Pharmacy Technician – ANZSCO 311215

Pharmacy Technicians fill and label patients’ prescription under the supervision of a pharmacist. May record details of place orders for, take stock of and store medications and medical supplies and deliver them to patients.

Skill Level

2

Alternative Titles

• Dispensary Technician

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 Pharmacy Technician is Vocational Education and Training Assess (VETASSESS). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• AQF Certificate IV Qualification in a highly relevant field of study AND at least one year of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years; or
• AQF Certificate IV Qualification that is not a highly relevant field of study AND at least two years post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years; or
• AQF Certificate III Qualification in a highly relevant field of study AND at least three years of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years.
• Highly relevant fields of study include Real Estate and Property Management
• To achieve a positive skills assessment, the applicant must meet the qualification and employment experience requirements.
• Highly relevant fields of study include:
  • Pharmacy
  • Community Pharmacy
  • Community Pharmacy Dispensary
  • Hospital/Health Services Pharmacy Support
• Note: In Australia, there are currently no legal requirements for licensing or registration for the occupation of Pharmacy Technician

Important

According to VETASSESS, pre-qualification experience for Pharmacy Technicians may be considered in a skills assessment if the experience meets the following requirements:

• Three years of relevant employment;
• One year of highly relevant employment performed at the required skill level; and
• The employment experience was gained in the last five years

Potential Visa Pathways for Pharmacy Technician

Group: 3112 Medical Technicians

Description

Operate anaesthetic, cardiac, operating theatre and medical testing equipment, perform and assist with laboratory tests, and fill prescriptions in support of Health Professionals.

Tasks

• Operating equipment used in diagnosing and monitoring disorders of the heart, kidneys, nervous system and hearing, and in anaesthesia
• Undertaking and assisting with medical analytical procedures and assisting Anaesthetists and surgical teams
• Recording the electrical activity of the heart, from which the heart rate is measured and pattern and rhythm interpreted
• Taking, collecting and labelling blood, urine and other samples from patients
• Preparing and staining slides and tissue sections for blood and histological examination
• Performing diagnostic tests on tissues and body fluids and analysing the chemical constituents of blood, urine, faeces and tissues
• Testing for diseases by looking for the presence of antibodies and the products of immune response in samples
• Setting up, checking and maintaining operating theatres, anaesthetic workstations, life support machines and associated equipment
• Referring prescriptions to Pharmacists and assisting in preparing medications

Skill Level

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.
In Australia:
AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)

In New Zealand:
NZ Register Diploma (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)

At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.
Registration or licensing may be required.
The occupation Pathology Collector (Aus) / Phlebotomist (NZ) has a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.
In Australia:
AQF Certificate III including at least two years of on-the-job training, or AQF Certificate IV (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)

In New Zealand:
NZ Register Level 4 qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)

At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.
Registration or licensing may be required.

Occupations in this Group

• 311211 Anaesthetic Technician
• 311212 Cardiac Technician
• 311213 Medical Laboratory Technician
• 311214 Operating Theatre Technician
• 311215 Pharmacy Technician
• 311216 Pathology Collector (Aus) / Phlebotomist (NZ)
• 311299 Medical Technicians nec