CARDIOTHORACIC SURGEON | ANZSCO 253512

WHAT DOES A CARDIOTHORACIC SURGEON DO?

A Cardiothoracic Surgeon is a highly specialised medical practitioner who performs surgical procedures on the heart, lungs, oesophagus, and other organs within the chest cavity. This includes coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve repair and replacement, lung resections for cancer, major thoracic trauma surgery, and, in some centres, heart and lung transplantation.

Typical day to day duties include:

• Examining patients and reviewing cardiac and thoracic imaging to determine the need for surgical intervention
• Performing complex cardiac procedures, including coronary artery bypass grafting and valve surgery
• Performing thoracic procedures, including lung resections and chest wall surgery
• Consulting with cardiologists, anaesthetists, perfusionists, and intensive care specialists as part of a multidisciplinary surgical team
• Managing patients through cardiopulmonary bypass and post-operative critical care recovery
• Ensuring correct antiseptic and aseptic surgical protocols are followed in theatre
• Prescribing and overseeing post-operative care, including monitoring for cardiac and respiratory complications
• Supervising and training surgical registrars, trainees, and medical students
• Maintaining accurate operative and 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.

Cardiothoracic Surgeon sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 253512, and this is the code an employer nominates against for a 482 visa. Depending on the offered salary, nominations may be considered under either the Core Skills stream or the Specialist Skills stream, which carries a higher income threshold but faster processing. 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.

Employers sponsoring medical practitioners are no longer required to submit a Health Workforce Certificate as part of the nomination application, as this requirement was removed from the visa nomination process.

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. Cardiothoracic Surgeon sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, which lines up with a Bachelor degree or higher qualification plus at least five years of relevant specialist training, consistent with a recognised overseas medical degree and completed specialist cardiothoracic surgical training.

ANZSCO requirement for this occupation: “Bachelor degree or higher qualification, two years of hospital-based training, and at least five years of specialist study and training (ANZSCO Skill Level 1). Registration or licensing is required.”

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION

To be granted a Subclass 482 visa under the Core Skills or Specialist Skills stream as a Cardiothoracic Surgeon, 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 253512, 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

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.
• Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) the higher minimum guaranteed annual earnings that applies to the Specialist Skills stream of Subclass 482. Consultant cardiothoracic surgeon salaries are routinely well above this threshold, making the faster Specialist Skills stream a realistic option for most nominations in this occupation. 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. 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 Medical Board of Australia, supported by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and the Australian Medical Council (AMC), is the designated skills assessing authority for Cardiothoracic Surgeon (ANZSCO 253512) for migration purposes.

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.

Overseas-trained cardiothoracic surgeons generally pursue one of the following pathways:

• The Competent Authority Pathway for surgeons who hold Fellowship or equivalent recognition from an approved overseas cardiothoracic surgical college or regulator, including the UK, Ireland, Canada, and certain other jurisdictions with comparable training frameworks
• The Standard Pathway for applicants who do not qualify under the Competent Authority Pathway, generally requiring the AMC's assessment process followed by a period of supervised practice before general registration is granted
• The RACS Specialist International Medical Graduate (SIMG) Pathway assessing whether an applicant's cardiothoracic surgical qualifications, training, and experience are comparable, substantially comparable, or partially comparable to an Australian-trained Fellow, which determines whether further supervised practice, additional assessment, or examinations are required before specialist recognition is granted

Applicants should provide comprehensive documentary evidence, including:

• Academic transcripts and qualification certificates from the applicant's medical degree and cardiothoracic surgical specialist training
• Evidence of Fellowship or specialist recognition from the applicant's home surgical college or regulator
• Evidence of current or prior medical registration and good standing in the country of qualification
• A structured operative logbook evidencing the breadth and volume of cardiac and thoracic procedures performed
• English language test results meeting the Medical Board's registration standard

Providing complete and well-prepared evidence helps the assessment proceed efficiently, though RACS SIMG processing times can vary considerably depending on the applicant's training background and the completeness of their operative logbook and supporting documentation. Given the highly specialised nature of this discipline, applicants should expect close scrutiny of their case mix and procedural volume.

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 cardiothoracic surgeons 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 Medical Board's own registration standard, which means almost every applicant who can register as a cardiothoracic surgeon 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.

Because the Direct Entry stream also requires three years of relevant experience on top of the assessment itself, it helps to start gathering operative logbooks, employment evidence, reference letters, and qualification documents well before applying, since the RACS SIMG and Medical Board assessment process can take considerably longer than for many other health occupations, particularly for a highly specialised discipline such as cardiothoracic surgery.

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 Cardiothoracic Surgeons 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, AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia set their 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 surgeon.

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. AHPRA applies its own separate education-based exemption pathways for registration purposes, including recognised prior English-medium schooling or tertiary study, which should be confirmed directly with the Medical Board.

REGISTRATION WITH THE MEDICAL BOARD OF AUSTRALIA

Surgery is a nationally regulated medical profession under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, administered through AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia, with specialist vocational recognition overseen by RACS. Practising as a cardiothoracic surgeon in Australia without current registration is not permitted.

• Internationally qualified applicants must have their cardiothoracic surgical qualification assessed by RACS as suitable for specialist registration
• Applicants must meet AHPRA's English language registration standard, generally IELTS Academic 7.0 overall (6.5 in writing), or an accepted equivalent
• Applicants must meet the Board's criminal history and professional indemnity insurance requirements
• Overseas-trained cardiothoracic surgeons not immediately found comparable may be required to complete a period of supervised practice, further assessment, or additional examinations set by RACS before full specialist registration is granted
• Registered surgeons must meet annual Continuing Professional Development requirements set by RACS to maintain registration

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Based on ATO 2023–24 taxation data, Cardiothoracic Surgeons reported an average taxable income of approximately $607,511 and a median of approximately $425,275, placing the specialty among the highest-earning medical disciplines in Australia. Public hospital salaries are generally set by state and territory enterprise agreements, with on-call allowances, after-hours loadings, and procedural volume adding to total earnings, while private practice billings for complex cardiac procedures can substantially increase total income.

WHY THIS OCCUPATION IS IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• A persistent national shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons, reflecting the small number of Fellows produced through the domestic training pathway each year
• Rising demand for cardiac and thoracic surgical care linked to an ageing population and increasing rates of cardiovascular and lung disease
• A highly specialised scope of practice that limits the pool of suitably qualified candidates both domestically and internationally
• Cardiothoracic Surgeon regularly appearing on national and state priority skilled occupation lists
• Strong demand for cardiothoracic surgeons at major tertiary referral hospitals with cardiac surgical units
• Growing investment in cardiac surgical services, including structural heart and minimally invasive cardiac programs across Australia

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS OCCUPATION IN AUSTRALIA

Australian tertiary public hospitals and private cardiac surgical practices 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 this highly specialised surgical workforce, employer sponsorship has become an important way for Australian health services to recruit experienced overseas-trained cardiothoracic surgeons.

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 cardiac surgical practice is looking to sponsor a Cardiothoracic Surgeon 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 Cardiothoracic Surgeon means navigating RACS and Medical Board assessment 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 253512 and RACS's assessment requirements
• Identifying the correct RACS SIMG assessment pathway for your training background
• Structuring your operative logbook and employment references so they meet the assessing authority's requirements
• Coordinating your English testing against both the visa standard and the Medical 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 Cardiothoracic Surgeons