
Victoria’s state nomination program
Victoria nominates skilled people for the 190 and for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) subclass 491, which Live in Melbourne describes as a five-year visa with a path to permanent residence after at least three years living and working in regional Victoria. To be considered you first lodge an Expression of Interest in SkillSelect and then a Registration of Interest with Victoria.
Victoria’s priority occupations and criteria change from one program year to the next. When we checked on 20 October 2026, the Live in Melbourne pages that set out the current program were being redeveloped, so we could not confirm whether school teachers are currently eligible for Victorian nomination. Check Live in Melbourne directly before you plan around a 190 or 491.
The 407 Training visa and working holiday visas
The 407 Training visa (up to two years) is for a structured training or professional development program, not an ordinary teaching job. It suits some teachers who need supervised practice in Australian schools. Our 482 or 407 guide explains when it fits.
A Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) lasts 12 months, and Home Affairs says you can do any kind of work. Eligibility depends on your passport and other criteria Home Affairs sets. You still need VIT registration to teach, and it is not a sponsored or permanent pathway in itself. Home Affairs currently expects processing to take around three months, and says not to book travel or work until your visa is granted.
Teacher visa Australia checklist: the order things happen
- Check your qualifications against VIT’s requirements. VIT generally expects four years of higher education and 45 days of supervised teaching practice, plus English evidence unless you studied in an exempt country. See our VIT registration guide for overseas teachers.
- Choose your visa route. Sponsored (482, then 186) if you want a school to back you, or skilled (189/190) if you have the points and an AITSL assessment.
- Secure the role or the invitation. For a 482, the school must be an approved sponsor and lodge a nomination for you.
- Apply for VIT registration while the visa is processing. You can apply up to three months before you arrive.
- Plan the move. Rents, suburbs and the school year are covered in moving to Victoria to teach and where to live in Victoria as a teacher.
How sponsorship works with TeachVic
TeachVic is a Melbourne teacher recruitment agency. We place local and international teachers in contract (fixed-term) and permanent (ongoing) roles in Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools, across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. For international teachers, we manage VIT registration and visa sponsorship end to end, working with migration lawyers.
- You pay nothing. Schools pay our fee.
- Timing. Most four-year contracts we arrange are approved by the Department, immigration and VIT within 60 days.
- Speed for schools. We aim to shortlist for schools within 48 hours, so suitable teachers are put forward quickly.
Schools thinking about sponsoring can read hiring international teachers. For pay once you arrive, see teacher pay in Victoria.
Common questions
Can teachers get visa sponsorship in Australia?
Yes. Schools and school employers can sponsor teachers on the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa, and can later nominate them for permanent residence on the subclass 186.
Which visa is best for teachers moving to Australia?
If a school will sponsor you, the 482 is the usual start, with the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream as the path to permanent residence. If you have the points and an AITSL assessment, the 189 or 190 gives permanent residence without a sponsor.
Do I need an AITSL assessment for a 482 teacher visa?
Not usually. The mandatory 482 skills assessments are done by Trades Recognition Australia or VETASSESS. Home Affairs can still ask for one, and you will need VIT registration to teach.
How long does a 482 teacher visa last?
Up to four years (up to five for Hong Kong passport holders), with the option to apply for permanent residence if eligible.
Are teachers on Victoria’s state nomination list?
We could not confirm this on 20 October 2026, because Victoria’s program pages were being redeveloped. Check Live in Melbourne for the current program year before lodging a Registration of Interest.
Can I teach in Australia on a working holiday visa?
Home Affairs says you can do any kind of work on a Working Holiday visa, but you still need VIT registration to teach in a Victorian school, and the visa lasts 12 months.
Do I pay TeachVic for visa sponsorship?
No. Teachers pay nothing. Schools pay TeachVic’s fee.
Find a sponsored teaching role in Victoria
Tell us about your qualifications and the kind of school you want. See how we work with international teachers, apply now, or ask us to contact you. You can also call 0435 175 001 (Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm) or email Admin@teachvic.com.
Checked on 20 October 2026 against Home Affairs 482 Core Skills stream, 186 Temporary Residence Transition, 186 Direct Entry, 189 Skilled Independent, 190 Skilled Nominated, 417 Working Holiday, Live in Melbourne skilled migration visas and AITSL skills assessments. This is general information, not migration or legal advice.