SURVEYOR | ANZSCO 232212

WHAT DOES A SURVEYOR DO?

A Surveyor under ANZSCO 232212 plans, directs and conducts survey work to determine, delineate, plan and precisely position tracts of land, natural and constructed features, coastlines, marine floors and underground works, and manages related information systems. The occupation carries an ANZSCO Skill Level 1 rating in Australia, and registration or licensing may be required depending on the specific type of survey work and the state or territory involved. Recognised specialisations include Cadastral Surveyor, Engineering Surveyor, Geodetic Surveyor, Hydrographic Surveyor, Mine Surveyor and Photogrammetric Surveyor.

Typical day to day duties include:

• Planning, directing and conducting field survey work to precisely position land, structures and other features
• Establishing and defining property boundaries for legal, subdivision and title purposes, in the case of cadastral survey work
• Providing survey control and setout for construction, engineering and infrastructure projects
• Conducting mine surveys to support safe and accurate underground and open cut mining operations
• Carrying out hydrographic surveys of coastlines, harbours and marine floors to support navigation and marine construction
• Processing survey data using specialised software, and preparing plans, reports and certified survey documentation
• Managing and maintaining geospatial information systems and datasets related to survey work

SUBCLASS 482 FOR 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.

Surveyor sits on the CSOL under the code ANZSCO 232212. 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 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 232212.

This code applies only to Surveyor in the sense of the ANZSCO 232212 definition, requiring the equivalent of an Australian bachelor degree in surveying. Other roles sometimes described as surveying in overseas markets, such as quantity surveying, valuation or general practice surveying, and building surveying, are classified under entirely different ANZSCO codes and assessed by different bodies. Applications for the related occupation of Surveying and Cartographic Associate are directed to VETASSESS rather than the Surveyor assessing authority. Getting the occupation description right at this stage matters a great deal, since these are genuinely different assessment pathways.

ANZSCO requirement for Surveyors includes the equivalent of an Australian bachelor degree in surveying, with registration or licensing potentially required depending on the specific survey work and jurisdiction (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

SC 482 VISA REQUIREMENT FOR SURVEYORS

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

• A genuine, approved sponsor. Your employer, typically a survey firm, engineering consultancy, mining company or government agency, must be an approved Standard Business Sponsor, or in the process of becoming one
• An approved nomination for ANZSCO 232212, with a salary at or above the Core Skills Income Threshold and the market rate for the role
• A positive skills assessment confirming your surveying qualification is equivalent to the Australian bachelor degree 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 skills assessment application fee.

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

The Institution of Surveyors New South Wales, known as ISNSW, is the current legislated skills assessing authority for Surveyor (ANZSCO 232212), following the liquidation of the previous assessing body, the Geospatial Council of Australia.

To be eligible, applicants generally need to hold the equivalent of an Australian bachelor degree in surveying. The assessment is based on the information provided by the applicant, recognised country education profiles used to determine the equivalence of overseas qualifications, and an examination of the applicant's actual work experience and responsibilities. Positive skills assessment outcomes issued by the previous assessing body before its liquidation remain valid and do not require reassessment.

Standard processing generally takes up to several weeks from the date a complete application is received, and priority processing may be available in limited circumstances where an Australian visa deadline is approaching, subject to eligibility criteria and additional fees.

Applicants should provide comprehensive documentary evidence, including:

• Certified copies of academic transcripts and qualification documents
• Detailed employment reference letters outlining job title, duties, employment dates and hours worked
• Evidence of the level of responsibility held in previous survey roles
• Any relevant professional registration or licensing documentation held in the country of qualification

Providing complete and well organised evidence helps the assessing authority process an application efficiently and may reduce processing delays, particularly given the recent transition between assessing bodies for this occupation.

SUBCLASS 186 FOR SURVEYORS – EMPLOYER NOMINATION SCHEME

The Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme is Australia's main permanent employer sponsored visa, and for many 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 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 Surveyor
• A salary that meets or exceeds the relevant 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 Surveyors use the 482 as a stepping stone before applying for the 186.

SKILLS ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENT FOR SURVEYORS – SC 186 VISA

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

The same qualification equivalence process described above applies here. Because the Direct Entry stream also requires three years of relevant experience, it helps to start gathering employment evidence, reference letters and qualification documents well before applying, since assessment 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 Surveyors looking at the 482 and 186 pathways, the bar is different at each stage, which catches a number 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 is worth sitting the test again before applying rather than finding out partway through processing.

REGISTRATION AND LICENSING IN AUSTRALIA (SURVEYOR)

A positive skills assessment and an approved visa get an applicant through the migration process, but the ANZSCO definition notes that registration or licensing may be required depending on the specific work carried out. This applies most clearly to cadastral surveying, which involves legally defining property boundaries. Each state and territory has its own Surveyors Board or equivalent registration authority, and cadastral survey work generally requires registration as a licensed surveyor in the relevant jurisdiction, along with passing that state's specific licensing examinations and requirements.

Engineering, mine, hydrographic and other specialised survey work carried out without cadastral responsibilities may not require the same personal licence in every jurisdiction, though many employers still value relevant professional registration. It is worth confirming the exact licensing requirements for the specific state or territory and type of survey work involved before starting work, since this sits outside the migration process itself.

SALARY EXPECTATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Pay for Surveyors rises significantly with registration status and specialisation, with licensed cadastral surveyors generally commanding the strongest salaries given the legal responsibility that comes with defining property boundaries. Surveyors working in mining and resources, particularly in Western Australia and Queensland, also tend to earn toward the higher end of the range.

WHY SURVEYORS ARE IN DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA

• Sustained residential and commercial construction activity across Australia's major cities continues to require cadastral and engineering survey work for subdivisions and new developments
• Mining and resources projects across Western Australia, Queensland and other resource rich states depend on mine surveyors for safe and accurate underground and open cut operations
• Major infrastructure investment in transport, energy and water projects requires ongoing engineering survey support throughout planning and construction
• A prolonged gap in skills assessment processing following the liquidation of the previous assessing body added to an existing shortage of qualified surveyors during that period
• The inclusion of Surveyor on the Core Skills Occupation List reflects this recognised, ongoing need for qualified surveying professionals at a national level

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP FOR SURVEYORS IN AUSTRALIA

Australian survey firms, engineering consultancies, mining companies and government agencies can sponsor overseas 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 qualified surveying professionals, employer sponsorship has become an effective way for these organisations to recruit experienced overseas 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.

Whether you need to sponsor a Surveyor for a survey firm, an engineering consultancy, a mining company, or a government agency, we can help you identify the most suitable employer sponsored pathway. We work with businesses of all sizes across Australia, helping employers sponsor skilled 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 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 surveyors

If your business is looking to sponsor a Surveyor in Australia or recruit a skilled overseas surveying professional, Migration Republic can provide expert advice and manage the entire employer sponsorship process from start to finish, allowing you to focus on running your business while we take care of your migration requirements.

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HOW MIGRATION REPUBLIC CAN HELP YOU

Migrating to Australia as a Surveyor means navigating a specialist skills assessment process, confirming you are applying under the correct occupation code rather than a related but different surveying discipline, 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 232212 genuinely matches your qualifications and day to day duties
• Preparing a complete, decision ready skills assessment application
• Structuring your employment references so they meet current assessment 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 Surveyors