Australia has been well known to provide a quality education because of a good number of recognized and top-notch educational institutions. Thousands of international students choose Australia every year to pursue their higher education. Well, a study visa is the best bet if you want to elongate your stay in Australia, most likely PR, as most international students tend to settle in Australia permanently once they complete their education.
As Australia offers a post-study work visa (Subclass 485) to international students, it acts as a golden chance for them to secure their points for PR. The international students get PR points based on their qualifications and work experience. Once the students have enough PR points, they can apply for their permanent residency by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI).
Well, as the qualification of the student plays a major factor in their PR points, it becomes highly essential to choose their course wisely. Also, it is highly suggested to get their work experience in their field of study, as it would give them the highest number of PR points possible.
If you are an international student who is eyeing to get PR in Australia, you got to start early and choose the right course. Let’s discuss some courses in Australia that will help you get a well-paid job and may lead to PR.
Top Courses That Can Lead You to PR in Australia
Let’s get started:
Education & Teaching
A career in education and teaching is considered evergreen. The pandemic has made us realize that the modes of teaching may change circumstantially, but teachers and students will always be there. As long as there is education, there will be teachers; this is why a career in the field of education and teaching is always in demand.
There are different levels of educational programs in the field of teaching that can help the graduates get entry into professions that have high demand in educational institutions.
Here are some of the professions that are on the skills list for PR in Australia.
- Early Childhood (Pre-Primary School) Teacher
- Primary School Teacher
- Secondary School Teacher
- Special Needs Teacher
- University Lecturer
- Vocational Education Teacher
- Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Social Work
Social work courses are currently considered highly desirable, as the resulting occupations are currently considered among the fastest-growing in Australia. Social issues are ever-growing and this is the reason that social work courses attract a lot of international students in Australia now. There are different qualifications offered that are considered perfect for people who want to work for people affected by personal or social issues. These courses help make a positive impact on the lives of others by providing support and advice to reintegrate people who are displaced socially.
Social work graduates are considered as the unsung heroes of modern society. We have listed some of the highly-coveted social work courses on the MLTSSL (Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List) and a combined list of eligible skilled occupations.
Combined List of Eligible Skilled Occupations & Social Work Courses
- Social Worker
- Community Worker
- Welfare Worker
- Welfare Centre Manager
- Family Support Worker
Automotive
Automotive is a big industry; and it has grown considerably over the years, slowly and quickly at different times based upon various factors. With a focus also shifting towards energy-saving automobiles, there’s a whole new bunch of opportunities that are opening up for students interested in automobile engineering and repair.
The eligibility criteria to join automotive courses is easy and the qualifications offered are ample.
The demand for automobile-related work profiles is high in Australia and in-demand jobs include automotive electricians and motor mechanics.
Automotive Jobs Currently on the List are:
- Automotive Electrician
- Diesel Motor Mechanic
- Motor Mechanic (General)
- Motorcycle Mechanic
Building & Construction
The building and Construction industry has a double-digit projected job growth that will continue to grow in future. Trade profiles like plumbers, joiners, etc. have always been in great demand across different parts of Australia, making trade courses an attractive pathway for international students. Another very good point about taking these courses is that the English language proficiency requirement for these courses is fairly low as compared to other courses.
Some of the Jobs for the Building and Construction Industry in the PR list include:
- Bricklayer
- Building Inspector
- Carpenter
- Carpenter and Joiners
- Construction Project Manager
- Construction Estimator
- Glazier
- Roof Tiler
- Wall and Floor Tiler
Plumbing
Certificate III or IV in plumbing have a double-digit projected job growth rate until 2022 with high chances of permanent residency. Plumbing and related profiles have always been in demand in Australia, due to which there is no dearth of international students taking up these courses.
Plumbing Jobs present in the PR list include:
- Air conditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
- Plumber (General)
- Roof Plumber
Painting & Decoration
With increasing infrastructure and the never-ending need to maintain it, the scope of painting & decoration jobs has manifolded in the recent past. In fact, painting & decoration courses can turn out to be an easy and highly prospective PR pathway for international students in Australia. The construction industry is always on the lookout for resources. Occupation included in the MLTSSL is Painting Trades Worker.
In addition to the high-prospect courses, here are the top five courses that can nearly guarantee PR in Australia, provided the candidate does everything right – from getting enough relevant work experience to scoring high enough PR points! These five courses are highly recommended as a sure-shot pathway to PR in Australia!
Nursing
Australia has a highly efficient and equipped healthcare industry, and the demand for healthcare professionals has been increasing with the increasing population. In fact, according to Australia’s Future Health Workforce, about 120,000+ nurses would be required in the country by 2030. Out of all the healthcare professions, nursing is one of the most chosen by international students who wish to enter the healthcare sector. There are different courses offered in this stream, all of which have huge scope.
Top Nursing Jobs in Australia for a Nursing Graduate:
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse (Surgical)
- Nurse (Community Health)
- Nurse (Mental Health)
- Nurse (Child and Family Health)
- Nurse (Medical Practice)
- Nurse (Paediatrics)
- Nurse (Critical Care and Emergency)
- Registered Nurse (Aged Care)
- Nurse (Disability and Rehabilitation)
- Nurse (Developmental Disability)
- Midwifery
Needless to say, it is one of the highest-paying and promising professions one can choose.
Computer and Information Technology (IT)
With advancing technology, the need for IT professionals is increasing around the world, and Australia is not any exception. The booming economy of Australia caters to IT professionals pretty well, especially the ones with degrees from a recognized Australian university or relevant work experience.
Educational institutes in Australia impart different qualifications in Computer and IT fields, ranging from computer networks and systems to ICT Business & System Analysis, Software application and programming, Web Developing, etc. All these courses open promising career prospects for international students and make them eligible for PR in Australia.
Hospitality
Counting the pandemic out, tourism has always been a booming industry in Australia, which has offered exciting career opportunities to international students and helped them get PR too. Courses like baking, cooking, or hotel management can help the students get PR in Australia, especially if they have relevant work experience.
Several renowned educational institutes in Australia provide PR-oriented hospitality courses leading to professions like Baker, Chef, Pastry Cook, Bed and Breakfast Operator, Restaurant or Cafe Manager, Licensed Club Manager, Camping or Caravan Park Manager, Accommodation and Hospitality Manager, Hotel or Motel Manager, etc. One can take admission in these courses and increase their PR points.
A person working in the tourism or hospitality industry may earn anywhere between AUD23,000 to AUD169,000.
Accounting
The field of accounting offers multiple career options to international students. A student with a bachelor’s degree in accounting along with relevant experience has good career aspects. The prospects become manifold after completing Masters in Professional Accounting. With these degrees, one can take up roles like Corporate Treasurer, External Editor, Taxation Accountant, General Accountant, Management accountant, etc. There are different visa options for immigration per the MLTSSL for this profession.
An accountant in Australia may earn around AUD110,000.
Engineering
Australia’s demand for engineers has increased over the past number of years. The engineers innovate and provide practical solutions to unusual and complex problems and create, design, build, manufacture, and invent new ideas that are put in application across various fields. Educational institutions in Australia offer several qualifications in the stream of engineering. An engineering degree from Australia opens up various employment opportunities for international students in fields like
- Agricultural Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Aeronautical Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Many more
Engineers in Australia are paid up to AUD150,000 per annum.
Conclusion
Though many other promising fields can get international students ahead in their PR journey, what matters more is relevant experience. As mentioned above, automotive courses have really high prospects when combined with relevant experience to get PR in Australia easily.
International students must chalk out their pathways in advance and stick to the same. MARA agents and education counsellors can help the students choose the right courses and pathways that have brighter prospects in the future. Make sure you do not hop courses and choose the right course in the first place to get a step closer to PR!
