QUANTITY SURVEYOR | ANZSCO 233213

WHAT DOES A QUANTITY SURVEYOR DO?

A Quantity Surveyor under ANZSCO 233213 estimates and monitors construction costs from the project feasibility stage through the tender process and then during construction and beyond. The occupation sits within ANZSCO Unit Group 2332, Civil Engineering Professionals, alongside Civil Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Structural Engineer and Transport Engineer, and carries a Skill Level 1 rating in Australia. Registration or licensing may be required depending on the specific role and jurisdiction.

Typical day to day duties include:

• Preparing detailed cost estimates and feasibility studies for proposed construction projects
• Preparing bills of quantities and tender documentation for the procurement process
• Assessing tenders and contracts, and advising clients on the most suitable procurement route
• Preparing progress claims, valuations and payment certificates throughout the construction period
• Identifying commercial risks and opportunities, and carrying out value engineering exercises
• Preparing cost reports for management and other stakeholders, and forecasting final project costs
• Advising on contractual matters, variations and dispute resolution during construction

SUBCLASS 482 FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS – CSOL LIST

The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa replaced the older Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024, and a new occupation list came with it. The Core Skills Occupation List, known as the CSOL, brought together the previous strategic skills lists into one single list covering several hundred occupations across professional, trade and technical fields.

Quantity Surveyor sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 233213, alongside closely related roles within the same unit group such as Civil Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Structural Engineer and Transport Engineer. This is the code an employer nominates against for a Core Skills stream 482 visa, and it is also the same code used where the occupation applies to the Direct Entry stream of the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme.

SUBCLASS 482 ANZSCO REQUIREMENT FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS

Your nominated occupation has to genuinely reflect the work you will actually be doing for your sponsoring employer. The Department looks past job titles and checks the duties set out in your nomination against the ANZSCO definition for 233213.

AIQS looks closely at whether the applicant's actual duties amount to genuine quantity surveying work, such as cost planning, procurement and contract administration, rather than a narrower function such as preparing tax depreciation schedules alone, which is unlikely on its own to constitute full time equivalent work in the nominated occupation. If the role on paper is genuinely focused on structural design or general project management rather than cost estimation, the nomination may need to be assessed against a related but different occupation instead. Getting the occupation description right at this stage matters.

ANZSCO requirement for Quantity Surveyors includes a Bachelor degree or higher qualification, with registration or licensing potentially required depending on the specific role (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS

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

• A genuine, approved sponsor. Your employer, typically a construction firm, cost consultancy or property development business, must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, or in the process of becoming one
• An approved nomination for ANZSCO 233213, with a salary at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate for the role
• A positive AIQS skills assessment, confirming your qualification and experience meet the required standard
• English requirements as outlined further 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 Core Skills Income Threshold, which sets the minimum salary an employer must offer for a Core Skills stream nomination, is indexed and reviewed every year, so it is always worth checking the current figure on the Home Affairs website before a nomination is lodged. The visa itself can be granted for a period of one to four years, depending on individual circumstances, and a partner and dependent children can be included as secondary applicants.

SUBCLASS 482 VISA APPLICATION CHARGES

Visa application charges are indexed and change from 1 July each year. The government charges are structured as a base charge for the main applicant, a matching charge for each adult dependent aged 18 or over, and a reduced charge for each dependent child under 18. Because these figures move every financial year, it is worth confirming the current charge on the Home Affairs website at the time of lodgement rather than relying on a figure from a previous year, and budgeting separately for any nomination fee, the Skilling Australians Fund levy paid by the employer, and the AIQS skills assessment fee.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR QUANTITY SURVEYOR – SUBCLASS 482 SKILLS IN DEMAND (SID) VISA

The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, known as AIQS, is the designated assessing authority for Quantity Surveyor (ANZSCO 233213), not VETASSESS. AIQS is an active member of the International Cost Engineering Council and the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors, and assesses applicants against its own professional competency framework covering technical, commercial and professional practice areas.

AIQS does not offer a work experience only assessment. A relevant quantity surveying or closely related qualification, such as construction management and economics, is a prerequisite for every pathway, and AIQS publishes an Accredited Program Guide listing recognised Australian and overseas qualifications. A positive AIQS outcome letter remains valid for three years from the date of issue.

The AIQS assessment offers four pathways:

• Pathway 1: an Australian accredited qualification listed in the AIQS Accredited Program Guide, together with at least one year of full time postgraduate employment
• Qualifications Only: an Australian accredited qualification with less than one year of experience
• Pathway 3: an overseas qualification, whether or not listed in the Accredited Program Guide, assessed together with relevant employment experience
• Pathway 4: applicants who hold voting membership of AIQS or a recognised international association, such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, combined with at least one year of full time post study experience

A minimum bachelor's degree at AQF Level 7 is generally required across these pathways, and only certified copies of documents are accepted, with original documents not to be mailed.

Applicants should provide comprehensive documentary evidence, including:

• Certified copies of academic transcripts and qualification documents
• Detailed employment reference letters on company letterhead outlining duties, responsibilities, dates and hours worked
• A verifying supervisor who is a genuine quantity surveying manager rather than a HR manager or general, non quantity surveying manager
• Evidence of AIQS or recognised association membership, where relying on Pathway 4

Standard AIQS processing generally takes around six to twelve weeks after submission of a complete application. Providing complete and well organised evidence, with a genuinely qualified verifying supervisor, helps AIQS assess an application efficiently and may reduce processing delays.

SUBCLASS 186 FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS – EMPLOYER NOMINATION SCHEME

The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is Australia's main permanent employer sponsored visa, and for many Quantity Surveyors 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.

SC 186 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS

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 as a Quantity Surveyor
• A salary that meets or exceeds the relevant income threshold and the market rate for the role
• A positive AIQS skills assessment that is current at the time of application
• 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 Quantity Surveyors use the 482 as a stepping stone before applying for the 186.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS – SC 186 VISA

A positive AIQS skills assessment is required for Direct Entry 186 applicants in this occupation, and it needs to be current, generally issued within the last three years, at the time the visa application is lodged.

The same four AIQS pathways described above apply here. Because the Direct Entry stream also requires three years of relevant experience, it helps to start gathering employment evidence, detailed reference letters and qualification documents well before applying, since AIQS processing can take a number of weeks once lodged.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Every skilled or employer sponsored visa in Australia comes with an English language test, and the score needed depends on which visa is being applied for. For Quantity Surveyors, AIQS also has its own English requirement as part of the skills assessment itself, separate from the visa requirement.

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. Separately, applicants for the AIQS skills assessment must generally provide English test scores within two years of the assessment application, with results equivalent to at least IELTS 6.0 in each of the four components, unless they hold an Australian bachelor's degree or postgraduate qualification, or a passport from an exempt country.

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 for visa purposes, 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 separate AIQS English requirement has its own exemptions and validity period, and is not automatically satisfied by meeting the general visa standard.

REGISTRATION AND LICENSING IN AUSTRALIA (QUANTITY SURVEYOR)

A positive AIQS skills assessment and an approved visa get an applicant through the migration process, and Quantity Surveyor is not a title protected, personally licensed occupation in the way that some construction related professions are. There is no state or territory registration board specifically for quantity surveyors.

That said, many quantity surveyors build professional standing through AIQS membership itself, progressing from Associate Member through to Fellow, known as FAIQS, for senior cost engineering and quantity surveying professionals. This kind of recognition is separate from the migration skills assessment, and can support both career progression and credibility with clients and employers, since AIQS membership is well recognised across the Australian construction and property industry.

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Pay for Quantity Surveyors rises with the scale and complexity of the projects handled, and professionals who progress into senior cost management or commercial leadership roles on major infrastructure or high rise commercial projects generally see the largest step up in earning potential. AIQS membership, particularly Fellow status, is well regarded by employers and can support both career progression and stronger salary outcomes.

WHY QUANTITY SURVEYORS ARE IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• Record government and private investment in residential, commercial and infrastructure construction has significantly increased the volume of cost planning and contract administration work required
• Rising construction costs and material price volatility have made accurate cost estimation and monitoring more important, and more difficult, than in previous years
• Construction firms and cost consultancies report ongoing difficulty recruiting experienced quantity surveyors, particularly at mid and senior levels
• Complex procurement arrangements on major projects require quantity surveyors who understand both commercial risk and contractual detail
• The inclusion of Quantity Surveyor on the Core Skills Occupation List reflects this recognised, ongoing need for qualified cost management professionals at a national level

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP FOR QUANTITY SURVEYORS IN AUSTRALIA

Australian construction firms, cost consultancies and property development businesses can sponsor overseas Quantity Surveyors 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 experienced cost management talent, employer sponsorship has become an effective way for these organisations to recruit experienced overseas quantity surveyors and close workforce gaps.

At Migration Republic, we assist employers with every stage of the employer sponsorship process, including Standard Business Sponsorship applications, labour market testing where required, nomination applications, visa lodgements, and ongoing sponsorship compliance. Our Registered Migration Agents make sure your business meets all Department of Home Affairs requirements while keeping the sponsorship process as straightforward as possible, and can work alongside your AIQS skills assessment process where needed.

Whether you need to sponsor a Quantity Surveyor for a construction firm, a cost consultancy, or a property development business, we can help you identify the most suitable employer sponsored pathway. We work with businesses of all sizes across Australia, helping employers sponsor skilled quantity surveyors under the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa and secure permanent residence pathways through the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, where eligible.

We help employers with:

• Standard Business Sponsorship applications
• Sponsoring overseas Quantity Surveyors under the Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) applications
• Labour Market Testing
• Employer nomination applications
• Employer sponsorship compliance obligations
• Permanent residency pathways for sponsored quantity surveyors

If your business is looking to sponsor a Quantity Surveyor in Australia or recruit a skilled overseas cost management professional, Migration Republic can provide expert advice and manage the visa side of the process from start to finish, working alongside your AIQS skills assessment pathway.

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HOW MIGRATION REPUBLIC CAN HELP YOU

Migrating to Australia as a Quantity Surveyor means navigating an AIQS skills assessment across one of four possible pathways, and 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 that ANZSCO 233213 genuinely matches your qualifications and day to day duties
• Identifying which of the four AIQS pathways best fits your qualifications and experience
• Structuring your employment references, including a genuinely qualified verifying supervisor, so they meet AIQS 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 Quantity Surveyors