Solicitor – ANZSCO 271311
- Solicitors provide legal advice, prepares, and drafts legal documents, and conducts negotiations on behalf of clients on matters associated with the law.
- Skill Level
- 1
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 Solicitor is dependent on the legal admissions authority of each state or territory. However, the requirements of recognition are set by the Legal Admissions Consultative Committee (LACC). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:
- Uniform Principles for Assessing Qualifications of Overseas Applicants for Admission to the Australian Legal Profession
- Qualifications Requirement
- Tertiary course that leads to legal admission in their home country and is equivalent to three year full-time legal admission course in Australia
- Completed subjects equivalent to the required areas of study in Australia prior to legal admission – these include:
- Administrative law
- Civil Procedure
- Contracts
- Company Law
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Equity (including Trusts)
- Ethics and Professional Responsibility
- Evidence
- Federal and State Constitutional Law
- Property (including Torrens System Land)
- Torts
- Applicants are required to have completed practical legal training qualifications equivalent to those required in Australia
- Applicant must also obtain a practising certificate prior to practicing law in Australia
- Competency Requirement
- Demonstrated understanding and competence in equivalent skills, practice areas and values comparable to those required for legal admission in Australia
- Lawyer’s Skills
- Problem Solving
- Work Management and Business Skills
- Trust and Office Accounting
- Civil Litigation Practice
- Commercial and Corporate Practice
- Any two of:
- Administrative Law Practice
- Banking and Finance
- Criminal Law Practice
- Consumer Law Practice
- Employment and Industrial Relations Practice
- Family Law Practice
- Planning and Environmental Practice
- Wills and Estate Practice
- Ethics and Professional Responsibility
- Demonstrated understanding and competence in equivalent skills, practice areas and values comparable to those required for legal admission in Australia
- English Language Requirement
- IETLS – minimum score of 8.0 for writing, 7.5 speaking and 7.0 for listening and reading
- Post-Admission Restrictive Practice
- Depending on the state/territory jurisdiction, a different time requirement of restrictive legal practice
- Additional Requirements
- Applicants are required to undertake additional studies in Australia in:
- Trust and Office Accounting
- Ethics and Professional Responsibility
- Exception: Applicants trained and admitted in New Zealand do not require this same assessment. They can apply to have their qualifications recognised under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 (Cth).
- Please note depending on which country the applicant obtained legal admission different additional requirements and exemptions may apply.
- Applicants are required to undertake additional studies in Australia in:
- Qualifications Requirement
Potential Visa Pathways for Solicitor
| ANZSCO | Occupation | Skills Assessment | 189 | 190 | 485 | 491 (State) | 491 (Family) | 186 (Direct) | 407 (Training) | 494 (regional Sponsored) | 482 (TSS Medium Term) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 271311 | Solicitor | Legal admissions authority relevant state/territory | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Group: 2713 Solicitors
- Description
- Provide legal advice, prepare and draft legal documents, and conduct negotiations on behalf of clients on matters associated with the law.
- Tasks
-
- Interviewing clients to determine the nature of problems, and recommending and undertaking appropriate legal action
- Preparing cases for court by conducting investigations, undertaking research, arranging witness preparation and attendance, and giving notice of court actions
- Representing clients in court
- Managing conveyancing and other property matters by preparing contracts of sale, mortgage documents, lease documents and other documents relating to the transfer of land and buildings
- Preparing and critically reviewing contracts between parties
- Preparing wills
- Providing advice on family law, company law, partnerships, commercial law and trusts
- May act as trustee or guardian
- May act as executor of clients’ wills
- Skill Level
- Most 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
-
- 271311 Solicitor
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:
- 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
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:
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 Solicitor
To become a Solicitor, a Bachelor of Laws is required. Graduates of non-law degrees can apply for a Juris Doctor program which provides the necessary qualifications to become a lawyer in Australia. Postgraduate degrees are common. Once you have completed your studies:
- Supervised practice working as a Solicitor is required too obtain a practising certificate
- Registration with the relevant state or territory board is also required
Course Details
Bachelor of Laws
- Duration: 4 years
- Total Course Cost Approx: $160,208 AUD
Juris Doctor Postgraduate Degree
- Duration: 3 years
- Total Course Cost Approx: $163,855 AUD
Requirements
Bachelor of Laws
- Completion of Australian Year 12 or equivalent
- Academic entry requirement – Weighted average mean (WAM) of 60 or equivalent
- English proficiency requirement – IELTS 7.0 with no band less than 6.5
Juris Doctor Postgraduate Degree
- Successful completion of an Australian bachelor degree or equivalent
- Academic entry requirement – Grade point average (GPA) of 5.5 or equivalent
- Submission of a personal statement addressing the reasons you are seeking to study law and your personal and professional experience and/or accomplishments
- English language requirement – IELTS 6.5 with no band less than 6.0
Related Courses
- Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry)
- Graduate Diploma of Professional Legal Training
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.
