482 Visa for Early Childhood Teachers 2026: ANZSCO 241111, ACECQA & PR
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher sponsorship in Australia
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (ANZSCO 241111) can be a pathway to employer-sponsored work in Australia through the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa. A successful case requires more than a job offer: the occupation must fit the actual role, the employer must satisfy sponsorship and nomination requirements, the salary must meet both the applicable threshold and market rate, and the worker must satisfy the personal visa criteria.
This guide explains the occupation-specific issues that employers and workers should assess before lodging, including qualifications, skills assessment, work experience, registration or licensing, Labour Market Testing, salary, permanent residence strategy and common refusal risks.
| Occupation | Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher |
|---|---|
| ANZSCO | 241111 |
| Current skilled lists | MLTSSL and CSOL |
| Assessing authority | ACECQA |
| 482 stream | Skills in Demand — Core Skills stream |
| 2026–27 CSIT | $79,423, plus the Annual Market Salary Rate requirement |
| Relevant work experience | Generally at least 1 year in the nominated occupation or a related field |
- ANZSCO and CSOL eligibility
- Duties and occupation matching
- Employer sponsorship and genuine position
- Qualifications, work experience and skills assessment
- Licensing or registration
- English
- Salary, CSIT and AMSR
- Labour Market Testing
- Documents and evidence
- Application process
- Family members and work rights
- Permanent residence and other visa pathways
- Common refusal risks
- Case example
- FAQs
Is Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher eligible for a 482 Skills in Demand visa?
Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher is on the CSOL and MLTSSL. Depending on eligibility, pathways may include 482, 186, 494 and points-tested 189, 190 and 491.
The main temporary employer-sponsored route is the Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa, usually through the Core Skills stream for occupations appearing on the CSOL. The occupation list is only one part of the test. The employer must be an approved sponsor or have an appropriate sponsorship arrangement, the nomination must identify a genuine eligible position, and the worker must satisfy the visa criteria.
ANZSCO 241111: what does Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher actually mean?
For migration purposes, the occupation is determined by the substance of the role rather than the title on an employment contract. Typical work for Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher can include planning and delivering developmentally appropriate educational programs for young children; assessing learning and development; creating inclusive learning environments; documenting progress; working with families; leading educational practice; supporting transitions to school; and meeting curriculum, regulatory and child-safety requirements.
Home Affairs can compare the position description, employment contract, organisation chart, recruitment material, business activities and the applicant’s employment history. If those records describe a materially different occupation, choosing Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher simply because it appears on the CSOL can expose the nomination to refusal.
Employer requirements: sponsorship, nomination and a genuine position
A 482 matter normally has three connected components: sponsorship, nomination and the worker’s visa application. The employer must usually hold Standard Business Sponsorship approval or another eligible sponsorship arrangement. The business must be lawfully operating and continue to comply with sponsorship obligations.
For the nomination, the employer should be able to explain why the position exists, where it sits in the organisational structure, who the worker reports to, who performs related duties, how the position is funded and why the role is consistent with the business’s activities. A genuine-position assessment is particularly important for small businesses, newly created positions, family businesses, rapid-growth businesses and roles that overlap with lower-skilled occupations.
Read our detailed 482 sponsor requirements guide for the employer-side framework.
Qualifications, skills and work experience
ACECQA is the assessing authority identified for this occupation under current migration settings. Early Childhood Teacher roles normally require an approved early childhood teaching qualification or recognition process. The migration and employment qualification pathways should be checked together.
The Skills in Demand visa generally requires at least one year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field. Evidence can include detailed employer references, contracts, payslips, tax records, bank salary credits, social-security records, performance material and other contemporaneous documents. A reference letter by itself may not be enough where the employment history is unusual or inconsistent.
Work experience should be assessed for relevance as well as duration. A person may have worked in the same industry for many years but still lack the level or type of experience expected for the nominated occupation.
See our guide on when a 482 skills assessment may be required.
Professional registration, licensing and workplace compliance
Employment requirements can include ACECQA qualification recognition, teacher registration in some jurisdictions or settings, Working With Children screening, child-safety obligations and first-aid requirements. The exact regulatory position depends on the state, territory and service.
Where registration or a licence is required, the visa strategy should account for timing. An employer should not assume the employee can lawfully perform every nominated duty immediately on arrival if a state, territory or professional regulator requires additional approval.
English language requirement
The primary 482 applicant must satisfy the English requirement for the relevant Skills in Demand stream unless an exemption applies. Home Affairs accepts specified English tests and sets minimum scores. Exemptions can apply in limited circumstances, including certain passport holders and other prescribed categories.
Where the occupation has a professional regulator, that regulator can impose a separate and sometimes higher English standard. Meeting the visa English criterion does not necessarily establish professional registration, and meeting a regulator’s English requirement should not be assumed to automatically satisfy every visa rule without checking the relevant exemption.
Salary: CSIT, market salary and guaranteed annual earnings
For Core Skills nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is $79,423. Meeting that threshold alone is not enough. The employer must also address the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR), so the sponsored worker is not paid less than an equivalent Australian worker and the salary reflects the genuine market for the role.
The evidence can include an equivalent Australian employee’s remuneration, an applicable enterprise agreement or modern award, credible salary surveys, recruitment evidence and other market data. The comparison should account for location, seniority, responsibilities and hours. Superannuation and non-guaranteed benefits should not simply be added to base salary without checking how annual earnings are defined.
For a detailed explanation, see our 482 salary, CSIT, SSIT and AMSR guide.
Labour Market Testing for a Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher nomination
Unless an exemption applies, the employer generally needs to complete Labour Market Testing before nomination. The advertisements must satisfy the current timing, duration and content rules. The recruitment record should be genuine and should correspond with the position later nominated.
The Department can scrutinise advertisements that use a different title, salary, location, employment basis or set of duties from the nomination. Employers should retain copies of advertisements, invoices or publication records, applications received and a clear recruitment chronology.
Documents that strengthen a Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher 482 case
Passport, CV, qualifications, registrations or licences, English evidence, detailed employment references, payslips, tax and banking evidence, skills assessment where required, police certificates and health documents.
Business registration, financial records, organisation chart, workforce profile, contracts or projects, business premises, payroll and evidence showing the business genuinely needs the role.
Employment contract, detailed position description, salary and AMSR evidence, Labour Market Testing, occupation analysis, work location and explanation of how the role fits the business.
Check dates, duties, salary, job titles and qualifications across the CV, references, prior visa applications, skills assessments, nomination and employment contract.
Our 482 document checklist explains the broader evidence framework.
Step-by-step: sponsoring a Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher
- Confirm the occupation. Compare the proposed duties with ANZSCO 241111 and exclude more appropriate alternative occupations.
- Check sponsor status. Confirm the employer has or can obtain the required sponsorship approval.
- Assess the worker. Review experience, qualifications, English, skills assessment, health, character and any licensing requirement.
- Set the salary correctly. Determine the genuine market salary and confirm it meets the applicable income threshold.
- Complete Labour Market Testing. Advertise in accordance with current rules unless an exemption applies.
- Prepare the nomination. Build a coherent evidence package explaining the business, role, occupation, salary and genuine need.
- Lodge the visa application. Provide decision-ready identity, skills, employment, English, health and character evidence.
- Plan for after grant. Understand Condition 8607, sponsor obligations, family arrangements and any intended permanent residence pathway.
Processing time
There is no guaranteed processing time for a Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher 482 matter. Sponsorship, nomination and visa processing can move at different speeds, and the Department’s published processing guide changes as caseloads change. Accredited sponsorship, stream priority, occupation, completeness, health or character issues and requests for further information can all affect timing.
Employers should avoid setting an employment start date that assumes a visa will be granted by a particular day. Offshore notice periods, professional registration and relocation can also affect the practical commencement date.
Can a partner and children come to Australia?
Eligible partners and dependent children can generally be included in a 482 application or may be able to apply later as subsequent entrants. Family members need identity and relationship evidence and must meet health and character requirements. Secondary applicants can generally work and study in Australia subject to the conditions on their own visa grants.
Changing employer after grant and Condition 8607
The primary 482 holder is subject to employment restrictions linked to the nominated occupation and sponsor. A worker considering a new employer should not assume the existing visa can simply be transferred. The new employer normally needs an eligible sponsorship and nomination arrangement, and a change of occupation can require a new visa.
Current rules can provide a limited period between sponsors, but this is not unrestricted permission to work anywhere. The visa conditions and timing should be checked before the worker leaves the existing role or starts with a new employer.
Permanent residence and other visa pathways
| Pathway | How it may fit |
|---|---|
| Subclass 482 Skills in Demand | Temporary employer-sponsored pathway through the Core Skills stream where the occupation, salary, sponsor, nomination and applicant criteria are met. |
| Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme | Permanent employer-sponsored pathway. Depending on the case, Direct Entry or Temporary Residence Transition may be relevant. |
| Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional | Relevant only where the occupation is eligible for the regional employer-sponsored pathway and the position is in a designated regional area. |
| Points-tested skilled visas | Because the occupation is on the MLTSSL, eligible Early Childhood Teachers may consider 189, 190 and 491 pathways as well as 482, 186 and 494 employer sponsorship. State nomination programs can apply their own work, residence or employment criteria. |
482 to 186 Temporary Residence Transition
For many sponsored workers, the 186 Temporary Residence Transition stream is the most important long-term strategy. Current rules generally look at qualifying visa holding and eligible sponsored employment over the relevant statutory period. Age, English, employment, employer nomination and any exemption must be satisfied at the 186 application stage. Unpaid leave and changes of employer can affect timing.
186 Direct Entry
Where the occupation and applicant meet the Direct Entry requirements, a worker may be able to pursue 186 permanent residence without first completing the TRT period. A positive skills assessment, age and work-experience requirements can be central. Direct Entry should be assessed separately rather than assumed from 482 eligibility.
Regional and points-tested options
Because the occupation is on the MLTSSL, eligible Early Childhood Teachers may consider 189, 190 and 491 pathways as well as 482, 186 and 494 employer sponsorship. State nomination programs can apply their own work, residence or employment criteria.
Read our 482 to permanent residence guide for the broader strategy.
Common refusal and nomination risks for Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher
confusing an educator or Child Care Worker role with a true Early Childhood Teacher position; qualifications that are not recognised for the nominated occupation; duties that do not include teaching and program responsibility; salary below the market rate; and centres unable to show why a teacher-level role is genuinely required.
Other general refusal risks include incomplete Labour Market Testing, salary evidence that does not establish AMSR, inconsistent employment references, insufficient evidence of one year of relevant experience, health or character issues and failing to respond properly to a Department request for information.
Case example
Claim your consultation
Tell us the proposed occupation, employer, salary, location, your qualifications and work history, current visa status and any deadline. If a nomination or visa has already been refused, upload or provide the refusal decision so the review options can be assessed promptly.
The Emigrate Lawyers difference
We assess the sponsor, nomination, occupation and worker’s visa position as one connected legal matter.
We test ANZSCO alignment, qualifications, licensing, experience, salary and business evidence before lodgement.
Our practice includes nomination refusals, visa refusals, ART review, sponsor changes, health waivers, character matters and 482-to-186 planning.
Employers and workers across Australia and overseas can instruct us through secure electronic case management and video consultations.
Continue your 482 research
Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa hub · Salary and AMSR guide · Document checklist · Permanent residence pathways
Madhab Kharel — Principal Lawyer
Madhab Kharel is the Principal Lawyer and Director of Emigrate Lawyers. His migration law practice includes employer-sponsored visas, Subclass 482 and 186 matters, nomination refusals, Administrative Review Tribunal proceedings, health waivers, character issues and complex employer sponsorship strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher on the 482 Skills in Demand occupation list?
Yes. Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher (ANZSCO 241111) is included in the current Core Skills framework described in this guide. Occupation lists can change, so eligibility should be rechecked at the date of nomination.
What is the minimum salary for a Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher 482 nomination?
For Core Skills nominations lodged from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the Core Skills Income Threshold is $79,423. The nominated salary must also satisfy the Annual Market Salary Rate. If the genuine market salary is higher than the threshold, the higher market salary is the relevant benchmark.
Does a Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher need a skills assessment for a 482 visa?
Not in every case. The answer depends on the occupation, passport, stream and current skills-assessment instrument. ACECQA is the assessing authority identified for this occupation. Points-tested and other permanent visa pathways can have separate mandatory assessment requirements.
How much work experience is required for the 482 visa?
The Skills in Demand visa generally requires at least one year of relevant work experience in the nominated occupation or a related field. The quality, relevance and documentary proof of that experience are important.
Can a 482 visa lead to permanent residence for a Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher?
Potentially. Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher is on the CSOL and MLTSSL. Depending on eligibility, pathways may include 482, 186, 494 and points-tested 189, 190 and 491. Permanent residence is never automatic; age, English, employment history, skills assessment, employer nomination and the rules in force at the later application date must be satisfied.
Can family members be included?
Eligible partners and dependent children can usually be included in the primary application or may be able to apply later as subsequent entrants. Family members must meet the applicable health, character and relationship requirements.
Can I change employers after the 482 visa is granted?
Potentially, but the new employer generally needs an appropriate sponsorship and nomination arrangement. Condition 8607 and the current rules about periods between sponsors must be checked before changing employment.
What happens if the nomination or visa is refused?
Review rights depend on the decision, the applicant’s location and the circumstances. The refusal notice should be reviewed immediately because Administrative Review Tribunal deadlines are strict and a fresh application is not always the best option.
Legal review: Madhab Kharel, Principal Lawyer. Reviewed 27 September 2026. This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Immigration law, occupation lists, salary thresholds and policy can change.
