OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISER | ANZSCO 251312

WHAT DOES AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISER DO?

An Occupational Health and Safety Adviser under ANZSCO 251312 develops, implements, and evaluates risk management policies and programs, trains employees in occupational health and safety procedures, monitors and audits the workplace, and records and investigates incidents to ensure safe and healthy working conditions. The occupation sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, meaning the usual entry point is an accredited Australian Bachelor degree in a highly relevant field such as occupational health and safety, workplace health and safety, or a related discipline, or a recognised overseas equivalent.

Typical day to day duties include:

• Developing, implementing, and reviewing workplace health and safety policies and procedures
• Identifying hazards and assessing and controlling risks to health and safety
• Conducting audits and inspections to ensure compliance with WHS legislation and Australian standards
• Training employees and managers in occupational health and safety procedures
• Investigating workplace incidents, near misses, and injuries, and recommending corrective action
• Advising management on safety practices, regulatory obligations, and risk mitigation strategies
• Assisting injured workers through the workers' compensation and return-to-work process
• Maintaining accurate incident, audit, and compliance records in line with Australian workplace and privacy standards

SUBCLASS 482 FOR OHS ADVISERS – 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.

Occupational Health and Safety Adviser sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 251312, and this is the code an employer nominates against for a Core Skills stream 482 visa. Because the role sits at Skill Level 1, well-paid nominations, particularly senior safety roles in mining, resources, and major construction, may also qualify for the Specialist Skills stream, which carries a higher income threshold but faster processing. Which stream is the right fit depends on the offered salary and the role itself, so it's worth confirming with a migration agent before a nomination is lodged.

SUBCLASS 482 ANZSCO REQUIREMENT FOR OHS ADVISERS

A nominated occupation has to genuinely match the work an applicant will actually be doing for their sponsoring employer. The Department looks past job titles and checks the duties described in the nomination against the ANZSCO definition for 251312.

Occupational Health and Safety Adviser sits at ANZSCO Skill Level 1, which lines up with a Bachelor degree or higher qualification. If the day-to-day duties look more like an entry-level WHS Officer or Coordinator role rather than an advisory, policy, or risk-management function, the nomination can run into trouble. Getting the occupation description right at this stage saves a lot of back and forth later.

ANZSCO requirement for Occupational Health and Safety Adviser: "Bachelor degree or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1). At least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification."

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR OHS ADVISERS

To be granted a Subclass 482 visa under the Core Skills (or Specialist Skills) stream as an Occupational Health and Safety Adviser, 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 251312, 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 an Occupational Health and Safety Adviser nomination, 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, relevant for senior OHS roles, particularly in mining, resources, and major infrastructure, where the employer prefers the faster Specialist Skills processing pathway. 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 OHS ADVISER – SUBCLASS 482

VETASSESS (Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services) is the relevant skills assessing authority for Occupational Health and Safety Adviser (ANZSCO 251312).

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.

The VETASSESS assessment generally requires:

• A qualification assessed as comparable to an Australian Qualifications Framework Bachelor degree or higher, in a field highly relevant to the nominated occupation
• At least one year of post-qualification, highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level within the last five years
• A positive assessment for both the qualification and the employment component, as VETASSESS requires both to reach a successful outcome
• Documentary evidence that the employment duties align closely with the ANZSCO 251312 description

Applicants should provide comprehensive documentary evidence, including:

• Academic transcripts and qualification certificates in a highly relevant field of study
• Employment reference letters outlining job title, duties, employment dates, and hours worked
• Evidence of any professional certification already held, such as AIHS certification or an overseas equivalent
• Payslips, taxation records, or other evidence supporting claimed employment

Providing complete and well-prepared evidence helps VETASSESS assess an application efficiently and may reduce processing delays.

SUBCLASS 186 FOR OHS ADVISERS – EMPLOYER NOMINATION SCHEME

The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is Australia's main permanent employer sponsored visa, and for many Occupational Health and Safety Advisers 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 OHS ADVISERS

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 OHS advisory position
• 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 noticeably higher bar than the 482, both on English and on work experience, which is one reason many OHS advisers use the 482 as a stepping stone before applying for the 186.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR OHS ADVISERS – SC 186 VISA

Unlike the 482, a positive skills assessment from VETASSESS 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 employment evidence, reference letters, and qualification documents well before applying, since both VETASSESS processing and document preparation take time.

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 OHS advisers 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. Competent English here means an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with no band below 6.0.

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

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION FOR OHS ADVISERS IN AUSTRALIA

There is currently no legal requirement to hold a licence or state registration to work as an Occupational Health and Safety Adviser in Australia. That said, most employers, recruiters, and larger organisations expect candidates to hold, or be working toward, formal certification through the Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS), which is widely regarded as the industry benchmark for OHS professional standing.

• AIHS offers three certification levels: Certified OHS Practitioner (COHSPrac), Certified OHS Professional (COHSProf), and Chartered OHS Professional (ChOHSP), based on qualification level and years of relevant full-time experience
• Certification is assessed against the OHS Body of Knowledge and the Global OHS Capability Framework, and typically requires a Demonstrated Capability Assessment or Professional Reflective Practice submission
• Overseas qualifications are benchmarked by the Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board against the Australian Diploma, Bachelor, or Masters level equivalent, depending on the certification sought
• AIHS certification is separate from both the VETASSESS migration skills assessment and the visa application, and can generally be pursued in parallel or after arrival

While AIHS certification is not a legal prerequisite to work in the field, holding it, or actively working toward it, noticeably strengthens a candidate's standing with Australian employers, particularly for senior or specialist safety roles.

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

OHS Advisers working in mining, resources, and major infrastructure projects, particularly in Western Australia and Queensland, tend to command the highest wages, and FIFO and remote-site roles can significantly boost total remuneration.

WHY OHS ADVISERS ARE IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• Strict state and federal work health and safety legislation requiring dedicated compliance and advisory roles across most industries
• Ongoing major infrastructure, construction, and resources projects requiring on-site and corporate safety expertise
• Growing regulatory focus on psychosocial hazards and mental health risk in Australian workplaces
• Expansion of workers' compensation and return-to-work obligations placing additional demand on OHS advisory functions
• Sustained demand across manufacturing, healthcare, mining, construction, and government sectors nationwide
• A limited domestic pipeline of experienced senior OHS professionals relative to industry demand

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP FOR OHS ADVISERS IN AUSTRALIA

Australian businesses across construction, mining, manufacturing, healthcare, and government can sponsor overseas Occupational Health and Safety Advisers 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 ongoing demand for workplace safety professionals across Australia, employer sponsorship has become an effective way for organisations to recruit experienced overseas OHS advisers and address workforce shortages.

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 employers across every industry with:

• Standard Business Sponsorship (SBS) applications
• Sponsoring overseas Occupational Health and Safety Advisers 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 OHS advisers

If your organisation is looking to sponsor an Occupational Health and Safety Adviser in Australia or recruit skilled overseas safety professionals, Migration Republic can provide expert advice and manage the entire employer sponsorship process from start to finish, allowing you to focus on running a safe workplace while we take care of your migration requirements.

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HOW MIGRATION REPUBLIC CAN HELP YOU

Migrating to Australia as an Occupational Health and Safety Adviser means navigating a VETASSESS skills assessment, an optional but widely expected AIHS certification pathway, and two employer sponsored 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 ANZSCO 251312 correctly matches your qualifications and duties
• Preparing a complete, decision-ready VETASSESS skills assessment application
• Structuring your employment references so they meet the assessing authority'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 OHS Advisers