Social Worker Immigration
Social Worker Immigration Pathway to Australia
Social Work in Australia
- Occupation Definition: Social workers are professionals who help individuals, families, groups, and communities adapt to social environments and solve social problems. Unlike medicine and psychology, social work focuses on the interaction between people and their environment, aiming to enhance or restore social functioning.
- Job Responsibilities: Social workers assess social needs, promote the development and problem-solving of individuals and groups, focus on social justice and development, and work to improve human welfare.
Employment Directions:
- Child Protection
- Immigration or Refugee Assistance
- Medical Social Work
- Government Advocacy and Policy Development
- Community Development Projects
Employment Outlook and Salary
- Salary: The average annual salary for social workers in 2023 was AUD 70,149. With increased work experience, salaries also grow.
- Career Outlook: Social work is on Australia’s long-term skills shortage list (MLTSSL), with abundant job opportunities and broad career prospects.
Immigration Pathways
- Occupational List: Social work is listed on Australia’s medium and long-term skills shortage list (MLTSSL), making it eligible for independent skilled migration categories such as 189, 190, 491, as well as employer-sponsored categories like 482 and 494.
- Occupation Assessment: The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) conducts the occupation assessment, which includes AASW-accredited qualifications, 980 hours of practical internship, and an IELTS Academic score of 7 in each band.
- Language Exemption Conditions:
- Exemption Qualification: Applicants who have completed English-taught secondary education in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland, or South Africa and obtained a three-year full-time bachelor’s degree can be exempt from the language requirement.