Skills demand for Aquaculture or Fisheries Technician
Before anything else, it is worth knowing where this occupation sits in the labour market. Demand drives which visa pathways are realistic and how a state is likely to view a nomination.
Jobs and Skills Australia does not currently assess this occupation as being in shortage. That does not close off a skilled pathway, but it does mean you are competing on the strength of your own claims rather than on the strength of the labour market.
Visa pathways for Aquaculture or Fisheries Technician
Which visas are available to you depends on which of the government's skilled occupation lists your occupation appears on. The lists are not interchangeable, and being on one of them does not put you on the others.
Inclusion on the Core Skills Occupation List makes the Skills in Demand visa's Core Skills stream available, subject to the usual sponsorship and nomination requirements.
Skills assessment for Aquaculture or Fisheries Technician
The skills assessment is the gate. An assessing authority, independent of the Department, must agree that your qualifications and experience match this occupation before anything else counts.
The authority sets and publishes its own fees. The pathways and charges below are taken from the authority's own fee schedule, and we check them against that source. Confirm the current figure with the authority before you apply — fees change, and the authority is the only source that can be relied on.
Employer Sponsorship Requirements
Your Australian employer must be genuinely engaged in aquaculture operations and registered as an approved sponsor with the Department of Home Affairs. They must demonstrate the capacity to employ and supervise you in the nominated role.
For 482 sponsorship, your employer lodges a Temporary Activity Sponsor (TAS) nomination followed by a 482 nomination specific to your role. The employer must provide a detailed position description, salary details matching the occupation level, and evidence of skills shortage (no Labour Market Testing required for CSOL occupations).
They must demonstrate the position is genuine, cannot be filled by an Australian resident worker, and must offer terms and conditions no less favourable than those provided to Australian employees in similar roles.
How to apply, step by step
- Confirm the correct ANZSCO code for your occupation. Everything downstream depends on it, and an assessment obtained for the wrong code does not transfer.
- Obtain a positive skills assessment from the assessing authority for that occupation.
- Meet the English language requirement for the visa you are applying for.
- Lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect, claiming only points you can evidence.
- If you are seeking state nomination, apply to the nominating body separately and on its terms.
- Wait to be invited. You cannot apply for the visa until an invitation is issued.
- Lodge the visa application within the period allowed by the invitation, with the evidence for every claim you made.