NURSE PRACTITIONER | ANZSCO 254411

WHAT DOES A NURSE PRACTITIONER DO?

A Nurse Practitioner provides advanced and extended nursing care, including ordering diagnostic tests, diagnosing and assessing health, prescribing care management, medicines and therapies within relevant nursing legislation, and referring patients to specialist medical practitioners and other health professionals. Nurse Practitioners work autonomously and collaboratively within a defined area of clinical practice.

Typical day to day duties include:

• Assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care for patients with complex health needs
• Ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, such as pathology and imaging
• Diagnosing health conditions and prescribing care management within the scope of practice
• Prescribing medicines and therapies within relevant nursing legislation
• Referring patients to specialist medical practitioners and other health professionals when needed
• Coordinating care with doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals
• Providing treatments and medications, and monitoring patients' responses
• Promoting health and preventing illness, and informing patients and their families
• Supervising Enrolled Nurses and other health care workers
• Maintaining accurate clinical records in line with Australian healthcare and privacy standards

Nurse Practitioner is a nationally regulated role in Australia. It requires registration as a registered nurse and an additional endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), administered through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). This sits separately from the migration skills assessment, which is carried out by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC). More on both further down.

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.

Nurse Practitioner sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 254411, 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.

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. Nurse Practitioner salaries are often high enough for the Specialist Skills stream to be a realistic option, 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. Nurse Practitioner sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, which lines up with a Bachelor degree or higher qualification, and registration is required to practise.

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR THIS OCCUPATION

To be granted a Subclass 482 visa under the Core Skills stream as a Nurse Practitioner, 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 254411, 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 and endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner, which is required to work in a Nurse Practitioner position

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. Nurse Practitioner salaries typically sit well above the CSIT, but employers should still confirm how guaranteed annual earnings are calculated before nominating.
• Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) — the higher minimum guaranteed annual earnings that applies to the Specialist Skills stream of Subclass 482. Some Nurse Practitioner roles, including the New South Wales public health award rate for the role, are paid above this threshold, so the faster Specialist Skills stream can be a realistic option, while other roles will fall under the Core Skills stream. 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 Nurse Practitioners 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 Nurse Practitioner (ANZSCO 254411) for migration purposes. ANMAC assesses skills through a review of qualifications and work experience, and does not conduct face-to-face tests.

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 as a nurse.

ANMAC offers two types of skills assessment:

• The Full Skills Assessment — for applicants who are not yet registered in Australia or New Zealand. It is currently open to applicants holding a nursing qualification from specified countries, including Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, together with current registration in the country of qualification. It involves English language test results, an overseas registration verification, and work experience references
• The Modified Skills Assessment — for applicants who already hold current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia or a New Zealand nursing or midwifery regulator. It does not require an English language test, and work experience evidence is only needed where the applicant wants it assessed for the points test

This means applicants from other countries generally complete NMBA registration first and then apply for a Modified Skills Assessment. ANMAC notes that applicants should only nominate this occupation if their experience supports it, and references should describe the specific clinical skills and competencies they have used, since generic references are not sufficient. ANMAC's page does not list Nurse Practitioner endorsement as an assessment requirement, which is a separate NMBA process. Applicants should confirm with ANMAC which type of assessment applies to their circumstances.

Applicants should provide comprehensive documentary evidence, including:

• Passport identity pages and any change of name documents
• Graduation certificates and full academic transcripts from the applicant's nursing education, including postgraduate qualifications
• Evidence of current registration and good standing, including overseas registration verification where required
• Employment references on official letterhead, signed by a direct supervisor, setting out hours, dates, position, and clinical duties and the advanced practice skills used. For a full assessment, ANMAC requires recent paid work experience that matches the nominated occupation code
• English language test results, where required for the type of assessment

An ANMAC outcome letter is valid for a limited period, and processing can take several weeks, so it helps to prepare complete, correctly formatted documents before applying. Incomplete or non-compliant documents are a common cause 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 Nurse Practitioners 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 nurse 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 Nurse Practitioners, 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 Nurse Practitioners 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 nurse. The Board's accepted test scores for tests other than IELTS have been revised in recent times, and ANMAC publishes its own English test requirement for a Full Skills Assessment, which may differ from the Board's registration standard. Applicants should check the current scores on the Ahpra, NMBA, and ANMAC 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 AND ENDORSEMENT WITH THE NURSING AND MIDWIFERY BOARD OF AUSTRALIA

Nursing is a nationally regulated profession under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, administered through AHPRA and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Working as a Nurse Practitioner requires two steps: registration as a registered nurse, and then endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner. Practising as a Nurse Practitioner in Australia without both is not permitted.

Step 1: Registration as a registered nurse

• The NMBA assesses internationally qualified nurses 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 some internationally qualified nurses, 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

Step 2: Endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner

• Applicants must hold current general registration as a registered nurse in Australia, without conditions relating to unsatisfactory professional performance or unprofessional conduct
• Applicants must show the equivalent of three years (5,000 hours) of full time experience at an advanced practice level within the six years before the NMBA receives the complete application
• Applicants must hold an NMBA-approved Nurse Practitioner masters program, or a program the NMBA determines is substantially equivalent. The substantially equivalent pathway requires a clinically relevant postgraduate nursing masters, plus masters-level study in advanced health assessment, pharmacology and therapeutics, and diagnostics and research
• Endorsement is granted for the clinical area in which the applicant will practise as a Nurse Practitioner

The NMBA's endorsement guidelines apply to registered nurses holding general registration in Australia and do not separately address internationally qualified nurses. The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners advises that overseas-trained nurses are generally assessed under the substantially equivalent pathway. Applicants should confirm with the NMBA how their overseas qualification and advanced practice experience will be assessed, including whether overseas advanced practice hours can be counted.

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

The award figures reflect the New South Wales public health system award, which is one of the largest public sector employers of nurses. Other states and territories set their own rates through enterprise agreements. Published salary data puts the national average for a nurse practitioner at around $135,000, with senior and lead roles averaging higher and pay varying by location, with some regional centres reporting higher averages. Additional earnings can come from shift loadings, allowances, and salary packaging, and employers also pay superannuation on top of base pay.

WHY THIS OCCUPATION IS IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• Nurse Practitioner is listed in shortage across every Australian state and territory
• Nurse Practitioners can help extend access to care, including in regional and rural communities where doctors can be harder to find
• Strong demand across emergency, aged care, primary care, mental health, and other clinical areas where advanced practice nurses can work autonomously
• A limited domestic pipeline, as endorsement requires a masters qualification and substantial advanced practice experience
• Nurse Practitioner regularly appearing on national and state priority skilled occupation lists
• Nurse Practitioner is on the Core Skills Occupation List, which means eligible employers can sponsor suitable applicants through employer-sponsored visa pathways

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS OCCUPATION IN AUSTRALIA

Australian public and private hospitals, health services, aged care providers, and primary care 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 across every state and territory, employer sponsorship has become an important way for Australian health services to recruit experienced overseas-trained Nurse Practitioners.

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 health service is looking to sponsor a Nurse Practitioner 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.

HOW MIGRATION REPUBLIC CAN HELP YOU

Migrating to Australia as a Nurse Practitioner means navigating ANMAC skills assessment, Nursing and Midwifery Board registration, and Nurse Practitioner endorsement 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 254411 and ANMAC's assessment criteria
• Identifying whether the ANMAC Full or Modified Skills Assessment applies to you, and preparing your application and supporting evidence
• Structuring your employment references so they meet the assessing authority's requirements
• Planning the sequence of registration and Nurse Practitioner endorsement alongside your visa application
• 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