Skilled Migration Pathway

ADVERTISING MANAGER | ANZSCO 131113

Australian brands and agencies rely on someone who can take a business idea and turn it into a campaign people actually notice, and that responsibility carries real weight in a skilled visa application. Under ANZSCO 131113, skilled Advertising Managers are being sponsored by advertising agencies, media businesses, and brands running their advertising function in house. Compared to some related occupations, this one is relatively straightforward from a caveat perspective, though the core visa requirements still need to be met carefully.

This guide covers what an Advertising Manager actually does, the English language standard applicants need to meet, and a full breakdown of two of the most common visa pathways for this occupation: the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa and the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme.

Migration Republic, Expert visa pathway preparation for Advertising Managers and creative agency professionals

ANZSCO 131113

WHAT DOES AN ADVERTISING MANAGER DO?

An Advertising Manager under ANZSCO 131113 plans, organises, directs, controls, and coordinates the advertising activities within an organisation. The occupation sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, which generally means a bachelor degree or higher qualification, though at least five years of relevant experience can substitute for the formal qualification in many cases.

Typical responsibilities include:

• Planning and organising advertising campaigns and strategies to support the organisation's goals
• Establishing the nature of advertising required and deciding on the style of presentation
• Overseeing the production of advertising and publicity material across various media platforms
• Determining which media to use and arranging material for presentation or publication
• Coordinating with clients, agencies, or internal stakeholders to understand advertising needs
• Managing budgets and allocating resources across advertising campaigns
• Allotting assignments and reviewing submitted creative work before publication
• Monitoring market trends and analysing advertising performance data

Unlike some related occupations, Advertising Manager does not carry a specific migration caveat, though the standard visa requirements below still need to be met in full.

CSOL List

SUBCLASS 482 FOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS – CSOL LIST

The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa replaced the older Temporary Skill Shortage visa, and a new occupation list came with it. The Core Skills Occupation List, known as the CSOL, brought the earlier strategic skills lists together into a single list covering several hundred occupations across professional, technical, and managerial fields.

Advertising Manager sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 131113, and this is the code an employer nominates against for a Core Skills stream 482 visa. The same code also appears on the occupation lists used for several permanent and points tested pathways, including the Subclass 186 visa. Because it is a Skill Level 1 occupation, Home Affairs pays close attention to whether the nominated role genuinely involves directing advertising strategy, rather than junior creative or account coordination work.

ANZSCO Requirements

SUBCLASS 482 ANZSCO REQUIREMENT FOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS

The nominated position has to genuinely reflect the work of an Advertising Manager, not just carry the title. The Department looks at the actual scope of the role, including whether the applicant directs campaign strategy, manages budgets, and makes media decisions, rather than simply producing creative assets or coordinating accounts under someone else's direction.

Because this occupation sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, applicants generally need a bachelor degree or higher qualification in a relevant field such as advertising, marketing, or communications, or at least five years of relevant experience where a formal qualification is not held. Roles that are largely production, design, or account coordination based are unlikely to meet the ANZSCO description for this occupation, so getting the position description right at the nomination stage matters a great deal.

482 Visa Requirements

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS

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

• A genuine, approved sponsor. The employer must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, or in the process of becoming one
• An approved nomination for ANZSCO 131113, with a salary at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate for the role
• At least one year of full time equivalent work experience as an Advertising Manager, or in a closely related field, within the past five years
• Meeting the Competent English requirement, 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

Salary and income thresholds are indexed regularly, so it is always worth checking the current figure on the Home Affairs website before an employer lodges a nomination. Visa grants can range from one to four years depending on individual circumstances, and a partner along with dependent children can be included as secondary applicants.

482 Skills Assessment

Skills Assessment Requirement for Advertising Manager – Subclass 482 Skills in Demand (SID) Visa

The Institute of Managers and Leaders, generally known as IML, is the assessing authority for Advertising Manager. A skills assessment is not automatically mandatory for every 482 applicant in this occupation, though Home Affairs can request one, and many employers arrange it anyway to support a stronger nomination.

Where a skills assessment is used, IML generally looks for a bachelor or master's degree relevant or industry specific to advertising, alongside at least three years of experience in an advertising related role, including a minimum of two years specifically as an Advertising Manager. Where the qualification is not relevant or industry specific, or no formal qualification is held, IML generally looks for at least five years of experience in an advertising related role, again including a minimum of two years in the role itself.

A strong application usually includes certified academic transcripts, an organisation chart, position descriptions, and detailed statements of employment describing the campaigns managed, budgets controlled, and media decisions made at a strategic level.

Subclass 186

SUBCLASS 186 FOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS – EMPLOYER NOMINATION SCHEME

The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is Australia's main permanent employer sponsored visa, and for many Advertising Managers already working in Australia on a 482 visa, it is the natural next step. The Direct Entry stream is the relevant pathway for applicants who have not 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 is approved, with no further visa renewals needed.

186 Visa Requirements

SC 186 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS

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 Advertising Manager position
• A salary that meets or exceeds The Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate for the role
• A positive skills assessment from IML 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 noticeably higher bar than the 482, both on English and on work experience, which is one reason a lot of Advertising Managers use the 482 as a stepping stone before applying for the 186.

186 Skills Assessment

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS: SC 186 VISA

Unlike the 482, a positive skills assessment from IML is generally mandatory for Direct Entry 186 applicants in this occupation, and it needs to be current at the time the visa application is lodged.

The assessment process is the same one used for the 482, reviewing the applicant's qualification and relevant management experience against the criteria IML applies for this occupation. 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, academic transcripts, and reference letters well before applying, since both IML processing and document preparation take time.

English Standards

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Every skilled or employer sponsored visa in Australia comes with an English language test, and the score applicants need to clear depends on which visa they are applying for. For Advertising Managers 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, Core Skills stream, 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. Vocational English here means an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no band below 6.0.

English Exemptions

EXEMPTIONS ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

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, so if an applicant's score is getting old, it is worth sitting the test again before applying rather than finding out partway through processing.

Caveats & Business Requirements

CAVEATS AND BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS

Advertising Manager does not carry a specific migration caveat under either the Subclass 482 or Subclass 186 visa, which sets it apart from several related management occupations that restrict positions based on salary, business size, or role type. This does not mean the nomination process is any less thorough, though, since Home Affairs still checks the position against the ANZSCO description closely.

Because there is no caveat to rely on as a checklist, the emphasis falls even more heavily on the position description and supporting evidence. Employers should be ready to show an organisation chart, a clear description of the advertising function the role oversees, and evidence that the position genuinely sits at a management level rather than an execution or coordination level.

Salary Rates

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Advertising Managers working for larger agencies or well known consumer brands tend to sit toward the higher end of the range, particularly where the role covers a large media budget or a national campaign.

Industry Shortage

WHY ADVERTISING MANAGERS ARE IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• Australian brands continue to invest in advertising across digital, broadcast, and out of home media
• Growing businesses often need experienced managers to build an advertising function rather than relying on external agencies alone
• Digital advertising, data driven targeting, and social media campaigns require managers with up to date technical knowledge
• Advertising and media agencies regularly compete for experienced managers who can run client accounts and campaigns at scale
• Jobs and Skills Australia tracks Advertising Managers as part of the broader Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers group, where experienced operators remain sought after

Employer Sponsorship

Employer Sponsorship for Advertising Managers in Australia

Australian businesses and agencies can sponsor overseas Advertising Managers through the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa, the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa, and other eligible employer sponsored pathways when a suitably experienced local candidate is not available. With demand for strong advertising leadership continuing across agencies and in house marketing teams, employer sponsorship has become a practical way to bring in experienced overseas managers.

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

Whether you need to sponsor an Advertising Manager for an agency, a media business, or a brand building out its in house advertising function, we can help you identify the most suitable employer sponsored visa pathway. We work with businesses of all sizes across Australia, helping employers sponsor skilled managers under the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa and secure permanent residence pathways through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, where eligible.

We help businesses with:

• Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) applications
• Sponsoring overseas Advertising Managers under the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) applications
• Preparing a strong position description to support the nomination
• Employer nomination applications
• Employer sponsorship compliance obligations
• Permanent residency pathways for sponsored managers

If your business is looking to sponsor an Advertising Manager, or recruit senior overseas advertising talent more broadly, Migration Republic can manage the entire employer sponsorship process from start to finish, so you can focus on running your business while we handle the migration side.

Interactive Tools

Calculate Points & Check Your Visa Eligibility

Use our interactive self-service migration tools to calculate your points score, test your eligibility, and discover your potential Australian visa options instantly.

Migration Services

HOW MIGRATION REPUBLIC CAN HELP YOU

Migrating to Australia as an Advertising Manager means making sure your role genuinely matches the ANZSCO definition, preparing a solid IML skills assessment, and choosing between two visa pathways with different English and experience thresholds. 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 role genuinely matches the ANZSCO 131113 definition
• Preparing a complete, decision ready IML skills assessment application
• Structuring your employment references, position descriptions, and organisation chart so they meet IML's requirements
• 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 Advertising Managers

Migration Republic is an Australia based migration agency offering paid consultation and visa lodgement services for skilled and employer sponsored migration.