Accountants in Australia enjoy access to a
variety of job opportunities in urban centers as well as regional areas. In
Australia, the average annual salary of accountant is $56,343 – which affords a
superior quality of life while working in a fair and dynamic professional
environment. Currently, accountants are highly in demand across most of
Australia. Eligible accountants can apply for the Skilled Independent Subclass 189
visa (points tested stream) to gain permanent residence, which is a gateway to
possible citizenship in Australia. This visa is administered by the Department
of Home Affairs (DHA) – Australia’s federal immigration authority.
Accountancy occupations regularly feature
on Australia’s Skilled Occupation Lists, which indicate the occupations that
are in-demand in Australia and their corresponding ANZSCO codes. ANZSCO (Australia
and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) classifies the various
occupations in Australia according to the skill level and scope of work.
Following are the ANZSCO codes applicable
to accountants:
·
221111 – Accountant (General)
·
221112 – Management Accountant
·
221113 – Taxation Accountant
In Australia, the services provided by
accountants relate to accounting information systems, taxation, cost
management, financial reporting, insolvency, budgeting, auditing, planning and
decision making for individuals and organizations. They also provide advice
related to associated compliance and performance requirements in order to
ensure strategic and statutory governance. Accountants applying for the Australia PR visa under Subclass 189 must meet specific eligibility requirements:
·
Be under 45 years of age.
·
Receive a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority –
ICAA/CPA/CAANZ – by providing required documents and paying a fee of AUD 600. A
candidate who has no work experience can apply for Education Based Assessment.
·
Ensure that their accountancy
occupation is featured on the Medium and
Long-Term Strategic Skills List, and they can fulfil the job tasks of the
relevant ANZSCO code.
·
Fulfil the English language skills requirement – score at least 7 bands in
each test component of the IELTS Academic examination, or at least 65 points in
each component of the PTE Academic examination, or an equivalent score in any
other approved English language proficiency examination. The test results must
be provided at the time of skills assessment.
·
Score at least 65 points based
on the selection factors of the Australia
PR points calculator – including age, educational qualifications, work
experience, English language skills, partner skills and adaptability factors. If
the applicant does not have sufficient work experience, points may be claimed
solely for education. The DHA has previously declared that the minimum point
requirement for accountants is generally higher than 65 points.
·
The level of skill required is typically a bachelor degree or higher
qualification. An accountant who does not hold an undergraduate degree, but has
attained Chartered status by appearing for an internationally recognized
Chartered Financial Accounting Examination such as ACCA or CIMA; can also receive
points for their qualification based on the skills assessment. The applicant
may have to showcase relevant work experience and/or on-the-job training. Evidence
of licensing or registration may also be required.
·
Fulfil the health and character requirement set by the DHA.
Application
Process
Step
1: Expression of Interest (EOI)
After receiving the skills assessment and
fulfilling all eligibility requirements, the aspirant should submit an EOI to
SkillSelect – an online portal that evaluates and identifies suitable candidates
based on the information recorded in the EOI. The EOI is valid for two years.
Step
2: Invitation to Apply
Skill Select issues invitations to apply
for the Subclass 189 visa to top-ranking candidates i.e. those with the highest
point scores in the pool of applications. The number of invitations issued is
subject to occupational ceilings.
Step
3: Visa Application
Within 60 days of receiving the invitation,
the candidate must submit a complete visa application for the Skilled
Independent visa through ImmiAccount – the online visa application system – including
the visa fee (AUD 4,045 for the primary applicant) and supporting documents to
validate the claims made in the EOI. The DHA will process the application
within 7 to 8 months, and issue a decision on the visa outcome.
After obtaining the Subclass 189 visa, an accountant can gain
unrestricted access to Australia’s job market as a permanent resident. They can
be considered for the same jobs as Australian citizens, and earn competitive
salaries by participating in a labour landscape where their skills are valued.
