Accountant (General) – ANZSCO 221111
- Description
- Provides services relating to compliance-based financial reporting, auditing, insolvency and accounting information systems; and advises on associated record-keeping requirements. Registration or licensing may be required for certain services such as auditing.
- Skill Level
- 1
- Specialisations
-
- Financial Analyst
- Insolvency Consultant
- Insolvency Practitioner
Skills Assessment Requirement
Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.
Skills Assessment authority for Accountant is Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ).
To have a positive skills assessment conducted by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ), Australian immigration applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Qualification Requirement
- Qualification comparable to an Australian Bachelor’s Degree or higher
- Competency Requirement
- Must meet all mandatory competency areas relevant to Accountant (General):
- Accounting Systems and Processes
- Financial Accounting and Reporting including Financial Accounting and Accounting Theory
- Management Accounting
- Finance
- Business Law including Commercial Law and Corporations Law
- Taxation Law
- Economics
- Quantitative Methods
- English Language Requirement
- Must meet all mandatory competency areas relevant to Accountant (General):
| English Language Proficiency Level | Test Component | Pearson (PTE) Academic | IETLS Academic | TOEFL iBT | Cambridge (CAE) | Accounting Professional Year Program |
| Proficient (for points tested Skilled Visas) | Listening | 65 | 7.0 | 24 | 185 | Completion Certificate and Transcript |
| Reading | 65 | 7.0 | 24 | 185 | ||
| Writing | 65 | 7.0 | 27 | 185 | ||
| Speaking | 65 | 7.0 | 23 | 185 |
-
- Skilled Employment Requirement
- Must be post-qualification employment experience
- Tasks performed are closely related to the nominated ANZSCO code
- Undertaken in the last 10 years
- Paid and continuous for a minimum of 20 hours per week
- Minimum of 1 year accumulated employment
- Skilled Employment Requirement
To have a positive skills assessment conducted by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ), New Zealand immigration applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Qualification Requirement
- Qualification assessed at New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) Level 7 or higher or a comparable qualification
- Competency Requirement
- Must meet all mandatory competency areas relevant to Accountant (General):
- Accounting Systems and Processes
- Financial Accounting and Reporting including Financial Accounting and Accounting Theory
- Management Accounting
- Finance and Finance Management
- Business Law including Commercial Law and Corporations Law
- Economics
- Quantitative Methods
- Must meet all mandatory competency areas relevant to Accountant (General):
Important
CAANZ does not assess skilled employed for New Zealand visas
Potential Visa Pathways for Accountants
| ANZSCO | Occupation | Skills Assessment | 189 | 190 | 485 | 491 (State) | 491 (Family) | 186 (Direct) | 407 (Training) | 494 (regional Sponsored) | 482 (TSS Medium Term) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 252211 | Accountant (General) | CAANZ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Group: 2211 Accountants
- Description
- provide services relating to financial reporting, taxation, auditing, insolvency, accounting information systems, budgeting, cost management, planning and decision-making by organisations and individuals; and provide advice on associated compliance and performance requirements to ensure statutory and strategic governance.
- Tasks
-
- assisting in formulating budgetary and accounting policies
- preparing financial statements for presentation to boards of directors, management, shareholders, and governing and statutory bodies
- conducting financial investigations, preparing reports, undertaking audits and advising on matters such as the purchase and sale of businesses, mergers, capital financing, suspected fraud, insolvency and taxation
- examining operating costs and organisations’ income and expenditure
- providing assurance about the accuracy of information contained in financial reports and their compliance with statutory requirements
- providing financial and taxation advice on business structures, plans and operations
- preparing taxation returns for individuals and organisations
- liaising with financial institutions and brokers to establish funds management arrangements
- introducing and maintaining accounting systems, and advising on the selection and application of computer-based accounting systems
- maintaining internal control systems
- may appraise cash flow and financial risk of capital investment projects
- Skill Level
- Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).
Registration or licensing may be required.
- Occupations in this Group
-
- 221111 Accountant (General)
- 221112 Management Accountant
- 221113 Taxation Accountant
189 visa – Skilled Independent Visa
This 189 visa allows you to live, work and study in Australia permanently. It is a points-tested visa. The minimum score to apply is 65 points. However, based on previous invitation rounds, you would need to achieve a higher score to have a better chance of obtaining an invitation.
In short, to be eligible for visa 189, you need to meet the following criteria:
Immigration Points
Must score at least 65 points. Due to the competitive nature of this visa, a pool mark does not guarantee an invitation to apply.
English
Must have at least Competent English, i.e., IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.
Age
Must be under 45 years of age. There is however no age limit for the 189 NZ stream.
be invited
Must lodge the EOI and be invited by the Department of Home Affairs to apply for the visa.
Skills assessment
Must have positive skills assessment. Each occupation has a specific assessing authority.
HEALTH AND CHARACTER
Must meet health and character requirements.
Subclass 190 visa– Skilled Nominated Visa & Subclass 491 visa – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa
To apply for visa subclass 190 and visa subclass 491, you need to have a nomination from the state/territory government where you want to live and work. Each State and Territory have individual requirements that must be met in order to receive nomination. (See below)
While the 190 visa is a permanent visa, subclass 491 visa gives you right to live and work in regional Australia for 5 years with a pathway to permanent residency through the subclass 191 visa.
Another difference between the 190 and 491 visa is that you can only apply for visa subclass 491 if you are living and working in regional areas in Australia, while it is not a requirement if you are applying for the 190 visa.
In summary, to be eligible for 190 visa, you need to meet the following criteria:
Immigration Points
Must score at least 65 points, or higher points if the state or territory requires.
English
Must have at least Competent English, i.e., IELTS 6.0 or equivalent, or higher if the state or territory requires.
Age
Must be under 45 years of age.
be invited
Must lodge an EOI and be invited by the state or territory and then apply for the visa.
Skills assessment
Must have positive skills assessment. Each occupation has a specific assessing authority.
HEALTH AND CHARACTER
Must meet health and character requirements.
To check if the state/ territory government requirements for your occupation, refer to the following links
State/ Territory |
Links to requirements |
| New South Wales |
|
| Victoria | |
| South Australia | |
| Western Australia | |
| Northern Territory | |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | |
| Tasmania | |
| Queensland |
485 Visa – Graduate Temporary Visa (Graduate Work Stream)
The 485 visa is a work visa available to international students who have completed two years of study in Australia. It is an 18-month visa that has full work rights and full study rights. It also allows you to travel freely to and from Australia throughout the validity of the visa.
To be eligible for visa 485, you need to meet the following criteria:
Visa History
Must hold a student visa when applying or have held one in the last 6 months.
English Level
Must have at least IELTS 6.0 or equivalent with no band less than 5, or equivalent.
Age
You must be under 50 years of age.
Education
Must have completed a two-year CRISCOS registered course(s).
Skills assessment
Must have positive 485 skills assessment.
Occupation
Your occupation must be on the MLTSSL list.
Subclass 491 Family Sponsored visa – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
This 491 Family sponsored visa requires you to have a family member who is living in regional area to sponsor you. This visa offers pathway to permanent residency through visa subclass 191.
Immigration Points
Must score at least 65 points, or higher points as it is competitive.
English
Must have at least Competent English, i.e., IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.
Age
Must be under 45 years of age.
be invited
Must lodge an EOI and be invited by DHA to apply for the visa.
Skills assessment
Must have positive skills assessment. Each occupation has a specific assessing authority.
HEALTH AND CHARACTER
Must meet health and character requirements.
Subclass 186 visa – Employer Nomination Scheme
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 2 years under the Temporary Residence Transition stream.
Experience
At least 3-year full-time work experience in the nominated occupation.
English
Must have at least Competent English, i.e., IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.
Be Sponsored
Must be sponsored by an Australian employer.
Skills assessment
Must have a positive skills assessment. Exemptions apply for the 186TRT.
HEALTH AND CHARACTER
Must meet health and character requirements.
407 Training Visa
The 407 visa a short stay visa for individuals to participate in occupational training or professional development in Australia. This visa is generally valid to stay in Australia for 2 years. Please note this visa is subject to condition 8102 which forbids work apart from the training that is specified in the visa application. You are also required to maintain health insurance whilst in Australia.
To be eligible for visa 407, you need to meet the following criteria:
GTE
You must prove that you genuinely stay in Australia for training and will depart when you complete the training.
English Level
Must have Functional English, i.e. IELTS overall 4.5 with no band less than 4, or equivalent.
Age
Must be over 18 years old.
Be Sponsored
You must be sponsored by an approved temporary activities sponsor – Can be an employer or a commonwealth agency
HEALTH INSURANCE
Must hold valid private health insurance.
Health and Character
Must meet health and character requirements.
Subclass 494 visa – Skilled 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.
This visa provides pathway to permanent residency through the 191 visa.
Experience
At least 3 years full-time work experience in the nominated occupation.
English
Must have at least Competent English, i.e., IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.
Be Sponsored
Must be sponsored by an Australian regional employer.
Skills assessment
Must have a positive skills assessment.
Location
Must live and work in regional areas in Australia.
Subclass 482 visa – Temporary Skill Shortage (Medium Term) visa
The Subclass 482 visa is a Temporary Skill Shortage visa that requires a sponsorship from an Australian employer. This visa allows to your live and work in Australia for up to 4 years. You may apply for as many 482 visas as you want, as long as the employer is willing to sponsor you.
Experience
At least 2 years work experience in the nominated occupation.
English Level
Must have IELTS overall of atleast 5.0 with no band less than 5.0.
Age
There is no age requirement for this visa.
Be Sponsored
Must be sponsored by an Australian employer.
Skills assessment
Generally not required unless on this list.
Health and Character
Must meet health and character requirements.
Job Outlook
Study Pathway to Accountant (General)
To become an Accountant (General), formal qualifications in accounting or business are required. It should be noted that certification with one of Australia’s accounting peak bodies is essential. The course of study you take determines whether you can certify with:
- Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (CPA)
- Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA)
- Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)
A bachelor of accounting, bachelor of business (majoring in accounting) or similar is required to become CPA or ICAA certified. A diploma of accounting gives IPA certification.
Course Details
Bachelor of Accounting
- Duration: 3 years
- Total Course Cost Approx: $102,600 AUD
Requirements
- Completion of Australian Year 12 or equivalent
- Academic entry requirements apply dependent on the country in which you obtained your qualifications
- English proficiency requirement – IELTS 6.0 with no band less than 6.0
Related Courses
- Bachelor of Business (Accounting)
- Diploma of Accounting
Book a consultation with our Registered Migration Agents in Melbourne to find out more about your visa options and your path to Australian permanent residency or applying for citizenship.
