Australian Visa Options For Civil Engineers

Are you interested in finding out about applying for a civil engineer visa Australia? Well, you’ll be pleased to learn that there are a range of temporary and permanent skilled visa options, as well as provisional visas which provide a pathway to permanent residency, that are available for civil engineer immigration Australia. Eligible civil engineering occupations also include civil engineering draftspersons and civil engineering technicians.

In this article, we take a look at how civil engineering occupations are classified and defined in Australia for migration purposes and the potential visa options for civil engineers, including Australian immigration for civil engineers PR pathways. This includes General Skilled Migration (GSM) points-tested visas which require you to attain at least 65 PR points for civil engineering in Australia to be eligible.

But before we discuss the skilled visa options that are available for civil engineer immigration Australia, we begin by first introducing you to some of the key elements that you need to take into account when assessing your eligibility for a civil engineer visa Australia.

Important Factors To Consider When Applying For A Civil Engineer Visa Australia

Skilled Occupation List

A key component in determining your eligibility for a civil engineer visa Australia is based on whether the civil engineering occupation is included on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) for the relevant skilled visa being considered.

It is important to be aware that each skilled visa subclass is subject to a specified SOL, which is designed to respond to skill shortages in various industries and regions across Australia. As labour markets change, so too do the relevant SOLs to reflect pertaining market conditions. It is therefore vital if you are seeking to apply for a civil engineer visa Australia, that you apply the correct and most up-to-date SOL in assessing your eligibility for Australian immigration for civil engineers.

Please note that as of 25 November 2023, there have been changes to occupation requirements for the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream of the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa. Occupations are no longer required to be specified in a SOL to be eligible for an ENS visa. Instead, the nominated occupation must be listed in the ANZSCO and the nominated worker must continue to work in the occupation nominated for their TSS visa (ANZSCO 4-digit occupation unit group code).

Targeted Approach

Certain skilled visa options go one step further by targeting skills shortages in certain geographical areas (including in regional Australia). Employers can also sponsor or nominate suitably skilled applicants to fill vacancies in individual businesses, thereby addressing an employer-specific need. An example of this is an employer sponsored Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa for civil engineer immigration Australia.

There are several skilled civil engineer visa Australia options available for Australian immigration for civil engineers, with each one designed to meet a specific purpose.

These comprise an independent, state sponsored, regional state sponsored, regional family sponsored, regional employer sponsored, employer sponsored and employer nominated skilled visa as well as a training and temporary graduate skilled visa. Some examples before we move on?

Well, a Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa is an example of a regional state or family sponsored civil engineer visa Australia.

While a Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (SESR) visa is a regional employer-sponsored visa for civil engineer immigration Australia.

And a permanent residence employer nominated option for Australian immigration for civil engineers is the Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa.

Each skilled visa subclass is subject to a prescribed set of visa lodgement and grant requirements, a key part of which is the relevant SOL which prescribes the selected skilled occupations which may be nominated for that visa subclass.

Nominating A Civil Engineer On The Skilled Occupation List

Different SOLs apply to each skilled visa subclass. For example, the Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa, which is a temporary employer sponsored visa, is subject to a Short‑term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), a Medium and Long‑term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and a Regional Occupation List (ROL). The skilled occupation list that applies to an occupation determines whether it can be nominated under the short-term or medium-term stream of the subclass 482 visa program. There is also a labour agreement stream which applies where the sponsoring employer has a labour agreement in place, and that agreement specifies the occupation/s that may be nominated for a TSS visa.

Civil engineering occupations are included on the MLTSSL, and so may be nominated by an employer for a TSS visa under the medium-term stream. This also provides a civil engineer immigration Australia PR pathway after two years via the Subclass 186 ENS visa (this is discussed further below).

Nominating A Civil Engineer Under A Labour Agreement

A labour agreement is negotiated between the Australian Government (represented by the Department of Home Affairs) and employers who seek to sponsor overseas workers for their business.

Labour agreements allow approved businesses to sponsor skilled overseas workers when there is a demonstrated need that cannot be met in the Australian labour market and the standard temporary or permanent visa programs are not available (for example, the occupation which the employer is seeking to nominate is not included on the SOL for the TSS, SESR or ENS visa programs).

One of the main benefits of entering into a labour agreement is its flexibility as it enables an employer to negotiate terms that meet the needs of the business (different types of agreements allow for varying levels of flexibility). This means that an employer may be able to negotiate certain concessions to the skilled visa criteria that would normally apply under the standard employer sponsored visa grant requirements. This can include requirements relating to English language competency, salary and age thresholds. A labour agreement can also be used to employ overseas workers in new or emerging occupations that are not defined in the ANZSCO.

Under a labour agreement, an employer can sponsor or nominate suitably skilled overseas workers for an employer sponsored civil engineer visa Australia in accordance with the terms which have been negotiated with the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) in the executed labour agreement (different types of agreements allow for varying levels of flexibility).

There are five types of Labour Agreements, which are as follows:

- Company specific labour agreements

- Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA)

- Project agreements

- Global Talent Employer Sponsored (GTES) agreements

- Industry labour agreements

To learn more about labour agreements, including the different types of labour agreements and how they operate, please refer to our article on a Labour Agreement Visa.

Skills Assessment

To be deemed ‘suitably qualified’ for a nominated occupation under the skilled visa program, applicants are required to demonstrate that they possess a minimum level of skills, qualifications and/or employment experience as prescribed by the migration provisions for the relevant skilled visa class which is being applied for. This may include the requirement that an applicant obtains a positive skills assessment in their nominated occupation (to be completed by a specified skills assessing body). The skills assessment must be within the accepted validity date (which is normally either three years from the date of issue, or on a date earlier if specified in the skills assessment).

It must also be the correct type of skills assessment. Applicants must have a skills assessment that meets the requirements for the visa for which they are applying. For example, some assessing authorities offer a provisional skills assessment for recent graduates of Australian educational institutions who are applying for a Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa. A provisional skills assessment issued for this purpose is not a suitable skills assessment for a permanent residence skilled visa application, for example.

Skill Assessments For Civil Engineers

The prescribed skill assessing body for civil engineers is Engineers Australia (EA). Civil engineering draftspersons can have their skills assessed by either EA or VETASSESS. For civil engineering technicians, the prescribed skill assessing body is VETASSESS.

We provide further information about the EA and VETASSESS requirements for civil engineering occupations in our discussion further below in this article.

English Language

English language criteria also apply, which may require applicants to complete a prescribed English language test and achieve a specified minimum test score (there are exemptions in certain cases). Be aware that English test results are valid for a limited period (depending on the class of visa being applied for and the level of English competency required).

What Are The Possible Skilled Visa Options For Civil Engineer Immigration Australia?

Before we take a detailed look at how civil engineering occupations are defined for civil engineer immigration Australia purposes, we begin our discussion with an introduction of the main types of skilled visas that are available for civil engineering occupations. We also provide links to further information on these visa options at the conclusion of this article.

Training Visa

The Subclass 407 training visa is a temporary sponsored visa which is designed to help you to improve your skills in your current occupation, area of tertiary study, or to participate in a professional development training program in Australia. The subclass 407 visa is not suitable for applicants whose sole purpose is to perform work in Australia but rather, to engage in workplace-based training.

One of the subclass 407 visa requirements is that you need to be sponsored by an Australian organisation or government agency (including a foreign government). You must also be nominated for the subclass 407 visa (unless your sponsor is a Commonwealth Government agency, in which case you will need to be invited in writing). You need to select from one of three nomination types, depending on the purpose or type of training which you seek to undertake. Each nomination type has specified requirements, one of which requires your occupation to be included on a subclass 407 training visa skilled occupation list.

The subclass 407 visa can be granted for a period of up to two years and permits unrestricted travel to and from Australia for the duration of the visa. You can also include certain members of your family unit as dependent visa applicants, allowing them to accompany you to Australia.

Nomination Type 2: Occupational Training To Enhance Skills

Nomination type 2 requires the occupational training to be a structured workplace-based training program which is designed to meet your training needs, as the nominee.

The civil engineering occupations are included on the skilled occupation list for the subclass 407 training visa, which means that you may be nominated for this visa provided that you have at least 12 months full-time employment experience in the relevant civil engineering occupation (in the two years immediately before lodgement of the application) to qualify under nomination type 2.

Please note that the subclass 407 visa is a temporary visa only with no direct pathway to permanent residency in Australia.

To learn more about the subclass 407 training visa program, please see our article on the subclass 407 Training Visa Requirements And Occupations.

General Skilled Migration

The General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa program offers the following skilled visa options (all of which are points-based) for civil engineering occupations:

- Subclass 189 Skilled (Independent) visa;

- Subclass 190 Skilled (Nominated) visa (a permanent residence visa that requires State Sponsorship approval); and

- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa.

The GSM program operates under an invitation-based system, whereby applicants must first lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) with the Department of Home Affairs (the Department). Only upon receipt of an invitation can applicants then proceed to apply for the visa itself. Periodically, we publish a summary of the results for invitations issued in the most recent invitation round. We refer you to the latest invitation round results.

Civil Engineer Visa Australia PR

PR Points For Civil Engineering In Australia

The subclass 189 visa grants you immediate permanent residence in Australia. It is a points-tested permanent residency visa, which means that you need to attain at least 65 PR points for civil engineering in Australia in the migration points test to be eligible.

The same applies to the subclass 190 visa, although you need to be nominated by a State or Territory Government to qualify. Note that you will be granted an additional 5 PR points for civil engineering in Australia on account of the nomination.

Civil Engineer Visa Australia PR Pathway

PR Points For Civil Engineering In Australia

Civil engineering occupations may also be nominated by a State or Territory government agency or be sponsored by an eligible relative for a Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. This visa is also a points-tested visa. This means that to apply (and qualify for) a subclass 491 visa, you will need to gain at least 65 PR points for civil engineering in Australia to be eligible. This visa option grants you an additional 15 PR points for civil engineering in Australia for the nomination/sponsorship.

Eligible subclass 491 visa holders may qualify for a Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa after three years.

The term of the subclass 491 visa is five years. As a subclass 491 visa holder (including any accompanying visa dependents), you must live, work and study only in a designated regional area of Australia.

Subclass 491 visa holders have unrestricted rights to travel to and from Australia during the visa term and are also entitled to enrol in Medicare, Australia’s public health system.

Employer Sponsored Skilled Visa

Civil engineering occupations may also qualify for a Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa, which is an employer sponsored temporary visa (under the medium-term stream). A TSS civil engineer visa Australia may be granted for up to four years.

The subclass 482 visa provides civil engineering occupations with a pathway to permanent residency with an employer nominated Subclass 186 visa (which is discussed below) after two years.

Employer Nominated Skilled Visa

Applicants seeking an employer nominated permanent residence visa who are prepared to commit to remaining with their nominating employer for at least two years from visa grant may consider a Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa.

The subclass 186 employer nominated visa comprises of a Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) and Labour Agreement stream.

The TRT option provides a pathway to permanent residence for TSS subclass 482 visa holders who are nominated as civil engineers after two years.

Civil engineers may also qualify for immediate permanent residency under the Direct Entry stream.

Employer Sponsored Regional Visa

The Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) (Provisional) visa provides civil engineers with a pathway to permanent residence with the Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa after three years if the applicant meets specified requirements at that time. The term of the subclass 494 visa is five years.

A SESR visa holder is required to live and work in a designated regional area of Australia. They can travel to and from Australia on an unrestricted basis over the visa term. They are also entitled to enrol in Medicare.

How Are Civil Engineering Occupations Defined For Australian Immigration For Civil Engineers?

For migration law purposes, each nominated occupation is defined based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO). The ANZSCO occupational classification system provides a general description of each occupation, skill level, registration and/or licensing requirements and the tasks and duties that may be required to be performed as part of each occupation. Each occupation is assigned a unique ANZSCO code, which is used to identify the occupations that are eligible for a skilled visa for Australia.

The following occupational categories for civil engineering occupations contained in ANZSCO may be nominated for a skilled visa to Australia (classified as a minor group):

- Engineering Professionals (minor group 233); and

- Building and Engineering Technicians (minor group 312).

These minor groups are then broken down into unit groups of occupations. The next level below this are specific occupations, which are each identified using an ANZSCO code. Skilled visa eligibility is, in part, based on whether your occupation appears on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) for the skilled visa that you are seeking to apply for.

Our discussion will follow the ANZSCO structure as we have outlined above. We will start by looking at the minor groups listed above. We will then explore the unit groups that makes up these minor groups. We then conclude with the most important component in this discussion, that being the specific definition of each civil engineering occupation that may be nominated for Australian immigration for civil engineers.

Minor Group 233 – Engineering Professionals

We begin by examining ANZSCO minor group 233 for Engineering Professionals.

ANZSCO General Description: Engineering Professionals design, plan and organise the testing, construction, installation and maintenance of structures, machines and their components, and production systems and plants, and plan production schedules and work procedures to ensure engineering projects are undertaken efficiently and in a cost effective manner.

ANZSCO Skill level: Most occupations in this minor 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).

Tasks include:

- planning and designing chemical process systems, civil engineering projects, electrical power equipment and facilities, electronic components used in computer and industrial applications, mechanical equipment and systems, mining and drilling operations, and other engineering projects

- drafting and interpreting specifications, drawings and plans, and determining construction methods

- supervising the construction of structures, water and gas supply and transportation systems, and the manufacture, installation, operation and maintenance of equipment, machines and plant

- organising and managing project labour and the delivery of materials, plant and equipment

- estimating total costs and preparing detailed cost plans and estimates as tools for budgetary control

- resolving design and operational problems in the various fields of engineering through the application of engineering technology

The 233 minor group comprises the following unit groups:

- 2331 Chemical and Materials Engineers;

- 2332 Civil Engineering Professionals;

- 2333 Electrical Engineers;

- 2334 Electronics Engineers;

- 2335 Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers;

- 2336 Mining Engineers; and

- 2339 Other Engineering Professionals.

The occupation of civil engineer is included in unit group 2332 Civil Engineering Professionals.

Unit Group 2332 – Civil Engineering Professionals

Occupations in this unit group have the following elements:

ANZSCO General Description: Civil Engineering Professionals design, plan, organise and oversee the construction of civil engineering projects such as dams, bridges, pipelines, gas and water supply schemes, sewerage systems, roads, airports and other structures; analyse the likely behaviour of soil and rock when placed under pressure by proposed structures and design structural foundations; analyse the statical properties of all types of structures and test the behaviour and durability of materials used in their construction; plan and develop transportation systems; and estimate and monitor the construction costs of projects.

ANZSCO 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.

Tasks include:

- determining construction methods, materials and quality standards, and drafting and interpreting specifications, drawings, plans, construction methods and procedures

- organising and directing site labour and the delivery of construction materials, plant and equipment, and establishing detailed programs for the coordination of site activities

- obtaining soil and rock samples at different depths across sites and testing samples to determine strength, compressibility and other factors that affect the behaviour of soil and rock when a structure is imposed and determining the safe loading for the soil

- studying architectural and engineering drawings and specifications to estimate total costs, and preparing detailed cost plans and estimates as tools to assist in budgetary control

- monitoring changes to designs, assessing effects on cost, and measuring, valuing and negotiating variations to designs

- analysing structural systems for both static and dynamic loads

- designing structures to ensure they do not collapse, bend, twist or vibrate in undesirable ways

- assessing present and future travel flow patterns taking into account population increase and needs change

- designing the physical aspects of transportation systems such as highways, railroads, urban transit, air transportation, logistical supply systems and their terminals

Skill assessing authority: Engineers Australia

Skilled Occupation List: Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

Skilled Visa Options:

- Subclass 189 Skilled (Independent) visa

- Subclass 190 Skilled (Nominated) visa

- Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa

- Subclass 407 Training visa

- Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (Medium Term Stream)

- Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa (Graduate Work Stream)*

- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (State or Territory nominated)

- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (Family sponsored)

- Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (Employer sponsored stream)

* Potential applicants may also qualify under the Post-Study Work Stream, which does not apply a Skilled Occupation List.

Note that to lodge an EOI for a subclass 189, 190 or 491 visa, you must attain at least 65 PR points for civil engineering in Australia.

As you can see from the above list of skilled visas, civil engineers have several options for civil engineer immigration Australia, covering temporary, provisional and permanent options.

This includes the subclass 189 visa, which is a permanent residency visa. It requires a minimum of 65 PR points for civil engineering in Australia to qualify.

The subclass 190 is also a permanent residency visa. It too requires a minimum of 65 PR points for civil engineering in Australia to qualify.

The subclass 491 is a provisional Australian immigration for civil engineers visa, which provides a pathway to permanent residency. It is also points-tested, requiring you to attain at least 65 PR points for civil engineering in Australia to qualify.

The subclass 494 visa is a provisional regional employer sponsored civil engineer immigration Australia visa, which provides a pathway to permanent residency.

A description of the occupation of civil engineer, as defined in this ANZSCO group, is listed below.

ANZSCO Occupation	ANZSCO code	ANZSCO Description
Civil Engineer Specialisations: Airfield Engineer Officer (Air Force) Hydraulics Engineer	233211	Plans, designs, organises and oversees the construction and operation of dams, bridges, pipelines, gas and water supply schemes, sewerage systems, airports and other civil engineering projects. Registration or licensing may be required.

Minor Group 312 – Building And Engineering Technicians

Next, we take a look at ANZSCO minor group 312 for Building and Engineering Technicians.

ANZSCO General Description: Building and engineering technicians perform tests and provide technical support to Construction Managers, Architects and Engineering Professionals in research, design, construction, operation and maintenance of equipment, distribution systems and installations, and resource estimation and site inspection.

ANZSCO Skill level:

Most occupations in this minor group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.

Tasks include: Most occupations in this minor group have a level of skill commensurate with an AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or 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.

Tasks include:

- preparing, interpreting, inspecting and revising drawings, plans, diagrams, designs, maps and charts

- performing complex computations and field and laboratory tests, and recording the results

- installing, testing, repairing and modifying electrical, electronic and mechanical equipment

- estimating quantities and costs of materials

- inspecting buildings, plumbing work, machines, equipment, working conditions and public places to ensure compliance with relevant laws, standards and regulations

- planning, scheduling, coordinating and monitoring maintenance of plant equipment

- testing materials

- overseeing the safety of mining operations and supervising Miners

The 312 minor group comprises the following unit groups:

- 3121 Architectural, Building and Surveying Technicians;

- 3122 Civil Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians;

- 3123 Electrical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians;

- 3124 Electronic Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians;

- 3125 Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians;

- 3126 Safety Inspectors; and

- 3129 Other Building and Engineering Technicians.

Set out below are the specific Building and engineering technicians occupations which may be nominated and therefore may qualify for an Australian skilled visa.

Unit Group 3122 – Civil Engineering Draftspersons And Technicians

There are two occupations included in the Civil Engineering Draftspersons And Technicians ANZSCO group which may be nominated for a skilled visa, with the following elements:

ANZSCO General Description: Civil engineering draftspersons and technicians assist in civil engineering research, design, construction, operations and maintenance.

ANZSCO Skill level:

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with an AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or 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.

Tasks include:

- preparing sketches, charts, tabulations, plans and designs for civil engineering works such as drainage, water supply, sewerage reticulation systems, roads, airports, dams, bridges and other structures

- performing and directing fieldwork and laboratory testing

- interpreting work assignment instructions, applying appropriate procedures and selecting equipment

- collecting and analysing data, and carrying out computations

- estimating material costs and ensuring finished works are within specifications, regulations and contract provisions

- inspecting civil engineering works, and organising and supervising maintenance and repair work

- conducting field and laboratory tests of construction materials and soils, and collecting data for traffic surveys

Skill assessing authority: Engineers Australia and VETASSESS

Skilled Occupation List: Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

Skilled Visa Options:

- Subclass 189 Skilled (Independent) visa

- Subclass 190 Skilled (Nominated) visa

- Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa

- Subclass 407 Training visa

- Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa (Medium Term Stream)

- Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa (Graduate Work Stream)*

- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (State or Territory nominated)

- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (Family sponsored)

- Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (Employer sponsored stream)

* Potential applicants may also qualify under the Post-Study Work Stream, which does not apply a Skilled Occupation List.

Note that to lodge an EOI for a subclass 189, 190 or 491 visa, you must attain at least 65 PR points for civil engineering in Australia.

A description of the occupations in the Civil Engineering Draftspersons And Technicians ANZSCO group which may be nominated for a skilled visa are listed below.

ANZSCO Occupation	ANZSCO code	ANZSCO Description
Civil Engineering Draftsperson Specialisations: Civil Engineering Design Draftsperson Plumbing Engineering Draftsperson Road Design Draftsperson Sewage Reticulation Drafting Officer Structural Engineering Drafting Officer	312211	Prepares detailed drawings and plans for civil engineering work in support of Civil Engineering Professionals and Engineering Technologists. Registration or licensing may be required.
Civil Engineering Technician Specialisations: Civil Engineering Assistant Civil Laboratory Technician Geotechnical Laboratory Technician	312212	Conducts tests of construction materials, prepares sketches and tabulations, and assists in estimating costs in support of Civil Engineering Professionals and Engineering Technologists. Registration or licensing may be required.

Skill Assessments For Civil Engineering Occupations

As noted in our discussion above, the prescribed skill assessing body for civil engineers is Engineers Australia (EA). Civil engineering draftspersons can also have their skills assessed either by EA or by VETASSESS. For civil engineering technicians, the prescribed skill assessing body is VETASSESS. For the remainder of our discussion, we provide further details about the skill assessment process and requirements for these skill assessing bodies.

Engineers Australia

To apply for a skills assessment with EA, follow the below process.

Check Your Qualification

Your qualification is the main factor in choosing the right assessment pathway. It’s determined by:

- the country from which you received it;

- the type of qualification; and

- whether it’s accredited.

Accredited qualifications are engineering qualifications that are recognised through agreements known as Accords. There are three relevant Accords – the Washington Accord, Sydney Accord and Dublin Accord. EA will recognise your qualifications under these Accords if:

- it was completed after, or in the same year in which the country was accepted as a full signatory under the Accord;

- your program falls within the time period specified as accredited on the signatory’s website for your country. This may be referred to as a program’s intake, commencement or graduate year

- your program is listed as fully accredited, provisional accreditation isn’t sufficient.

Use the qualification checker on the International Engineering Alliance website to check if your qualifications are accredited.

If you completed your qualification in Australia and it’s listed in Engineers Australia’s list of accredited programs, then you can apply directly through the Australian qualifications pathway.

Occupational Categories

Engineers Australia recognises four occupational categories for skilled migration:

- Professional engineer;

- Engineering technologist;

- Engineering associate; and

- Engineering manager.

Based on your qualifications and skills, you will work in Australia in one of these occupational categories.

Select An Assessment Pathway

If your qualification is accredited, you can choose between four assessment pathways or types:

- Australian qualification;

- Washington Accord;

- Dublin Accord; or

- Sydney Accord.

If you have a French qualification, you can apply under the Washington Accord.

You can apply via the Australian qualification pathway if:

- you have an ASQA-recognised Australian associate degree or advanced diploma in engineering; and

- you’re looking for a role as an engineering associate.

If you have an Australian provisionally-accredited qualification, apply through the competency demonstration report (CDR) assessment pathway.

If your qualification isn’t accredited, apply through the CDR pathway. In this case, your knowledge, skills and competency are assessed against internationally benchmarked factors.

In the online application for the CDR pathway you’ll be asked to choose your engineering occupation (or qualification) from a dropdown list.

If your assessment is successful, both your occupational category and your engineering occupation will be reflected in the outcome letter.

A minimum English language competency must also be demonstrated to meet assessment requirements for all Engineers Australia occupations. Exemptions apply in certain circumstances.

Prepare And Submit Your Application

Skill assessment applications must be submitted online with all required documents to be attached (in the correct form).

Please refer to the Engineers Australia website for further information.

VETASSESS

A VETASSESS full skills assessment involves assessing your qualifications and employment against the suitability of your nominated farming occupation. Qualification assessment involves assessing the educational level comparability of your qualifications on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and determining the relevance of your qualifications for your nominated occupation.

An employment assessment involves determining whether your work experience (obtained either in Australia or overseas) is at an appropriate skill level and relevant to your nominated occupation.

A positive assessment of both qualifications and employment is required for a successful skills assessment for migration purposes.

Set out below are the VETASSESS criteria for the occupations of Civil Engineering Draftsperson and Civil Engineering Technician.

VETASSESS Skills Assessment Requirements For A Civil Engineering Draftsperson (ANZSCO 312211)

This occupation requires a qualification assessed as comparable to the educational level of an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Diploma or higher, in a field highly relevant to the nominated occupation.

If the qualification is in a highly relevant field to the occupation, then at least one year of highly relevant post-qualification employment at an appropriate skill level, completed in the last five years is required.

If the qualification is not in a highly relevant field, two years of highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level, completed in the last five years is required. This is reduced to one year if there is an additional qualification at least at AQF Certificate IV level in a highly relevant field.

If employment is pre-qualification, then three additional years of highly relevant employment are required. This is in addition to one year of highly relevant employment within the past five years.

A positive assessment of both qualifications and employment is required for a positive Skills Assessment Outcome.

Qualifications

AQF Diploma or higher

Highly relevant major fields of study include:

- Civil Engineering

- Engineering Drafting – Civil Design

Qualifications in certain engineering fields may be accepted on a case-by-case basis if the program consists of sufficient subjects in Structure, Materials, Drafting / Drawing and core subjects in their respective specialised fields.

Employment

Highly relevant tasks may include, but are not limited to:

- assisting a Civil / Structural Engineer in preparing documentation for works such as drainage, water supply, sewerage reticulation systems, stormwater, roads, airports, dams, bridges and other structures

- preparing drawings such as sketches and documentation

- prepares specifications

- carries out surveys and prepares survey reports

- ability to use specific computer software or hand drawings to complete relevant tasks

- assists in programming the work, checking materials

- may inspect works onsite

- may organise and supervise maintenance and repair work of plumbing and water supply systems

- designs sanitary plumbing and water supply systems including fire service systems

- maintains close contact with construction workers and project managers

Employment Context

Categories of acceptable employment contexts include (but are not limited to):

- Engineering consultancy firm (may specialise in structural, civil works, transport, hydraulic,fire services, environmental, waste management, site preparation, geotechnical, coastal)

- Construction/Demolition

- Off-site modular/pre-fabrication company (e.g. precast concrete manufacturer)

- Landscape design consultancy firm

- Government authority within a relevant department

- Utility authority within a relevant department

Employment Information

To be considered as a Civil Engineering Draftsperson, the position must be involved with the preparation and execution of drawings in the form of sketches and documentation, as well as charts and tabulations under the supervision of a Civil Engineer. The drawings should be created with the intent to allow contractors to prepare a tender price for the works, and be able to use the drawings to build civil/structural engineering projects

VETASSESS Skills Assessment Requirements For A Civil Engineering Technician (ANZSCO 312212)

If employment is pre-qualification, then three additional years of highly relevant employment are required. This is in addition to one year of highly relevant employment within the past five years.

A positive assessment of both qualifications and employment is required for a positive Skills Assessment Outcome.

Qualification

AQF Diploma or higher

Highly relevant major fields of study include:

- Civil Engineering

- Engineering Drafting – Civil Design

Qualifications in certain engineering fields may be accepted on a case-by-case basis if the program consists of compulsory subjects in mathematics and physical sciences, and has sufficient competencies in Structure, Materials Testing, etc.

Employment

Highly relevant tasks may include, but are not limited to:

- collecting and analysing data, and carrying out computations

- estimating material costs and ensuring finished works are within specifications, regulations and contract provisions

- inspecting civil engineering works, and organising and supervising maintenance and repair work

- conducting field and laboratory tests of construction materials and soils, and collecting data for traffic surveys

- testing and evaluating construction materials

- outlining work programs and reviewing these for accuracy, adequacy and feasibility

- setting up technical instruments used to collect data (geotechnical)

- drilling and taking soil samples and collecting rock samples (geotechnical)

- reviewing aerial photographs (geotechnical)

- taking measurements, making calculations and writing detailed notes (geotechnical)

Employment Context

Categories of acceptable employment contexts include (but not limited to):

- Engineering consultancy firm (specialised in structural / civil services / transport / environmental / waste management)

- Construction company

- Building and Construction materials manufacturer

- Geotechnical engineering firm

- Geotechnical laboratory

- Government authority within a relevant department

- Utility authority within a relevant department

Employment Information

To be considered as a Civil Engineering Technician, the position must be supporting Civil Engineering Professionals and Engineering Technologists in construction materials testing, preparation of sketches and tabulations, as well as planning, designing and overseeing the construction and maintenance of buildings, roads and other infrastructure civil engineering projects. They may assist with estimating costs, preparing timetables and planning the specifications for materials needed for projects.

Please refer to the VETASSESS website for further information.

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Skilled Visa Options For Selected Occupations

Please refer to our series of articles on the skilled visa options that are available for selected occupations below:

Visa Options For Professionals

Skilled Trade Visa Options In Australia

Australian Visa Options For IT Occupations

Australian Immigration And Visa Options For Doctors

Australian Immigration And Visa Options For Nurses

Australian Visa Options For Engineers

Migrate To Australia As A Plastics Moulder Machine Operator, Fabricator, Welder Or Technician

How To Migrate To Australia As A Pig Farmer Or A Senior Piggery Stockperson

Migrate To Australia As A Small Engine Mechanic

Migrate To Australia As A Sandblaster

Employer Sponsored Regional Visa

For further information on the subclass 494 regional employer sponsored visa, please see the following articles:

Skilled Regional Visa Australia

Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme

Regional Sponsored Visa Requirements

Employer Sponsored Visa

To learn more about an employer sponsorship visa, please see the following articles:

Employer Sponsored Visas

Employer Nomination Migration Scheme

Labour Agreement Visa

482 Visa Employer Obligations

457 Visa Replacement

Employer Sponsor Visa Requirements

Changes To 457 Temporary Work Skilled Visa

Business Requirements For Accredited Sponsorship

Self Sponsor Visa Australia

Does 482 Visa Require Skills Assessment

Subclass 482 – A Guide to Temporary Skill Shortage

Permanent Residence Eligibility Extended For Certain Subclass 457 And 482 Visa Holders

How To Sponsor An Employee For A Work Visa Or Permanent Residency

Overview Of Australian Work Visas And Employer Sponsorship

Guide To Australian Sponsorship Visa Costs

How To Become A Sponsor

Labour Market Testing Requirements

Skilled Visa

To learn more about applying for a skilled visa, please see the following articles:

Australian Skilled Migration Visa List

General Skilled Migration Visa Options

SAF Skilling Australians Fund Levy

General Skilled Migration Visa Points

Subclass 491 Regional Visa

Subclass 190 State Sponsorship Visa

Australian Skilled Occupations List

Australian Permanent Resident Visa Case Study

State Sponsorship Visas In Australia

South Australia State Sponsorship Opportunities

Skilled Regional Visa Australia

Regional Sponsor Migration Scheme

Regional Sponsored Visa Requirements

Visa Options For Professionals

Skilled Trade Visa Options In Australia

English Requirements For Skilled Visas

Australian Visa Options For IT Occupations

Australian Immigration And Visa Options For Doctors

Australian Immigration And Visa Options For Nurses

Australian Visa Options For Engineers

Adelaide 190 Visa

491 Visa Adelaide

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Contact us to book a no-obligation consultation to find out more about applying for a skilled civil engineer visa Australia, including the civil engineer immigration Australia options that are available and to assess your eligibility for Australian immigration for civil engineers.

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In conclusion, we note that the above discussion provides an overview of the Australian visa options for civil engineering occupations, as well as the Engineers Australia and VETASSESS criteria to be met to obtain a positive skills assessment for civil engineering occupations that may qualify for a civil engineer visa Australia. We also provide links to further information so that you can learn more about the skilled visas options that are available for civil engineering occupations to qualify for Australian immigration for civil engineers.

Australia’s migration laws are complex, and each case is different. We recommend that you seek professional advice if you are seeking to migrate to Australia as a civil engineer, as being fully informed will give you the best chance of achieving a successful outcome on your case. A migration professional can help you to do this.

For up-to-date advice on a skilled visa for civil engineers in Australia, book your confidential consultation with a migration agent in Adelaide. PAX Migration Australia is a leading immigration advice service based in Adelaide.