How to Move to Australia as a Chef

TL;DR

Chefs (ANZSCO 351311) are in strong demand across Australia. The occupation sits on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), which opens the door to permanent residence. You will need a skills assessment from Trades Recognition Australia (TRA), Competent English for points-tested visas, and either enough points for a 189/190/491 visa or an employer willing to sponsor you on a 482 or 494. Regional DAMA agreements and the Restaurant (Premium Dining) Industry Labour Agreement can lower English and salary thresholds. Budget AUD 7,000 to 12,000 for a single applicant from start to lodgement.

Introduction

Australia has faced a shortage of qualified chefs for years. Restaurants, hotels, aged care facilities, and regional businesses all compete for kitchen talent. Jobs and Skills Australia lists Chef as a national skills shortage, and that shortage drives real migration pathways.

If you are a trained chef with commercial kitchen experience, Australia offers several visa routes — from employer-sponsored work visas to independent skilled migration. This guide breaks down each step: the skills assessment, visa options, English requirements, costs, and common pitfalls that trip up applicants.

Before you start, know this: the Chef occupation has specific requirements that set it apart from Cook. Getting the classification right is the single most important step in your application. Read the Chef vs Cook section carefully.

Visa Options for Chefs

Chef (351311) appears on the MLTSSL, which gives access to the widest range of visa subclasses. Here are the main pathways.

### Points-Tested Visas

- Subclass 189 — Skilled Independent. A permanent visa. No employer or state sponsorship needed. You compete on points alone. The current invitation round cut-offs vary, so check your points score before committing to this pathway.
- Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated. A permanent visa with state or territory nomination. Each state sets its own occupation lists and criteria. Nomination adds 5 points to your total.
- Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional. A provisional visa with 15 bonus points for regional nomination. After three years of living and working in a designated regional area, you can apply for the permanent subclass 191.

### Employer-Sponsored Visas

- Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand (Medium-term stream). Your employer sponsors you for up to four years. After two years, you can transition to the permanent subclass 186. This is the most common pathway for chefs already working in Australia.
- Subclass 494 — Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional. Similar to the 482 but restricted to regional areas. Leads to the permanent subclass 191 after three years.

### Labour Agreements and DAMA

Several regional areas run Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) that include Chef. These agreements offer concessions you will not find on standard visa pathways:

- English thresholds as low as IELTS 4.5
- Salary concessions below the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT)
- Age concessions up to 50 in some agreements

The Restaurant (Premium Dining) Industry Labour Agreement is a separate pathway for high-end restaurants. It allows employers to sponsor chefs with concessions on English and salary, provided the restaurant meets specific criteria around fine dining and menu complexity.

If your English scores are below Competent level, a DAMA or labour agreement may be your best option. Ask a MARA-registered migration agent which agreements apply to your situation.

Skills Assessment

Every skilled visa pathway requires a positive skills assessment. For chefs, the assessing authority is Trades Recognition Australia (TRA).

### Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) — Offshore Applicants

If you trained and worked overseas, you apply through the MSA pathway. TRA assesses your qualifications and work experience against Australian standards. You need:

- A qualification equivalent to an Australian Certificate III or IV in Commercial Cookery (or higher)
- At least three years of post-qualification work experience as a chef
- Evidence of menu planning, kitchen management, and staff supervision duties

The MSA costs approximately AUD 300 to 700. Processing takes around 8 to 12 weeks, though this varies with demand.

### Job Ready Program (JRP) — Onshore VET Graduates

If you completed a VET qualification in Australia (such as a Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery), you go through the Job Ready Program instead. The JRP has four stages spread over about 12 months:

1. Provisional Skills Assessment (PSA) — confirms your qualification
2. Job Ready Employment (JRE) — at least 863 hours of paid work in the occupation
3. Job Ready Workplace Assessment (JRWA) — a practical workplace assessment by a TRA assessor
4. Job Ready Final Assessment (JRFA) — the final positive outcome

The JRP is longer and more involved than the MSA, but it is designed for graduates who trained in Australia and need local work evidence. Budget AUD 500 to 1,500 across all four stages.

Chef vs Cook: Why the Distinction Matters

This is where many applications fail. Home Affairs draws a firm line between Chef (ANZSCO 351311) and Cook (ANZSCO 351411). The consequences for your visa options are significant.

To be assessed as a Chef rather than a Cook, your evidence must show:

- You plan and design menus, not just follow existing ones
- You manage kitchen operations, including ordering, budgeting, and food costing
- You supervise and train kitchen staff
- You work in a full-service restaurant, hotel, or institutional kitchen — not a fast-food outlet or limited-service operation

If TRA or Home Affairs decides your role is closer to Cook than Chef, you lose access to the MLTSSL and all permanent visa pathways that come with it. Get your evidence right from the start. Employment references must describe chef-level duties in detail.

Occupation List Status

Chef (351311) sits on:

- The Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), also called the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
- Multiple state and territory nomination lists — though each state has its own criteria and may open or close the occupation at different times

This listing gives chefs access to both temporary and permanent visa pathways. It also means the occupation is available for the medium-term stream of the 482 visa, which allows the transition to permanent residence through the subclass 186.

Check your state's current nomination list before applying for a 190 or 491. States update their lists regularly, and Chef is not always open in every jurisdiction.

English Requirements

English test scores vary by visa subclass and pathway.

Australia accepts IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, CAE, and OET. Most chefs sit IELTS or PTE Academic because of wide test centre availability.

If English is your weak point, a DAMA pathway can drop the threshold to IELTS 4.5. This is a genuine advantage for chefs from non-English-speaking backgrounds. The trade-off is that DAMA visas tie you to a specific regional employer and area.

Higher English scores also earn bonus points on 189/190/491 applications. A score of IELTS 7.0 in each band adds 10 points. A score of 8.0 in each band adds 20 points. For chefs sitting close to the invitation cut-off, every point counts.

Cost and Timeline Overview

Here is a rough budget for a single applicant.

Visa application charges are current as at 1 July 2026.

### Processing Times

- 482 visa: 2 to 4 months from lodgement
- 189 visa: 8 to 18 months (depends on invitation round timing)
- 190 / 491 visa: 6 to 12 months after state nomination
- TRA assessment (MSA): 8 to 12 weeks

These are estimates. Processing times shift with application volumes and policy changes. Always check the Home Affairs website for current median processing times.

For a detailed cost breakdown by country of origin, see our guide on migration costs from the UK.

Country-by-Country Starting Points

Your starting country affects everything from qualification recognition to document requirements. We have detailed guides for the most common source countries:

- United Kingdom: UK to Australia — 2026 overview. UK-trained chefs often have NVQ or City & Guilds qualifications. TRA generally recognises these, but you still need three years of post-qualification experience at chef level.
- India: India to Australia — 2026 overview. Indian chefs should focus on gathering detailed employment references that clearly describe menu planning and kitchen management duties. English test preparation is often the longest lead-time item.
- Philippines: Philippines to Australia — 2026 overview. Filipino chefs are well-represented in Australian hospitality. DAMA pathways in regional areas are a strong option, especially where English requirements are lower.
- China: China to Australia — 2026 overview. Chinese-trained chefs should allow extra time for document translation and qualification assessment. Specialist cuisine experience can work in your favour with the Premium Dining labour agreement.
- South Africa: South Africa to Australia — 2026 overview. South African qualifications are generally well-regarded by TRA. English is usually not a barrier.

No matter where you start, the core steps are the same: get your skills assessed, sit your English test, and choose the right visa pathway.

Common Refusal Reasons

Chef visa applications get refused more often than you might expect. These are the most common reasons:

1. Cook vs Chef classification. The applicant's evidence describes cook-level duties — following set menus, no staff supervision, no food costing. TRA or Home Affairs reclassifies them as a Cook, and the visa application fails.
2. Insufficient menu planning evidence. References say "prepared food" or "cooked meals" without mentioning menu design, recipe development, or seasonal menu changes. Be specific in your employment references.
3. Working in limited-service restaurants. Fast-food outlets, takeaway shops, and franchise kitchens rarely count as chef-level employment, even if your job title was "Head Chef." Home Affairs looks at the nature of the business, not just your title.
4. Expired skills assessment. TRA assessments are valid for three years. If your assessment expires before you receive a visa invitation, you need a new one.
5. Inconsistent work history. Gaps between claimed experience and tax records, payslips, or bank statements. Home Affairs cross-checks employment claims thoroughly.

Avoid these traps by preparing your evidence carefully. Employment references should list your duties in detail, name the restaurant or business, describe the type of cuisine and service, and confirm your role in menu planning and kitchen operations. This is similar to challenges faced by aged care workers and plumbers — the evidence must match the occupation definition exactly.

Next Steps

1. Confirm your occupation classification. Read the ANZSCO 351311 task descriptions and honestly compare them to your actual duties. If you do not plan menus or supervise staff, you may need to gain that experience before applying.
2. Book your English test. IELTS or PTE Academic. If you need Competent English (6.0 each band), give yourself 2 to 3 months of preparation.
3. Apply for your TRA skills assessment. Gather your qualification documents, employment references, and identity documents. Submit through the TRA online portal.
4. Check your points. Use our points calculator to see where you stand for the 189, 190, or 491. If your score is below the current cut-off, consider a 482 or DAMA pathway instead.
5. Decide on a visa pathway. Points-tested, employer-sponsored, or DAMA — each has different requirements, costs, and timelines.
6. Consider a migration agent. A MARA-registered agent can review your evidence, identify the strongest pathway, and help avoid costly mistakes.

Related Resources

- How to move to Australia as an aged care worker
- How to move to Australia as a plumber
- UK to Australia — 2026 overview
- India to Australia — 2026 overview
- Philippines to Australia — 2026 overview
- Cost of moving to Australia from the UK
- Points calculator

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What is the difference between a Chef and a Cook for Australian immigration?

Chef (351311) is Skill Level 2 and sits on the MLTSSL, giving access to permanent visa pathways. Cook (351411) is Skill Level 3 on the STSOL, limited to the short-term 482 stream with no direct path to permanent residence. The key distinction is menu planning, kitchen management, and staff supervision.

Do I need to complete the Job Ready Program?

Only if you completed a VET qualification in Australia and want to use it for a points-tested visa. Offshore applicants use the Migration Skills Assessment pathway instead. The Job Ready Program takes about 12 months and includes workplace assessments.

Can I get permanent residence as a Chef in Australia?

Yes. Chef is on the MLTSSL, so you can apply for subclass 189, 190, or 491 (leading to 191). Employer-sponsored chefs on a 482 medium-term stream can transition to a subclass 186 after two years. The 494 leads to 191 after three years.

What English score do I need?

For the 482 visa, IELTS 5.0 overall with no band below 5.0. For points-tested visas (189, 190, 491), you need Competent English — IELTS 6.0 in each band. DAMA pathways may accept IELTS 4.5 to 5.0 depending on the agreement.

How much does it cost to migrate as a Chef?

Budget AUD 9,000 to 13,500 for a single applicant. This includes the TRA assessment (AUD 300 to 700), English test (AUD 400 to 500), visa application charge (AUD 4,015 on a 482, or AUD 6,135 to 6,140 on a points-tested visa, as at 1 July 2026), health checks, police clearances, and document costs.