Skills demand for Travel Consultant
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 currently assesses this occupation as being in shortage. That is an assessment of the labour market, not a promise about your application — but it is the signal states and employers pay attention to.
Visa pathways for Travel Consultant
Your visa options follow directly from the occupation lists your ANZSCO code sits on. Each list unlocks a different set of subclasses, and appearing on one says nothing about 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 Travel Consultant
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 an approved sponsor with the Department of Home Affairs. They must demonstrate a genuine need for your skills, advertise the position to Australian workers (Labour Market Testing), meet minimum salary requirements, and provide workplace training and compliance support. Travel agencies, tour operators, hotel groups, corporate travel management companies, and online booking platforms commonly sponsor Travel Consultants.
The employer must pay you at least the minimum sponsorship salary (AUD 53,600 in 2026, indexed annually) or the award rate—whichever is higher. They'll cover visa sponsorship fees (AUD 1,500–5,000) and may require you to sign a commitment to work for the sponsoring employer for the visa duration. Smaller agencies sometimes use labour-hire specialists to manage the sponsorship process.
- Secure a job offer: Find an Australian travel/tourism employer willing to sponsor you on a TSS 482 or ENS 186 visa.
- Lodge VETASSESS assessment: Submit your skills assessment application with certified qualifications, CV, references, and work experience documentation.
- Receive positive assessment:
- Employer applies for sponsorship approval: Your employer submits Form 1200 (Sponsorship Approval) with evidence of Labour Market Testing and your salary arrangement.
- Sponsorship approved:
- Lodge TSS 482 visa application: Submit your visa application with your VETASSESS assessment, passport, health checks (Form 1002), and character references.
- Receive TSS 482 grant: You're approved to work in Australia for 2 years (or 3 years if degree-qualified).
- Transition to ENS 186 (optional): After 12 months on TSS 482, if your employer nominates you and you meet ENS points test (65+), apply for permanent residency.