Skills demand for Faculty Head
Whether an occupation is in demand shapes almost everything else about a skilled application — which visas are realistic, how competitive an invitation round is likely to be, and whether a state has any reason to nominate you.
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 Faculty Head
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 Faculty Head
Every skilled application turns on the skills assessment. An independent authority — not the Department — decides whether your qualifications and experience genuinely correspond to the occupation you are nominating, and there is no way around it.
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 sponsoring employer (typically a university) must be approved by the Department of Home Affairs to sponsor visa applicants. Most Australian universities are already approved sponsors. Your employer must nominate you for the specific Faculty Head role and demonstrate that you meet the occupational requirements and are paid at least the relevant award minimum (usually the Academic Salaries scales set by your state or institution).
They must document this process and demonstrate no suitable local candidates were found. This requirement is less stringent than it once was, and experienced Faculty Heads are typically able to proceed even after labour market testing is completed. For ENS 186, labour market testing is not required if you've already worked in the role for 2+ years with that employer.
Universities generally support successful Faculty Head sponsorships as part of their recruitment process. Discuss sponsorship openly during your employment negotiations—reputable institutions will include visa sponsorship support in the offer letter.
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.