Working as a Teacher in Australia
To work as a teacher in Australia there are certain requirements that you must meet. This article details the specific requirements that you need to work in Australia.
It has widely been reported that math and science secondary school teachers are the most in demand in Australia. There is also a lot more demand for qualified teachers to work in regional Australia.
Many young Australian recent teacher graduates actually have to go to regional Australia to find their first employer.
Probably the least in demand teachers are female primary school teachers in major cities.
Early Childhood
Primary School Teacher
Secondary School Teacher
Study To Become A Teacher
International students can become a qualified teacher in as short a time as 1 – 2 years (if they have already completed a bachelor degree).
Education Requirements
You will need to have previous study assessed by AITSL (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Limited) as comparable to at least four years full-time higher education (university) level study, that results in a qualification.
For example, either a 4 year bachelor of education, or a 3 year Bachelor degree in any discipline and the the equivalent of a (Grad Dip or Master of Teaching) qualification relevant to the specific teacher occupation of at least one year full-time study at the university level.
The qualification must include a minimum of 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students.
*Please note these are general in nature, for more information of the AITSL skills assessment, please contact the skills assessor.
Very High English Requirements
English requirements to become a teacher in Australia are very high. You will need to show:
(i) An Academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) that shows a score of at least 7.0 for both Reading and Writing; and a score of at least 8.0 for both Speaking and Listening; Or
(ii) An applicant has completed at least four full years of study in higher education (university) in Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States of America. This study must have resulted in award of qualification(s) comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher and must include a recognised initial teacher education qualification.
Pathways to Aus is partnered with many English schools in cities across Australia. You can check about the separate program here. To discuss your options in detail, please contact our dedicated education agents by filling out the enrollment form.
Migrating to Australia
If you’re already a qualified teacher, you may be able to apply for independent general skilled migration (permanent work visa).
Getting a work visa in Australia
Please note that Secondary School Teacher and Early Childhood (Pre-primary school) Teacher are both on the Immigration and Border Protection Medium to Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL). This means that if you are qualified in these teaching positions, you may then be able to apply for independent general skilled migration (Permanent work visas).
However Primary School Teacher is not on this MLTSSL. This means that even if you are a qualified primary school teacher you cannot obtain a permanent general skilled migration visa such as (Skilled Independent – Subclass 189 or State Sponsored Subclass 190).
Essentially the only type visa you can apply for are employer sponsored visas. Therefore if you are a primary school teacher you would need a school to sponsor your work visa.
General Skilled Migration
Employer Sponsored
Working as a Teacher in Australia
The minimum salary for a full time teacher in Australia is roughly $80,000. This is what most graduate teachers would earn.
More senior teachers can expect to receive up to $100,000.
*However, do not that the salary figures is an estimate. It vary from each state.
Working Requirements Depend On A State
Firstly you will need to ensure that you meet all of the requirements for the specific State in Australia that you would like to work.
As each State in Australian governs its own education system the requirements may change from state to state, however each state usually requires you to register as a teacher in the state.
Because of this, it is recommended that you check with the specific state that you would like to teach in.
Below is an example of the requirements for teaching in NSW:
- Meet the required English requirements:
- Register to be accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) and be approved to teach by the NSW Department of Education.
- Sit a 10 hour Refresher course in your first year of teaching
To work in QLD public schools you must:
- have a relevant teaching qualification
- hold teacher registration with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT)
- meet the mandatory requirements for teacher eligibility.
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In case of questions, feel free to reach out to one of our experienced Registered Migration Agents.
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