Moving to Australia as a civil engineer: visas, Engineers Australia fees, English

Civil engineer, ANZSCO 233211, is on the MLTSSL and reaches five visa subclasses. What Engineers Australia's own published fees, processing statements and pathways actually say, plus the English and points-test bands that decide where you land. Figures as at September 2026.

Read the full guide, with official sources →

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Chapters

  1. 0:00 Civil engineer: one occupation,
  2. 0:13 5 visa subclasses, 1 assessor: Engineers Australia
  3. 0:29 Two routes: Accord-recognised degree,
  4. 0:45 Assigned to an assessor:
  5. 0:58 Visa minimum: Competent English
  6. 1:09 IELTS 7 = 10 points.
  7. 1:22 Age 25 to 32:
  8. 1:34 Visa charges, from 1 July 2026
  9. 1:56 491 and 494: 5-year visas
  10. 2:08 These are published figures,
  11. 2:19 Where to read more

Transcript

Civil engineer, occupation 233211, is on Australia's Strategic Skills List — which is what opens five different visa subclasses.

Three don't need an employer: subclass 189, 190 and 491. Two do: subclass 482 and 494. Engineers Australia assesses every one of them before you can apply.

Engineers Australia has two real assessment routes. If your degree is Accord-recognised — Washington, Sydney or Dublin — they assess the qualification itself. If it isn't, you go through a Competency Demonstration Report instead.

Engineers Australia states a standard application is generally assigned to an assessor within 15 weeks. A paid fast-track option gets it assigned within 20 business days — neither figure is the outcome date itself.

For subclass 189, 190 and 491, the English minimum is Competent: IELTS 6 in each of the four components.

English also scores points. Proficient, IELTS 7 in each component, is worth 10 points. Superior, IELTS 8 in each component, is worth 20.

The points test itself isn't civil-engineer-specific — it's the same table every occupation is scored on. Age 25 to 32 is the highest band, worth 30 points.

Government visa charges, current from 1 July 2026: subclass 189 is $6,135. Subclass 190 and 491 are $6,140. Subclass 482 is $4,015. IELTS Australia costs $490.

Subclass 491 and 494 are both 5-year provisional visas. Both can lead to the permanent subclass 191, once their own residence and income conditions are met.

None of these numbers are civil-engineer-specific averages. They're what Engineers Australia and Home Affairs publish directly — and the only ones worth planning around.

The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description. And if you'd like to talk it through, you can compare registered migration agents there, and see their fees before you book anything.

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