Teacher visas for Australia: which visa fits you in 2026

The routes at a glance

Skilled visas: 189, 190 and 491

The three points-tested visas share a process. You get a suitable skills assessment from AITSL, lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect, wait to be invited, and then apply. Points come from things like age, English score, qualifications and skilled work experience. AITSL's optional Skilled Employment Statement ($265) is the evidence for your teaching experience. The 189 needs no sponsor and lets you live anywhere. It is also the most competitive, because you rely only on your points.

The 190 adds a state or territory nomination. In return you commit to living in that state for a period, and the state picks who it nominates. The 491 is a provisional regional visa nominated by a state (or sponsored by an eligible relative). It is designed as a stepping stone: you live and work in a designated regional area and can later apply for permanent residence if you meet the conditions. For teachers, regional schools are often where the jobs and the rural incentives are.

State nomination for teachers

Each state and territory runs its own nomination program for the 190 and 491, with its own occupation list, invitation rounds and residence rules. Lists change each program year (which runs July to June), so treat anything you read on a forum as a starting point only.

The WA Department of Education has its own page for teachers from overseas. It mentions visa options for citizens of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand, and invites you to contact its international recruitment team about visas. The NT says some of its schools may offer sponsorship at their discretion. Neither page commits to sponsoring every teacher, so ask before you build a plan around it.

Employer sponsorship: 482 Skills in Demand and 186

If a school, a Catholic or independent system, or a state education department offers you a job and is an approved sponsor, it can nominate you for a 482 Skills in Demand visa. That replaced the old 482 Temporary Skill Shortage visa in December 2024. Teaching occupations sit in the Core Skills stream, which uses the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). The salary you're offered must be at least the Core Skills income threshold, reported as $79,423 from 1 July 2026 (check the current figure on Home Affairs).

In practice almost every full-time teaching salary in Australia clears that threshold. The lowest graduate step we track is Victoria's current $79,589, and most states start in the high $80,000s or more. After time on a 482 with the same employer, the 186 Employer Nomination Scheme can give you permanent residence. Some teachers apply for the 186 directly if they already meet its requirements. Employers, not you, lodge the nomination, so ask early whether a school is an approved sponsor and willing to do it.

Working holiday visas for younger teachers

If you're young enough, a Working Holiday (417) or Work and Holiday (462) visa lets you live and work in Australia for a year, sometimes longer, without a skills assessment. The eligible age depends on your passport: it is 18 to 30 for most countries and has been up to 35 for some, including the UK, Ireland and Canada. Check the current age limit for your passport on Home Affairs. US citizens use the 462. We could not confirm a working holiday arrangement for South Africa or India.

Working holiday visas usually limit how long you can work for one employer, so they suit casual relief teaching better than a permanent post. You still need full teacher registration in the state, which costs money and takes weeks, so don't assume you can start the week you land. Many teachers use a working holiday year to try Australia, then apply for a skilled or sponsored visa from here.

New Zealand citizens: the 444 and mutual recognition

New Zealand citizens usually get a Special Category visa (subclass 444) when they arrive on a NZ passport, which lets them live and work here. No AITSL assessment is needed. For registration, NZ teachers with current practising certification can apply for equivalent registration in an Australian state under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997. It isn't automatic: teaching is exempt from Automatic Deemed Registration, so you still apply to the state regulator and get a local working with children check. Details are in our NZ teachers guide.

Choosing the right route: a quick decision guide