Petroleum Engineer (233612): Is There Really a Subclass 189 Pathway?
Whether Petroleum Engineer (ANZSCO 233612) qualifies for a subclass 189 visa, and what the Engineers Australia assessment actually costs. Covers the MLTSSL and CSOL listing, the CDR and Accord-only assessment fees, and the sector's real outlook. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
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Chapters
- 0:00 ANZSCO 233612: yes, there is a subclass 189 pathway
- 0:16 On both the MLTSSL and the CSOL
- 0:29 Distinct from Chemical Engineer, ANZSCO 233111
- 0:46 $1,034 for the standard CDR assessment
- 0:58 Accord-only assessment: $555.50
- 1:09 15 weeks standard, or $396 more for 20 business days
- 1:22 482 sponsorship. 189 or 190. 491 regional.
- 1:34 Bass Strait: ExxonMobil and Woodside since 2022
- 1:48 LNG demand: projected stable through 2030 and beyond
- 2:03 Where to read more
Transcript
Petroleum Engineer, ANZSCO 233612, does have a subclass 189 pathway, despite what you might have heard. Here's what the assessment actually costs.
Petroleum Engineer sits on both the MLTSSL and the CSOL, which is why the subclass 189, 190, 482 and 491 are all genuinely on the table.
It's a separate ANZSCO occupation from Chemical Engineer, two three three one one one. Reservoir, production, drilling and completions engineers are Petroleum Engineers. Process engineers in an LNG plant are usually Chemical Engineers.
The assessment is the same Engineers Australia Competency Demonstration Report every engineer uses. The standard fee is $1,034, including GST.
If your qualification is from a Washington Accord country, there's a cheaper option: the Accord-only assessment, at $555.50.
Engineers Australia says a standard application generally takes 15 weeks to be assigned to an assessor. Paying an extra $396 for fast track gets you assigned within 20 business days instead.
From there, three main routes: subclass 482 employer sponsorship, subclass 189 or 190 with competitive points, or subclass 491 for a regional posting.
The sector itself has consolidated. Bass Strait, once ExxonMobil and BHP, has been an ExxonMobil and Woodside joint venture since BHP's petroleum business merged into Woodside in 2022.
Petroleum engineering isn't disappearing in Australia. LNG production is projected stable through 2030 and beyond, but it's consolidating into brownfield work, carbon capture, and emerging hydrogen projects rather than new exploration.
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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