Physiotherapist – ANZSCO 252511

Physiotherapists assess, treat, and prevent disorders in human movement caused by injury or disease.
Skill Level
1
Alternative Titles
  • Physical Therapist
Specialisations
  • Aquatic Physiotherapist
  • Cardiothoracic Physiotherapist
  • Continence and Women’s Health Physiotherapist
  • Gerentological Physiotherapist
  • Maori Physiotherapist (NZ)
  • Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
  • Neurological Physiotherapist
  • Occupational Health Physiotherapist
  • Paediatric Physiotherapist
  • Sports Physiotherapist
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 Physiotherapist is Australian Physiotherapy Council Limited (APC). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

  • You can apply for a Skills Assessment if you hold:
    • Qualification completed in Australia that is on the Board’s Approved Programs of Study list; or
    • Council-issued Certificate of Substantial Equivalence after completing the Equivalence of Qualification Pathway
    • Council-issued Final Certificate after successfully completing the Standard Assessment Pathway
    • Current and unconditional General Registration with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia
    • Current and unconditional Annual Practising Certificate with the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand

AND

  • You meet AHPHRA’s English Language Skills Registration Standard:
    • English is the applicant’s primary language AND all primary and secondary education taught and assessed in English in a recognised country AND tertiary education in the relevant professional discipline; OR
    • Applicant has at least two years of secondary education taught and assessed in English in a recognised country AND tertiary qualifications in the relevant professional discipline taught and assessed solely in English in a recognised country; OR
    • Applicant has completed at least six years continuous (full-time equivalent) education taught and assessed solely in English in any of the recognised counties; OR
    • English skills assessed through an English Language Test with the applicant achieving the following minimum scores:
      • IETLS – minimum 7.0
      • OET – minimum score of B in each component
      • PTE Academic – minimum 65 in each communicative skills
      • TOEFL iBT – minimum 94 and the following minimum scores in each section: 24 in listening and reading, 27 in writing and 23 in speaking
  • Standard Assessment Pathway
    • Applicants must have a minimum diploma level qualification; AND
    • Meet the qualification requirement registration without any restriction or already hold registration, OR
    • Be able to legally practice without restriction in your country of training
  • Equivalence of Qualification Pathway
    • This pathway evaluates whether an overseas physiotherapy qualification can be considered comparable to an accredited Australian course as a route to General Registration
    • Cultural Safety Training – completion of this program is required for applicants from 15 January 2020
Potential Visa Pathways for Physiotherapist
ANZSCOOccupationSkills Assessment189190485 491 (State)491 (Family)186 (Direct)407 (Training)494 (regional Sponsored)482 (TSS Medium
Term)
252511PhysiotherapistAPC

Group: 2525 Physiotherapists

Description
Assess, treat and prevent disorders in human movement caused by injury or disease.
Tasks
  • Administering muscle, nerve, joint and functional ability tests to identify and assess physical problems of patients
  • Designing treatment programs to address patients’ problems
  • Treating patients to reduce pain, improve circulation, strengthen muscles, improve cardiothoracic, cardiovascular and respiratory functions, restore joint mobility, and improve balance and coordination
  • Using the therapeutic properties of exercise, heat, cold, massage, manipulation, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, ultraviolet and infra-red light and ultrasound in the treatment of patients
  • Reviewing, continually monitoring, assessing and evaluating programs and treatments
  • Consulting with other Health Professionals as required about patients’ problems, needs and progress
  • Instructing patients and their families in procedures to be continued at home
  • Recording treatments given and patients’ responses and progress
  • Developing and implementing screening and preventative health promotion programs
Skill Level
Occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

Registration or licensing is required.

Occupations in this Group
  • 252511 Physiotherapist
How to calculate your points (skilled visas)

To apply for a skilled visa, you need to know how many points you can score. The minimum score to be eligible for application is 65 points. However, depending on your occupation, the competitiveness, and the states you are applying to, you might need to score more points to get an invite.

Points will be given to you based on the following:

Click here to calculate your points.

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:

Age

You must be under 50 years of age.

Education

Must have completed a two-year CRISCOS registered course(s).

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.

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 3 years under the Temporary Residence Transition stream.

Experience

At least 3-year fulltime work experience in the nominated occupation.

English

Must have at least Competent English, i.e., IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.

Age

Must be under 45 years of age, unless exempt.

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 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.

Age

Must be under 45 years of age, unless exempt.

Be Sponsored

Must be sponsored by an Australian regional employer.

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.

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.

Health and Character

Must meet health and character requirements.

Job Outlook

  • $1,444 AUD

    Weekly Earnings

  • 63%

    Work full time hours

  • Strong

    Growth expected in the next 5 years

  • 67% female

    Gender share

  • 54 hours

    Average full-time

  • Very High Skill

    Skill level rating

Study Pathway to Physiotherapist

To become a Physiotherapist a bachelor of physiotherapy or a of applied science majoring in physiotherapy is required. Students holding a health or science related tertiary degree can complete a Master of Physiotherapy. It should be noted that registration with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia is required. Continued Professional Development (CPD) also needs to be maintained: 20 hours of CPD per year. You may also need:

  • National police check
  • Working with vulnerable people and children check

Bachelor of Physiotherapy

  • Duration: 4 years
  • Total Course Cost Approx: $160,540 AUD
  • Must be at least 18 years of age
  • English proficiency requirements – IELTS 7.0 overall with no band lower than 6.5
  • Academic score requirements apply depending which country you obtained your qualifications
  • Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy)
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Physiotherapy

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.