South African teachers moving to Australia: IELTS, AITSL, visas and pay

Will your South African qualification be accepted?

Australia checks your academic teaching qualification against the same yardstick it uses for everyone: at least four years of full-time higher education, including an initial teacher education program of at least a year, with at least 45 days of supervised, assessed teaching practice in a school. A four-year Bachelor of Education usually meets this. So does a three-year bachelor's degree followed by a one-year PGCE, if the PGCE included assessed school practicum.

Pay attention to the phase. AITSL wants at least a year of teacher education and practicum relevant to the occupation you nominate. A Foundation Phase or Intermediate Phase qualification lines up with Primary School Teacher (241213). FET and Senior Phase line up with Secondary School Teacher (241411). If your PGCE covered Senior and FET phases, nominate secondary.

IELTS: plan for it early

AITSL's English study option only covers study in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. South African study, even if every lecture was in English, doesn't qualify. So unless you also completed four years of study, including a teaching qualification and its practicum, in one of those six countries, you need IELTS Academic taken at a test centre, with 7.0 Reading, 7.0 Writing, 8.0 Speaking and 8.0 Listening on one Test Report Form, within 24 months of applying.

Visa routes for South African teachers

We couldn't confirm a working holiday arrangement for South African passport holders, so most South African teachers use a skilled visa (189, 190 or 491) or an employer-sponsored 482 Skills in Demand visa. Both normally start with a suitable AITSL assessment. For the 190, NSW lists primary, secondary and other school teacher groups on its current skills list. WA's Department of Education lists visa options for South African citizens on its overseas teachers page and has an international recruitment team you can contact.

Points-tested visas reward strong English. An IELTS score above the AITSL minimum may earn more points, and AITSL's Skilled Employment Statement ($265) can add points for your teaching experience if you've worked at least 20 hours a week in registered schools after qualifying. Model your total points before you pay for anything. Read our teacher visa guide. Rules change, so check Home Affairs or use a registered migration agent before you lodge.

Registration in your chosen state

SACE registration doesn't transfer. You apply to the regulator where you'll teach. Most regulators want certified translations only for documents not in English, transcripts showing subjects and marks, a university practicum letter, identity documents and police certificates. VIT in Victoria pre-assesses overseas qualifications before registration and only accepts applications from overseas within three months of arrival and with a job offer or visa need. TRBWA offers paid qualification advice for $330 before you apply, which is useful if you hold an older or upgraded qualification. See registration by state.

How your experience counts toward pay

Australian scales are step-based, and your starting step is decided by the employer. Victoria credits equivalent international school experience one step per year. The NT places you by completed years of service. The ACT recognises prior experience in full years. WA assesses higher-salary applications case by case and counts full years of continuous service only, not casual work. NSW ties your starting step to your NESA accreditation level. Queensland, SA and Tasmania: ask for the rule in writing.

What you'll earn in Australia

Classroom teachers in government schools, as at 16 October 2026: NT $96,180 to $136,997; NSW $92,882 to $133,422; ACT $91,396 to $129,106; Queensland $90,164 to $119,357 (Senior Teacher $124,601); WA $88,178 to $127,737; SA $84,971 to $123,236; Tasmania $85,313 to $122,393; Victoria $79,589 to $118,063, rising to $92,882 to $133,456 with back pay once its new agreement is approved. Employers also pay at least 12% super on top.

We don't convert rand to dollars here, because exchange rates move and you'll be spending in dollars. Compare your likely Australian step with rents and costs where you'd live. Country and remote schools pay significant extras: NSW's Rural Teacher Incentive is $20,000 to $30,000 a year, and Victoria's targeted incentives reach $50,000. See rural teaching incentives.

Your step-by-step plan