The origins of the Quantity Surveyor profession date back to a great fire in 1834 that destroyed the famous Palace of Westminster in the United Kingdom — and in doing so, gave birth to the quantity surveying discipline. When reviewing contracts for the new Houses of Parliament, the British Government introduced a measurement system and accepted public tenders based on bills of quantities for the first time.From that point on, Quantity Surveyors stood shoulder to shoulder with architects and engineers in the United Kingdom.

Quantity Surveyors are primarily responsible for assessing and monitoring construction costs throughout the feasibility phase — a phase that spans from tender preparation through to the construction project and beyond.This is not a purely engineering-based profession,but rather a cross-disciplinary field that bridges engineering and commerce.Unlike civil engineering, it does not require students to study detailed structural design or materials principles. The core subjects in a quantity surveying programme includemanagement, economics, accounting, corporate finance, construction law, engineering drawing, architecture, building construction, project finance and investment, and property developmentand other

There are many universities in Australia that offer quantity surveying programmes,but only three universities havepostgraduate programmesaccredited by AIQS (the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors),while undergraduate accredited programmesoffer more choices.Accreditation is critically important, as it is directly tied to the next step — your skills assessment. Once you graduate from an accredited institution,you can apply directly for a skills assessment, and only after obtaining a positive assessment can you lodge a points-based skilled migration application.Key point:A skills assessment is therefore an indispensable part of the study-to-migration pathway.

The three universities with accredited postgraduate programmes are:

We also recommend twoaccredited programmes,which also provideregional area bonus points and advantages for regional state-nominated migration —undergraduate degrees:

There are 4 pathways in total, each with different requirements depending on your background.

Most graduating students takePathway 1. Applicantsmust have completed an accredited Australian programme.

Accredited programmes that are particularly advantageous for migration include

the University of Canberra’s Bachelor of Building and Construction Management,after which you may consider ACT state nomination.

the University of South Australia’s Bachelor of Construction Management and Economics,after which you may consider SA state nomination.

Pathway 2: For non-accredited programmes, applicants must have 2 years of highly relevant work experience.

Pathway 3: For applicants who graduated overseas — at least 2 years of highly relevant work experience required.

Pathway 4: Members of partner associations — at least 1 year of work experience required.

The English language requirement set by AIQS isequivalent to IELTS 6 in each of the four bands (listening, speaking, reading, and writing),citizens holding a passport from an English-speaking country may be exempt,and applicants who have completed a bachelor’s or relevant master’s degree in Australia may also be exempt.

If you are currently enrolled in a QS programme, about to graduate, or have already graduated, and are considering your skills assessment options, feel free to contact us directly for a personalised evaluation.

State-by-state nomination overview (using 2021–22 financial year policy as reference)

General application process for Subclass 190 or Subclass 491 across states:

Once the baseline requirements for your chosen state are met, you will first need to lodge an EOI/ROI. After receiving a pre-invitation, you submit the full formal documentation. Once the state government approves your application, an official nomination is issued, and you can then lodge your Subclass 190/491 visa application.

However, each state’s Subclass 190/491 programme includes multiple streams. The most common is thegraduate stream,which is only open to graduates from within the state and comes with certain preferential treatment — for example,Western Australia‘s Quantity Surveyor stream only accepts locally graduated students for a Subclass 190 or 491 application.

There is also theemployment stream,which generally accepts graduates from other states but requires a job offer or existing employment in the nominated occupation within that state:

For example,Tasmaniahas both streams — accepting both local graduates and applicants who graduated interstate but are currently working in Tasmania.

Another example:Canberra,also accepts both local and interstate graduates. Canberra has its own matrix scoring system, under which local graduates enjoy advantages such as long-term residency — giving them a better chance of securing a Subclass 190. Interstate graduates who secure 3 months of work in Canberra (in any occupation, including part-time) can meet one of the key criteria for a Subclass 491 application.

Highly recommended — South Australia (SA) state nomination:

Migration Information Sharing & Q&A Group