How to Immigrate to Australia as a Teacher

According to the Jobs and Small Business Department, Australia faces a severe shortage of kindergarten and secondary school teachers. The education sector has also recently been listed as one of the top-growing industries in Australia. Moreover, there is a high demand for qualified teachers to work in Australia’s regional areas. This is a better time to start your pathway into teaching, with a rewarding salary and a pathway into Australian permanent residency. 

How to Immigrate to Australia as a Teacher

Here are the means to immigrate to Australia as a teacher:

1. Permanent Residency Option

There are different pathways to a teaching career, including secondary and early childhood education. The difference between these sectors is the age group of the children involved and the resulting Permanent Resident pathways, which will be explained in detail below.

Once you are done with either a 4-year Bachelor of Education or 2 years of a Master of Teaching, you will be qualified to apply for the 485 visas, also known as a postgraduate work stream. While you hold a 485 visa for graduate work, you will have time to prepare for a permanent resident visa application. In addition, you will need an IELTS minimum of 7.0 points for reading and writing and 8.0 points for listening and speaking to pass the skills assessment. Several visa options under “Education” will lead to permanent residency in Australia.

The visa options for the Permanent Residence pathway are:

1. 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)
2. 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) (subclass 494) – Employer-sponsored stream
3. 489 – Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) –Family-sponsored
4. 189 – Skilled Independent (subclass 189) – Points Tested
5. 190 – Skilled Nominated (subclass 190)
6. 407 – Training visa (subclass 407)
7. 482 – Temporary Skilled Shortage (subclass 482) – Medium-Term Stream
8. 489—Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 489)—State or Territory Nominated
9. 187 – Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme (subclass 187).
10. 491—Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491)—State or Territory Nominated
11. 491—Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 491)—Family Sponsored.

A minimum of 65 points is required under the Skilled Migration Points Test for 189, 491, and 190 visa subclasses. Moreover, the 494, 186, and 482 visa subclasses are not pointed test based. Still, you would need to have a sponsor and are usually expected to have at least not less than 3 years of experience in the related occupation.

Advantages of studying Teaching in Australia

Educational courses in Australia are ranked on a global scale. There are about 7 Australian universities that are currently ranked in the Top 50 best Universities for educational courses worldwide. Also, there are many more job openings for qualified teachers in the future, according to the Australian Bureau of statistics labor force survey. The research has shown that the employment of teachers in Australia will increase in 10 years to come.

To prove the statement above, the Australian Government’s Job Outlook on December 2019 stated that the number of early childhood teachers required in early childhood education and care services is estimated to have increased by 22% between 2018 and 2023. However, the average salary for a teacher that handles early childhood is estimated at AUD $67,000 per year, according to Glassdoor 2021. Meanwhile, the average salary for a high school teacher is about AUD $87,714 per year, according to Indeed 2021.

The Pre-primary School and Secondary School teachers are listed on the occupation ceilings list in the 2020-2021 program, which indicates that international students that studied education can depend on these two occupations to gain a Permanent residency pathway in Australia.

What type of Teaching courses are needed in Australia?

There are four study options for you to study Teaching in Australia.

Option 1: Bachelor’s degree, which takes 4 years.

Option 2: Foundation for a year+ Bachelor for 4 years, which takes 5 years.

Option 3: Diploma for 2 years + Bachelor for 3 years, which takes 5 years.

Option 4: Master’s degree, which takes a total of 2 years

To get into one of the programs, you must meet both English entry and academic requirements:

1. A diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (pre-primary school) needs an Academic IELTS of 5.5; a band of less than 5.0 is not accepted and a successful Year 12 completion.

2. A bachelor’s degree in education requires an academic IELTS score of between 6.5-7.5 points, with specific requirements for each skill. The academic entry requirements are successful completion of high school or foundation.

3. Master of Teaching or Education; requires an Academic IELTS ranging from 7.5 points for speaking and listening bands IELTS 8.0 points with specific requirements for each skill. The entry requirement is a bachelor’s degree in any major.

4. Skills assessment by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership

Requirements:

1. Educational requirements:

Study 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent of higher education, University level study in Australia that will result in a formal qualification.

2. Professional requirements:

An initial teaching educational qualification relevant to the early childhood teacher occupation of at least 1 year of full-time study or part-time equivalent at the higher education or university level. The qualification is expected to include a minimum of 45 days of teaching practice under supervision for students from birth to 8 years in education programs before and in the early years of primary school.

• English language requirement: An IELTS of 7.5 Overall
• An IELTS Academic of Reading and Writing is7.0 points and Speaking and Listening is 8.0points

OR

• ·Completed 4 full years of Higher Education in Canada, AU, the UK, Ireland, or the USA

NOTES that: 

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership skill assessment differs from teacher registration in the state or territory you intend or want to teach.

1. The applicant is not required to be registered as a teacher in Australia before applying for a skill assessment.
2. The registration, accreditation, or licensing with an Australian teacher regulatory authority does not, on the other hand, guarantee a positive outcome for AITSL skills assessment.

Conclusion 

Teachers, just like other occupations, are also in demand in Australia. Hence, migrating to Australia is a good choice for teachers with the right qualifications. Here in this article, we have the details on how to migrate to Australia as a teacher.

Read Also: How to Immigrate to Australia from the Philippines in 2023

How to Immigrate to Australia as a Chef

Australia Visa Application Processing Time 2022

 

 FAQS 

1. Is teaching among the most stressful jobs in Australia?

Studies have shown that about 75% of teachers say they suffer from stress, with about 20% of these cases being severe or extremely severe. NEiTA Foundation Survey, 2021. Those working in the teaching profession are reported to be more stressed than the average Australian.