When applying for an Australian visa, one of the most critical elements is meeting the work experience requirement. However, these requirements can vary significantly depending on the type of visa—particularly between General Skilled Migration (GSM) and Employer-Sponsored visas.

Let’s break it down for our Growmore Community!

🎯 General Skilled Migration (GSM) – Subclass 189, 190, and 491

For GSM visas, your work experience must align with the nominated ANZSCO occupation, and is assessed primarily during skills assessment.

✅ Key Point: Part-Time Work Can Count

• Most assessing authorities accept part-time work at a minimum of 20 hours per week, provided it’s paid and relevant to the nominated occupation.
• The work must be post-qualification, unless otherwise stated by the assessing authority.
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💡 Tip: Always check with your specific skills assessing authority (like ACS, Vetassess, etc.) for detailed guidelines.

🧰 Employer Sponsored Visas – Subclass 186, 494, and 482

Employer-sponsored visas have different rules. Let’s look at the main ones:

🔹 Subclass 186 (ENS) – TRT Stream

• Requires at least 3 years of full-time work experience in the nominated occupation.
• The experience must be post-qualification.
• Part-time work is generally not accepted unless it can be shown to be equivalent to full-time (rare cases).

🔹 Subclass 494 (SESRS)

• Similar to Subclass 186, you must show 3 years of full-time, post-qualification work experience in the occupation.
• Regional nomination and employer sponsorship is also required.

🔸 Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand Visa – previously TSS Visa)

• More flexible than 186 or 494.
• The 1-year work experience requirement can be full-time or part-time if it equates to the full-time equivalent.
• You must still demonstrate that the work is relevant, paid, and skilled.

⚠️ Note: For 482 and other temporary sponsored visas, the flexibility is higher, but you must still show strong evidence of your employment and duties.

🧾 Summary Table

🧑‍💼 Final Thoughts

Understanding how your work experience is counted is essential in choosing the right visa pathway. If you’re unsure about how your experience fits, it’s always best to consult with a Registered Migration Agent.

📞 At Growmore Immigration, our team can assess your profile and suggest the best possible migration strategy tailored to your background.

🔔 Join the Growmore Community today to get access to:

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