🇦🇺 Australia

Chemist Visa Pathway Australia

✓ MARA · Last reviewed: July 2026 · 5 min read · MARN 2518872

Chemists can migrate to Australia via the 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa with employer sponsorship, then transition to permanent residency through the 186 Employer Nominated Scheme (ENS). VETASSESS conducts the skills assessment. The pathway is employer-driven, not points-tested, making it accessible to qualified overseas chemists.

Key Facts
ANZSCO Code
234211
Chemist
SkillSelect minimum
85 pts
DHA round 2026-06-04 · tie-break 24/04/2026
Skills Assessor
VETASSESS
Skills Shortage
Not in shortage
No state-level shortage · Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025-10
Visa Pathways
189, 190, 491, 485, 482, 186
Subclasses this occupation is eligible for
Source: DHA SkillSelect, March 2026

Skills demand for Chemist

Demand is the first thing to establish, because it quietly determines the rest: the visas worth considering, the competitiveness of an invitation round, and whether a state nomination is a credible option at all.

Jobs and Skills Australia does not record a shortage for this occupation at present. A skilled pathway remains open, but the case will rest on your individual claims rather than on the labour market doing any of the work for you.

Visa pathways for Chemist

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.

Because this occupation is on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, the independent, state-nominated and regional skilled visas are all in scope.

This occupation appears on the Core Skills Occupation List, which is the list used for the Skills in Demand visa's Core Skills stream.

Skills assessment for Chemist

Skills assessment fees

PathwayFee
Full skills assessment for change of occupation AUD $819
Skills Assessment AUD $1,205
Assessment of employment for final Skills Assessment AUD $937
Qualifications online application AUD $342
Outcome Review - Qualification AUD $374

A skills assessment is not a formality. It is the step where an independent authority decides whether your qualifications and experience actually match the occupation you are claiming — and a negative outcome ends the application before it starts.

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.

The points test and Chemist

The points test is the most misunderstood part of the skilled program, and almost all of the confusion sits on a single distinction.

The minimum score is what allows you to lodge an Expression of Interest. It is not the score that gets you invited. Invitations are issued in rank order, highest first, until the round is exhausted — so the score that actually secures an invitation is set by your competition, not by the minimum.

A published minimum for this occupation appears above. Read it as occupation-specific and round-specific — it is not a standing cut-off, and it changes between rounds.

State and territory nomination

Each state and territory nominates on its own terms, against its own list, and revises both regularly. A nomination from one state carries no weight with another. The nominating body's own page is the only reliable source.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Confirm the correct ANZSCO code for your occupation. Everything downstream depends on it, and an assessment obtained for the wrong code does not transfer.
  2. Obtain a positive skills assessment from the assessing authority for that occupation.
  3. Meet the English language requirement for the visa you are applying for.
  4. Lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect, claiming only points you can evidence.
  5. If you are seeking state nomination, apply to the nominating body separately and on its terms.
  6. Wait to be invited. You cannot apply for the visa until an invitation is issued.
  7. Lodge the visa application within the period allowed by the invitation, with the evidence for every claim you made.
Practitioner Note
Before you spend anything on an assessment, check that your work history can be evidenced the way the authority asks for it. Most negative outcomes I see are not about capability; they are about references that describe a role in the applicant's words rather than in the authority's.
MARN 2518872 (AU) · immi.tv
Free Tool
Australian Points Calculator
Calculate your points score as a chemist and find the best visa pathway for your profile.
Calculate Points →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a skills assessment for this occupation?
Yes. A positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority is a requirement for the skilled visas, and it must be for the occupation you are nominating. An assessment for a related but different occupation will not carry over.
Does meeting the minimum points score mean I will be invited?
No. The minimum allows you to lodge an Expression of Interest. Invitations are issued in rank order from the highest scores down, so the score that actually secures an invitation depends on who else is in the pool for your occupation.
Can a state nominate me for this occupation?
That depends entirely on the state. Each maintains its own list and its own requirements, both of which change regularly, so the answer today may not be the answer next quarter. Work from the nominating body's own page.

Are you a Chemist planning to migrate to Australia on a 482 or 186 visa?

Book a free 15-minute assessment with our MARA registered migration agent.

Book Free Assessment →
General Information Only

This page provides general information only and does not constitute migration advice, legal advice, or any form of professional advice. It is not tailored to your individual circumstances and must not be relied upon as the basis for any decision, action, or omission.

Skilled occupation lists change frequently — occupations may be added, removed, or transferred between lists at any time by ministerial direction. This page reflects list status at the date shown above. Always verify current list membership on the Department of Home Affairs website before lodging a visa application.

Migration law changes frequently. While we endeavour to keep this content current, immi.tv makes no representation that the information is accurate, complete, or up to date at the time you read it. You should independently verify all information before acting on it.

No client or adviser relationship is created by your use of this site. To the maximum extent permitted by law, immi.tv expressly disclaims all liability for any loss or damage — including visa refusals, cancellations, application costs, and consequential loss — arising from reliance on this content. See our full Terms of Use.

Book Free Assessment →