Employers · Education
Sponsoring Teachers and Early Childhood Educators — Occupations, Assessment and Process
Schools and early-learning centres can sponsor teachers and qualified childcare workers: early childhood, primary and secondary teachers and Child Care Worker are on the Core Skills list. The checks that decide these nominations are the teaching assessment by AITSL or ACECQA, state teacher registration, and the qualification level for childcare roles.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed October 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Salary floor (Core Skills)
- A$79,423 + super
- Nomination charge
- A$330 + SAF levy
- Visa
- 482 Skills in Demand, then 186
The migration agent that other migration agents learn from. WIDEN is an OMARA-approved CPD provider — our training is rated ★4.8 by 40+ registered migration agents.
About the CPD →MARN 1576536
Employers: get the education nomination right the first time.
In the extended consultation I check the role against the occupation, the salary against the floor and market rate, and the candidate against the assessment and the visa, then give you a fixed quote in writing for the sponsorship, nomination and visa.
What it costs. $550 inc. GST for 60 minutes by video with Keshab Chapagain (MARN 1576536), credited in full against our professional fee if you engage WIDEN. Advice confirmed in writing after the call. There is no free consultation or free assessment.
Which occupations can be sponsored
| Occupation | List | Employer and skilled visas | Assessed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher 241111 | Long-term, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 189, 190, 491 | ACECQA |
| Primary School Teacher 241213 | Short-term, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 190, 491 | AITSL |
| Secondary School Teacher 241411 | Long-term, Core Skills | 482, 186, 494, 189, 190, 491 | AITSL |
| Child Care Worker 421111 | Core Skills | 482, 186 | ACECQA |
List status from the Department of Home Affairs occupation lists as recorded on this site; check the searchable Core Skills list for any occupation not shown.
What the education-specific checks are
- Assessment: AITSL assesses school teachers (it looks for four years of higher education including an initial teacher education qualification); ACECQA assesses early childhood teachers and childcare workers.
- Registration: teachers must hold registration with the state or territory teacher regulator before they can teach.
- Childcare: Child Care Worker is on the Core Skills list; the worker needs a recognised diploma-level qualification, and a teacher aide or assistant role is not the same occupation.
- Priority: teaching is a priority sector for processing since 19 September 2026.
The process for the employer
- Standard Business Sponsorship: approval of the business as a sponsor, valid five years. A business already approved skips this.
- Labour market testing: the role advertised in Australia for at least 28 days within the four months before the nomination, including on Workforce Australia, unless an exemption applies.
- Nomination: the position, its duties, the occupation code and the salary, which must be at least A$79,423 a year plus superannuation (the Core Skills Income Threshold) and the market rate for the role.
- The visa: the worker applies for the 482, with the skills assessment where the occupation or their nationality requires it, English, health and character.
- After two years in the role, the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream to permanent residence.
Cost and timing
Government charges to the employer: the sponsorship application A$420, the nomination A$330, and the Skilling Australians Fund levy of A$1,200 a year of nomination for a business with turnover under A$10m, A$1,800 a year above it. The visa application charge is A$4,015 for the main applicant. None of the employer charges may be passed on to the worker. Processing runs in months, not weeks; current processing times are tracked monthly, and since 19 September 2026 nominations in priority sectors are processed first.
General information only, current at October 2026; not advice on your own case. Outcomes depend on the Department’s assessment of each application; no registered migration agent can guarantee a result (Code of Conduct, Migration Agents Regulations). Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536.
Not sure which visa fits you?
Answer three questions. An automated guide points you to the route that usually applies. General information only.
Check your case
Tell Keshab your situation. He reads it personally and replies within a business day with which route fits you and whether a consultation is worth your money. Not an assessment of your file, no advice on it, no obligation.
How this works: Keshab reads every case check himself and replies personally, usually within a business day: which route fits, what it turns on, and whether a consultation is worth your money. If it is, he offers you a time; if it is not, he says so.
Ready now? Skip the form. Pick a time and talk to Keshab directly — your documents on the table, a straight answer, and a written summary afterwards. $330 inc. GST, credited toward your fee if you engage.
Pick a time — no enquiry needed →Questions we get asked first
Can a childcare centre sponsor an educator?
Yes, as Child Care Worker on the Core Skills list, with a recognised qualification assessed by ACECQA and a salary at the floor.
Can a teacher aide be sponsored?
Not as a teacher aide; the occupation is not on the lists. A qualified teacher can be sponsored as a teacher.
Do teachers need registration before the visa?
They need registration to teach. The nomination and visa can proceed in parallel with registration, but the start date depends on it.
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