For child care centre managers who want to migrate to Australia, we have outlined the procedures involved in applying for a permanent residency visa in Australia.
- Complete a qualification in the relevant field.
- Apply for skills assessment.
- Upon receiving a successful outcome by the skill assessing authority, you can proceed to apply for a visa in Australia.
Skills Assessment – Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority
To be able to apply for a permanent residency visa, you are required to have a skill assessment. For child care centre managers, the skill assessing authority is the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Below we will summarise the requirement of ACECQA.
Relevant Qualification
You must complete a minimum diploma education and care qualification that is published on ACECQA’s NQF approved qualification list. If you had your qualification assessed and approved at diploma level or higher prior to 1 January 2012 (1 August 2012 in Western Australia) and was working in a regulated education and care service will be also taken to hold an approved qualification under the NQF. To check whether you are taken to hold an approved qualification under the NQF, click here to use the ACECQA’s qualifications checker.
If you do not hold an ACECQA nationally approved diploma level or higher qualification, you will need to have your qualification/s assessed under the NQF.
Experience Requirement
In addition to the qualification, you must demonstrate that you have at least 3 years of full-time/or part-time equivalent post-qualification experience as a child care centre manager in a regulated early childhood education and care service. To ensure the currency of your skills, you must prove that you have at least 6 months full-time/or part-time equivalent experience in the past 3 years.
English Requirement
If you do not hold an ACECQA nationally approved diploma level or higher qualification, you would need to take an English test. ACECQA accepts the following as evidence of English language proficiency:
- 1 year full-time tertiary or higher education level study in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, United Kingdom or the United States OR
- a score of IETLS Academic 7 for both Reading and Writing and a score of IELTS 8 for Speaking and Listening
Potential PR Pathway
Child care centre manager is on the medium and long-term strategic skills list. This means there are more potential PR visas that you can apply for.
Skilled visas:
Points will be given to you based on the following:
- Age
- Educational Qualifications
- Points for Professional Year
- Points for NAATI- Credentialled Community Language
- Points for 2 Year Study
- Points for English
- Points for Regional Study
- Points for Work Experience
- Points for Specialist Educational Qualifications (STEM)
- Points for Partner
Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent Visa
This visa allows you to live, work and study in Australia permanently. It is a points tested visa. The minimum score to apply is 65. However, based on the previous round of invitation, you would need to achieve a score of at least 90 to increase your chance of obtaining an invitation.
Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa
Similar to the Subclass 189 visa, this visa allows you to live, work and study in Australia permanently too. It is also a points tested visa. The minimum points to be eligible to apply is 65 points. For the subclass 190 visa, you must have a state who is willing to nominate you. States have their own occupation list. If child care centre manager is on the state occupation list and you meet all the state’s eligibility criteria, you can apply to the state to nominate you.
Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa
Although this visa is not permanent, it can lead to a permanent visa (Subclass 191 – Skilled Regional Visa). The Subclass 491 visa allows you to live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia. It is also a points tested visa. The minimum points to be eligible to apply is 65 points. Another criterion of this visa is that you are nominated by a state or sponsored by an eligible relative. To be nominated by the state, you must check the state’s occupation list and meet all the state’s requirements. To be sponsored by your eligible relative, your relative must be a usual resident in a designated regional area of Australia.
Employer Sponsored Visas:
Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional Visa)
You can apply for subclass 494 if you have a regional employer who is willing to sponsor you. To be eligible for this visa, you must have at least 3 years of working experience in your nominated occupation and have a relevant skills assessment. With this visa, there is a requirement that you must work for the employer who is sponsoring you.
Subclass 191 -Permanent Residence Skilled Regional Visa
This visa will come into effect on 16 November 2022. It is for people who held a Subclass 491 visa or Subclass 494 visa who have lived, worked or studied in the designated regional area for at least 3 years with a taxable income at or above $53,900. This visa will allow you to live work and study in Australia permanently.
Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme Visa
If you have an employer who is willing to sponsor you, you may be eligible for a Subclass 186 visa. This visa is permanent and will allow you to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely. To be eligible for this visa, you need to have at least 3 years of working experience in your nominated occupation and a positive skills assessment. Alternatively, if you are a holder of a Subclass 457 or TSS visa, you can apply for Subclass 186 after working for your employer for at least 3 years.
