Accountant (General) Migration Guide Australia 2026
ANZSCO 221111 — CPA Australia, CA ANZ or IPA assessment, and the points-test reality behind one of the most consistently nominated occupations on the list.
Accountant (General) (ANZSCO 221111) has been one of the most consistently listed occupations on Australia’s skilled migration program for years — but that consistency also means it draws an unusually high volume of applicants, particularly from graduates of Australian accounting degrees. It’s a genuine pathway to PR, but a realistic one needs to account for the competition, not just the occupation’s presence on the list.
- Accountant (General) sits on the MLTSSL — eligible for 189, 190, 491, 482 and 186.
- Skills assessment is via CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants ANZ (CA ANZ) or the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) — you choose one.
- High and sustained applicant volume, especially from local accounting graduates, means points competition runs higher than the occupation’s "in-demand" reputation suggests.
- A specialisation (audit, tax, forensic) or regional flexibility meaningfully improves your realistic odds relative to a generic general-accounting profile.
Quick Answer
Yes — Accountant (General) has a genuine route to Australian PR through 189, 190, 491 or employer-sponsored 482→186, sitting on the core skilled list with a choice of three assessing bodies (CPA Australia, CA ANZ or IPA). The catch is volume: this is one of the most consistently nominated — and consistently applied-for — occupations in the system, so a competitive points score or a specific state/regional strategy matters more here than the occupation’s shortage status alone suggests.
Can an Accountant Get PR in Australia?
Tap the profile closest to yours.
Occupation Snapshot
Generalist vs Specialised Profile
PR Pathways for Accountants
Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent): No nomination required, but this is genuinely one of the more competitive occupations in the points system given sustained high applicant volume.
Subclass 190 (State Nominated): Adds nomination points — useful for profiles sitting just under the independent threshold, though state interest in general accounting varies year to year.
Subclass 491 (Regional Provisional): A strong option given how many regional businesses and accounting practices genuinely need staff, combined with the +15 points and materially lower competition than the metro pool.
Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand): Direct employer sponsorship, common at accounting firms and businesses with an ongoing need — often faster than the points test for a genuine offer.
Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme): The PR conversion point after 482, or direct entry for those meeting the streamlined criteria.
Accountant → PR: The Real Sequence
Choose your assessing body
Compare CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA requirements against your qualification — the right choice depends on your specific degree and career goals, not just convenience.
Skills assessment
Submit your qualification and employment history for assessment.
English + points build
Maximise English, age and experience points — competition in this pool makes every point count.
EOI, nomination or sponsorship
Lodge SkillSelect for 189/190/491, or progress an employer’s 482 offer.
Visa grant → PR
189/190 grant PR directly; 491 converts via 191 after the regional commitment; 482 progresses to PR via 186.
CPA Australia, CA ANZ and IPA have different entry requirements and different professional pathways beyond migration. Choosing based only on speed can leave you with a qualification pathway that doesn’t match your long-term career plans — weigh both before committing.
State Nomination Opportunities
Victoria: Melbourne’s large finance and professional-services sector sustains steady demand, though 190 nomination for general accounting can be selective given the applicant volume.
New South Wales: Sydney’s financial services sector is significant, but NSW’s accounting nomination pool is correspondingly one of the more competitive nationally.
Queensland: Brisbane’s growing business-services sector, alongside regional Queensland accounting practices, offers comparatively more accessible nomination than the southern capitals.
South Australia: SA’s whole-state regional settings and smaller applicant pool make it one of the more approachable states for general accounting nomination.
Tasmania: A wholly regional state — every Tasmanian nomination carries the 491 +15 automatically, with local accounting practices facing genuine staffing gaps.
Salary Expectations
Common Mistakes
Assuming being on the skilled list means low competition. Accountant (General) is one of the most consistently applied-for occupations — plan for genuine competition, not just eligibility.
Choosing an assessing body based purely on speed rather than which recognises your specific qualification most favourably.
Overlooking regional 491, where accounting practices genuinely struggle to recruit and the +15 points changes the competitive picture significantly.
Not considering a specialisation (audit, tax) that could reduce the effective competition within your specific pool even under the same occupation code.
Model your accounting points
See where your profile lands, and what a state nomination or regional 491 adds.
Key Takeaways
- Accountant (General) (221111) sits on the MLTSSL and is eligible for 189, 190, 491, 482 and 186.
- Assessment is via CPA Australia, CA ANZ or IPA — the choice affects both your migration case and your career pathway.
- High, sustained applicant volume means genuine competition despite the occupation’s consistent list presence.
- Regional 491 and a sector specialisation both meaningfully improve realistic odds.
- All five major nominating states draw on accountants, but nomination access varies with each state’s current applicant volume.
Expert Commentary
Accounting is a case study in why being "on the list" isn’t the same as being uncompetitive. It’s genuinely one of the most applied-for occupations I see, largely because so many international students graduate into it locally. The clients who move fastest are the ones who either specialise, go regional, or find an employer who needs them specifically — not the ones relying on the base points test alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your specific qualification and career goals, not just which is fastest. Compare each body’s entry requirements against your degree before committing, since it affects your professional pathway beyond the visa.
It’s one of the most consistently listed occupations, which over time has attracted a very large applicant pool — particularly graduates of Australian accounting degrees — pushing effective competition higher than the occupation’s presence on the list alone implies.
Often, yes — regional accounting practices and businesses genuinely need staff, and the +15 points plus lower competition make 491 a strong, realistic route relative to the metro pool.
It can — a narrower specialisation sometimes faces less internal competition and stronger employer interest than a fully generalist profile, even under the same occupation code.
Ready to act on this? Talk to the right team.
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Turn this intelligence into your plan.
Have a registered agent choose the right assessing body and build a realistic strategy — regional, specialised or sponsored — instead of relying on the base points test alone.