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Article author

Newstars Senior Education Consultant: Vera XU

Holds a Master of Accounting from Queensland University of Technology, Australia;

Has successfully guided over 600 students through study-abroad applications and supported more than 300 families on their Australian migration journey;

Specialises in Australian study-abroad applications, TAFE study, undergraduate-to-master’s pathways, work-and-study arrangements, skilled migration, and more.

Subclass 189 offshore —

but skills assessment?

Recent offshore Subclass 189 invitation rounds have been delivering the good news of invitations at 65 points, putting Australian migration back on the radar for many people.However, the first major hurdle for purely offshore applicants pursuing skilled migration has always been theskills assessment,and many of Australia’s most “migration-friendly” occupations are notoriously difficult to have assessed on the basis of overseas qualifications.

So many people are asking: can they come to Australia to study, and use an Australian qualification to plan their migration pathway?

Study and migrate —

but what about English?

After deciding to pursue the study-and-migrate route, the next obstacle is oftenEnglish proficiency.

Some clients say: after years in the workforce, my English has gotten a bit rusty.

Others ask: my English is reasonably solid — does that give me any advantage in choosing a field of study?

English is Australia’s official language, and many Australian migration programmes require applicants to meet an English proficiency threshold.Some people therefore assume that if their English isn’t strong, studying and migrating to Australia is out of reach— and it’s true that English can be a barrier for many people. As we all know, the minimum English requirement for skilled migration is an IELTS score of 6 in all four bands — meaning that if you want to obtain Australian PR through skilled migration, you either already have, or need to be confident you can achieve, an IELTS 4×6 result.

Sometimes choosing the right path matters more than working harder!Choosing the option that suits you best is the key. Today we’ll walk you through which migration occupations and study-and-migrate pathways to considerbased on your English score.

These fields offerexcellent value for tuition fees,require no prior relevant backgroundand are ideal for those who want to come to Australia to study and achieve skilled migration.

If your English score is| IELTS 7–8

If you have a strong English foundation and can comfortably achieve an IELTS 4×7 or even 4×8 result, we recommend that youconsider nursing, social work, or early childhood education as a priority— these occupations are well positioned in the current skilled migration climate, particularly nursing and early childhood education, where invitation good news has been arriving frequently.

Option 1: Nursing — Study and Migrate

This programme requires an IELTS score of 4×7 with no language package, making it better suited to students with a solid English foundation. Some nursing programmes do not require applicants to have a relevant undergraduate background — you simply need to complete a short online human physiology course first.

South Australia — University of Adelaide

Master of Clinical Nursing

Duration: 2 years

Intake: February

Entry requirements:

Applicants must hold an Australian-recognised bachelor’s degree. Those whose undergraduate degree was not in nursing and who have not studied human physiology or anatomy may first complete a short online course in human physiology, after which they can enrol directly.

English proficiency equivalent to an IELTS 4×7.

Migration pathway:

After graduating in South Australia,apply for South Australia Subclass 190/491 through the SA graduate nomination stream;

meet the basic requirements for skilled migration,find relevant employment after graduation — a work experience period of 3–6 months allows you to lodge a state nomination application;

for certain nursing specialisations, such as aged care nursing, child and family nursing, and disability nursing, graduates in South Australia who have a work contract of at least six months in a nominated occupation may also lodge an SA state nomination application.

Option 2: Early Childhood Education — Study and Migrate

If you are committed to a career in education, you may consider a Master of Teaching in Australia. This degree has three specialisations: early childhood, primary, and secondary education. The programme has relatively high English requirements — generally IELTS 7 or above — but does not strictly require applicants to have a relevant educational background.Among these, early childhood education is a long-term shortage occupation in Australia,and migration demand for this field is very high at present. This arts-based master’s programme has virtually no requirements regarding your undergraduate discipline — a wide range of applicants are eligible.

Victoria — Australian Catholic University

Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary)

Duration: 2 years

Intakes: February, July

Entry requirements:

A bachelor’s degree

IELTS Reading and Writing no lower than 7.0; Listening and Speaking no lower than 8.0.

Migration pathway:

After graduating, apply for an early childhood education skills assessment, then apply for PR through a Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa;

based on each state’s nomination occupation list, satisfy the requirements of state nomination or regional nomination policies — early childhood education is currently listed as a nominated occupation across all state and regional nomination lists.Victoria has no mandatory work experience requirement for state-based applicants— as long as you meet the basic requirements for skilled migration, you have a chance to apply for Victoria state nomination.

Option 3: Social Work — Study and Migrate

Social work — graduates in this field can obtain a skills assessment as a social worker. The assessing authority is AASW, and skilled migration can be pursued through Subclass 189/190/491. Accredited programmes are typically offered at the bachelor’s or master’s level, with an entry requirement of IELTS 4×7. A bachelor’s degree takes 3 years and a master’s 2 years. To obtain a social work skills assessment, you must provide an IELTS 4×7 result — no other English qualification is currently accepted — so for students with a strong English foundation, this field lets you put your language advantage to good use.

Queensland — Southern Cross University

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Duration: 2 years

Intakes: February, October

Entry requirements:

Completion of study equivalent to an Australian AQF Level 7 bachelor’s degree, with one year of full-time study in social science and behavioural science subjects

English proficiency equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 7, with no band below 7

Migration pathway:

Queensland master’s graduates who hold a skills assessment — where the nominated occupation can be any occupation on the Australian occupation list —may apply for Queensland Subclass 491 regional state nomination;

even without choosing Queensland state nomination,social work, as a popular occupation, also allows you to apply for a Subclass 189 or other state-nomination worker stream to obtain PR.

If your English score is| IELTS 5–6

If your English foundation is not the strongest but you can reach 5–6 overall, you still have plenty of options — language skills are built up through sustained study, and two years of immersion can produce a dramatic improvement.

Option 4: Early Childhood Education via TAFE — Study and Migrate

Even without achieving an IELTS 4×7, you can still consider TAFE NSW’s Bachelor of Early Childhood Education. There is no need to worry about needing IELTS 7788 for the early childhood education skills assessment later on — four years of undergraduate study can exempt you from the English requirement for that skills assessment. Moreover, this bachelor’s programme includes a paid placement component, making it both cost-effective and highly practical. It is well suited to students with a high school qualification who are looking to study a bachelor’s degree abroad.

New South Wales — NSW TAFE

Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth-5)

Duration: 4 years

Intakes: February, July

Entry requirements:

Completion of secondary school (high school);

English proficiency equivalent to an overall IELTS of 6.5, with no band below 6.0

Migration pathway:

NSW is presenting strong opportunities for a wide range of arts and business occupations, including early childhood education;

the NSW Subclass 190 minimum requirement for early childhood education is 65+5 points, with no related work experience required;

for NSW Subclass 491, the minimum requirement for early childhood education is 75 points — applicants with a base score of only 60 may consider applying for NSW 491, as NSW offers a work experience exemption for graduates in regional areas.

Option 5: IT — Study and Migrate

South Australia — Kaplan Business College

Master of Information Technology (Extension)

Duration: 2 years

Intakes: March, July, September, November

Entry requirements:

Hold a qualification equivalent to an Australian bachelor’s degree;

English equivalent to an overall IELTS of 6.5, with no band below 6.

Migration pathway:

Through the SA graduate nomination stream, the minimum EOI score for most ICT occupations is 65 points;

3–6 months of post-graduation work experience is required;

you can apply for the direct-to-PR Subclass 190, or at minimum secure a Subclass 491 as a backup.

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Summary

For those witha strong English foundation, considernursing, social work, or early childhood educationas your first choice — these are migration-friendly fields. If you are confident of achieving 4×7 or even 4×8, an IELTS 4×8 opens the door to highly competitive states such as NSW, Victoria, and Queensland; an IELTS 4×7 makes Canberra a viable study-and-migrate option;

ifyour English is not as strong, we recommend that youlook at state nomination in regional states such as South Australia, Western Australia, or Tasmania when choosing a university— competition is less intense and there is no pressure to score highly in English. At the same time, we suggest choosing a programme with lower English entry requirements, such as IT — securing an offer sooner and completing your studies earlier means you can start planning your migration as soon as possible.

Not sure which path suits you? You can request a free assessment and start planning your study-and-migrate pathway early. We have been compiling the latest and most comprehensive migration planning information for you, to provide a professional assessment and identify the right study-and-migrate option for you. If you need assistance, please add our consultant’s WeChat for a one-on-one consultation.

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Subclass 189 final invitations include accountants and IT! NSW 491 adds priority stream!Clickthe “original article link” — Migration Weekly Bulletin (video edition)

Want to Study and Migrate to Australia but Worried About Your English? Choose the Right School and Major for Your Language Level — You Can Still Get PR Fast!

NSW 491 adds priority stream! Victoria issues nearly 1,000 Subclass 190 invitations in a single month

Subclass 189 releases latest invitation round — multiple accountants invited

Subclass 189 rebounds: how do you navigate this road back?

Subclass 189 rebounds: how do you navigate this road back?

Subclass 189 rebounds: how do you navigate this road back?

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