Skills demand for Legal Secretary
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 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 Legal Secretary
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.
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 Legal Secretary
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
An Australian employer must sponsor you for either a 482 or 186 visa. The employer must demonstrate that the position cannot be filled by an Australian resident and that they are a financially stable, legitimate business. Sponsors must register with the Department of Home Affairs and comply with Temporary Skill Shortage work agreement obligations (for 482) or employer nomination requirements (for 186).
For the 482 visa, the employer must sign a Temporary Skill Shortage work agreement detailing your employment terms, duties, and salary. For the 186 visa, the employer must lodge a nomination for the specific position and demonstrate they have conducted a thorough recruitment process for Australian workers.
Employers are responsible for visa sponsorship costs, which include application fees and administration. Many employers absorb these costs as part of recruitment. If you are approached by an employer interested in sponsoring you, confirm they have prior experience with visa sponsorships and are registered with the Department of Home Affairs before proceeding.
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.