MIDWIFE | ANZSCO 254111

WHAT DOES A MIDWIFE DO?

A Midwife provides care and advice to women during pregnancy, labour, and childbirth, and provides postnatal care for the mother and baby. Midwives work in a range of settings, including hospitals, birth centres, clinics, communities, and women's homes, and they are often the main point of contact for a woman throughout her maternity care.

Typical day to day duties include:

• Providing guidance and care across the pre-conception, antenatal, intrapartum (labour and birth), and postnatal phases
• Managing pregnancies and births, including supporting women through labour and delivery
• Monitoring the health of the mother and the baby throughout pregnancy and labour
• Identifying warning signs and referring women to an obstetrician or other specialist when needed
• Providing postnatal care, including support with feeding and newborn care
• Conducting education programs on reproductive health, pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare
• Providing advice on nutrition and family planning
• Working alongside obstetricians, neonatal staff, GPs, and allied health professionals as part of a multidisciplinary care team
• Supporting and supervising student midwives and junior colleagues
• Maintaining accurate clinical records in line with Australian healthcare and privacy standards

SUBCLASS 482 FOR THIS OCCUPATION – CSOL LIST

The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) visa replaced the older Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024, bringing in a new occupation list. The Core Skills Occupation List, known as the CSOL, consolidated the previous strategic skills lists into a single list covering several hundred occupations across professional, trade, and technical fields.

Midwife sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 254111, and this is the code an employer nominates against for a 482 visa. No caveats currently apply to this occupation, though it's always worth confirming current conditions with a migration agent before a nomination is lodged, as settings can be updated by the Department of Home Affairs from time to time.

Most Midwife nominations are considered under the Core Skills stream. The Specialist Skills stream carries a much higher income threshold and is generally only realistic for senior roles, which is explained in the salary section below.

SUBCLASS 482 ANZSCO REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION

A nominated occupation has to genuinely match the work an applicant will actually be doing for their sponsoring employer. Midwife sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, which lines up with a Bachelor degree or higher qualification in midwifery, and registration is required to practise.

ANZSCO requirement for this occupation: ANZSCO Skill Level 1, equivalent to a bachelor degree or higher qualification. Registration or licensing is required.

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION

To be granted a Subclass 482 visa under the Core Skills stream as a Midwife, applicants generally need to meet the following:

• A genuine, approved sponsor. Your employer must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, or in the process of becoming one
• An approved nomination for ANZSCO 254111, with a salary at or above the relevant income threshold and the market rate for the role
• At least one year of full time equivalent relevant work experience within the past five years
• English requirements as outlined below, unless an exemption applies
• A clear health examination through an approved panel physician
• Police clearance certificates from every country lived in for twelve months or more
• Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, or eligibility for it, as required for the role

The visa can be granted for a period of up to four years (up to five years for Hong Kong passport holders), and a partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants. Salary and income thresholds are indexed annually, so it's always worth confirming the current figure before an employer lodges a nomination.

SALARY THRESHOLDS — CSIT, SSIT, AND AMSR EXPLAINED

Three separate salary concepts apply to a nomination for this occupation, and all three need to be satisfied at once — employers must pay whichever figure is highest.

• Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) — the minimum guaranteed annual earnings for a Core Skills stream nomination under Subclass 482, and for Subclass 186 nominations. The current CSIT is AUD $79,423, up from AUD $76,515. For Midwives, the CSIT is the threshold that matters most, and it sits above the lowest pay points in some public sector awards, so employers should confirm how guaranteed annual earnings are calculated for the role before nominating.
• Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) — the higher minimum guaranteed annual earnings that applies to the Specialist Skills stream of Subclass 482. Most Midwife salaries sit below this threshold, so the Specialist Skills stream is generally only realistic for senior roles such as clinical midwife consultants or managers. The current SSIT is AUD $146,576, up from AUD $141,210.
• Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR) — the rate an equivalent Australian worker would be paid in the same role, location, and industry, based on enterprise agreements, awards, job advertisements, or remuneration survey data. For Midwives employed under a state award or enterprise agreement, the award rate for the role is the usual benchmark. The AMSR has no fixed dollar figure; it is assessed case by case.

These thresholds are indexed each year against Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE), so the applicable figure depends on when a nomination is lodged, not when it's decided. Existing visa holders and nominations lodged before an indexation date are not affected by a later increase. It's always worth confirming the current threshold with a migration agent, or on the Department of Home Affairs website, before a nomination is lodged.

SUBCLASS 482 SID VISA COST

On top of meeting the relevant income threshold, applicants and their employer need to budget for the government charges that apply to a Subclass 482 application.

*Figures shown are the base Visa Application Charge only, current at time of writing and reviewed annually by the Department of Home Affairs. Additional charges may apply, including the employer's $330 nomination fee per position and the Skilling Australians Fund (SAF) levy, along with health examinations, police checks, and English testing where required. These figures do not include the second instalment charge that applies to some dependants, or any professional or agent fees. Always confirm current charges with your migration agent or the Department of Home Affairs before lodging.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION – SUBCLASS 482

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) is the designated skills assessing authority for Midwife (ANZSCO 254111) for migration purposes. ANMAC assesses registered and fully qualified nurses and midwives from overseas, including those with in-principle AHPRA approval and those already registered in Australia or New Zealand.

A skills assessment is not required for every Subclass 482 applicant. It is only mandatory where required under the Department of Home Affairs' mandatory skills assessment requirements, which apply to specified occupations and passport countries. Applicants should confirm current requirements for their passport country before lodging, and should keep in mind that NMBA registration is a separate and mandatory requirement for practising.

What the ANMAC skills assessment involves:

• A criteria-based review of the applicant's identity, educational qualifications, professional work history, and registration credentials. ANMAC does not require applicants to sit any tests
• English language test results are required for a full skills assessment
• A review of professional experience as part of the assessment criteria
• An outcome stating whether the applicant is suitable for skilled migration. If an application is unsuccessful, ANMAC explains which criteria were not met, and applicants may appeal an unfavourable decision

Applicants should provide comprehensive documentary evidence, including:

• Academic transcripts and qualification certificates from the applicant's midwifery education
• Evidence of current or prior registration as a midwife and good standing in the country of qualification
• Employment references showing the nature, duties, and duration of midwifery work
• Identity documents
• English language test results meeting the required standard

Providing complete and well-prepared evidence helps the assessment proceed efficiently, since gaps in employment history or unclear references are common causes of delay.

SUBCLASS 186 FOR THIS OCCUPATION – EMPLOYER NOMINATION SCHEME

The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is Australia's main permanent employer sponsored visa, and for many Midwives already working in Australia on a 482 visa, it's the natural next step. The Direct Entry stream is the relevant pathway for applicants who haven't yet worked long enough with their employer to qualify for the Temporary Residence Transition stream, or who are applying from outside Australia altogether.

Unlike the 482, a grant under the 186 gives the applicant and their family permanent residency from the day it's approved, with no further visa renewals needed.

SC 186 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION

For the Direct Entry stream, applicants generally need to meet the following:

• A nomination from an approved Australian employer for a genuine, full time, ongoing position in this occupation
• A salary that meets or exceeds the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate for the role
• A positive skills assessment in the nominated occupation, unless an exemption applies
• At least three years of relevant work experience, unless exempt from the skills assessment and experience requirements
• Being under 45 years of age at the time of application, with limited exemptions
• Competent English, at an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no band below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent
• Health and character clearances

This is a lower English bar than the Nursing and Midwifery Board's own registration standard, which means almost every applicant who can register as a Midwife in Australia will already clear the visa's English requirement.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION – SC 186 VISA

Unlike the 482, a positive skills assessment is mandatory for almost every Direct Entry 186 applicant in this occupation, and it needs to be current at the time the visa application is lodged. For Midwives, this assessment is carried out by ANMAC.

Because the Direct Entry stream also requires three years of relevant experience on top of the assessment itself, it helps to start gathering employment evidence, reference letters, and qualification documents well before applying.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Every skilled or employer sponsored visa in Australia comes with an English language test, and the score required depends on which visa is being applied for. For Midwives looking at the 482 and 186 pathways, the bar is different at each stage, which catches a lot of applicants off guard.

For the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa, applicants generally need Competent English, which works out to an overall IELTS score of 5.0 with no band below 5.0, or an accepted equivalent test result.

For the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, Direct Entry stream, the standard is higher. Competent English here means an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no band below 6.0.

Separately, and on top of these visa requirements, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia sets its own, considerably higher English standard for registration. This is a professional registration requirement, not a visa requirement, but it applies in practice to every applicant who needs to register in order to work as a Midwife. The Board's accepted test scores for tests other than IELTS have been revised in recent times, so applicants should check the current scores on the Ahpra and NMBA websites before booking a test.

EXEMPTIONS ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

For visa purposes, citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland are generally exempt from formal English testing, along with applicants who have completed a set period of study conducted in English. Test results typically need to be current within three years of lodgement for visa purposes. The Nursing and Midwifery Board applies its own separate rules for demonstrating English language skills for registration, including a shorter validity period for test results, which should be confirmed directly with the Board.

REGISTRATION WITH THE NURSING AND MIDWIFERY BOARD OF AUSTRALIA

Midwifery is a nationally regulated profession under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, administered through AHPRA and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Practising as a Midwife in Australia without current registration is not permitted.

• The NMBA assesses internationally qualified midwives according to how their qualification compares with an Australian approved qualification. Applicants with a substantially equivalent qualification may proceed to orientation and then apply for registration
• Applicants with a relevant but not equivalent qualification are generally required to complete an Outcomes-Based Assessment, which consists of a computer-based knowledge exam followed by an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
• Applicants without a relevant qualification may need to upgrade their qualification before being reassessed
• Faster pathways have been introduced for internationally qualified midwives from some countries, so applicants should check the current options on the Ahpra website
• Applicants must meet the Board's English language skills registration standard, criminal history, and professional indemnity insurance requirements
• Registered midwives must meet ongoing Continuing Professional Development and recency of practice requirements set by the Board

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

The ranges above reflect the New South Wales public health system award, which is one of the largest public sector employers of midwives. Other states and territories set their own rates through enterprise agreements. Published salary guides put the national average for a registered midwife at around $95,000 and for a clinical midwife specialist at around $115,000, with the Northern Territory offering the highest base salaries, at around $115,000 for a registered midwife. Additional earnings can come from shift loadings, on-call allowances, and salary packaging, and employers also pay superannuation on top of base pay.

WHY THIS OCCUPATION IS IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• A well-documented national shortage of Midwives, listed in shortage across every Australian state and territory
• Ongoing demand for maternity services across public hospitals, private hospitals, birth centres, and community midwifery programs
• Strong demand for midwives willing to work in regional, rural, and remote areas, where local birthing services depend on small teams
• A limited domestic midwifery workforce relative to the scale of ongoing demand for maternity care
• Midwife regularly appearing on national and state priority skilled occupation lists
• Growing demand for continuity-of-care and community-based midwifery models

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS OCCUPATION IN AUSTRALIA

Australian public and private hospitals, birth centres, and maternity services can sponsor overseas applicants in this occupation through the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa, the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa, and other eligible employer-sponsored visa pathways when suitably qualified Australian workers are unavailable. With shortages persisting across the midwifery workforce in every state and territory, employer sponsorship has become an important way for Australian health services to recruit experienced overseas-trained Midwives.

At Migration Republic, we assist employers with every stage of the employer sponsorship process, including Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) applications, nomination applications, visa lodgements, and ongoing sponsorship compliance. Our Registered Migration Agents ensure your organisation meets all Department of Home Affairs requirements while making the sponsorship process as straightforward and efficient as possible.

We help healthcare employers with:

• Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) applications
• Sponsoring overseas applicants under the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) applications
• Employer nomination applications and salary benchmarking against CSIT, SSIT, and AMSR
• Employer sponsorship compliance obligations
• Permanent residency pathways for sponsored employees

If your hospital or maternity service is looking to sponsor a Midwife in Australia, Migration Republic can provide expert advice and manage the entire employer sponsorship process from start to finish, allowing you to focus on patient care while we take care of your migration requirements.

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HOW MIGRATION REPUBLIC CAN HELP YOU

Migrating to Australia as a Midwife means navigating ANMAC skills assessment and Nursing and Midwifery Board registration alongside an employer-sponsored visa application, each with its own English language standard and evidentiary requirements. Our registered migration agents at Migration Republic handle this every day, and we can help you get it right the first time.

Here's what we take care of for you:

• Confirming your qualifications and experience align with ANZSCO 254111 and ANMAC's assessment criteria
• Preparing your ANMAC skills assessment application and supporting evidence
• Structuring your employment references so they meet the assessing authority's requirements
• Coordinating your English testing against both the visa standard and the Board's registration standard
• Comparing the 482 and 186 pathways to find the right fit for your circumstances
• Managing your full visa application from lodgement through to grant

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS OCCUPATION