Last Updated on January 18, 2026 by Ozlinks Education
About Company Secretary Occupation
If you are a company secretary intending to migrate to Australia under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program, specifically for subclass 491 or subclass 190, it is crucial that you undergo a mandatory skills assessment for point test advice, as this is a compulsory requirement.
The skills assessment evaluates your qualifications and experience to ensure they meet Australian standards for your nominated occupation. After receiving a positive outcome, you can proceed with your Expression of Interest (EOI) application for an invitation to apply for a visa, which will improve your chances of successfully relocating to Australia.
See: Corporate Treasurer
Company Secretary Job Duties
A company secretary plans, administers and reviews corporate compliance activities and effective practice concerning company board meetings and shareholdings, ensuring all business matters and transactions are managed and implemented as directed by the board.
Highly relevant tasks include, but are not limited to:
- arranging, giving notice of and attending meetings of directors and shareholders
- advising organisations’ governing boards on matters concerning compliance with stock exchange listing rules, relevant legislation and corporation practice
- supervising organisations’ share capital by preparing documents and share issues, and handling share transfers
- controlling treasury and treasury systems and establishing and reviewing risk management objectives and treasury policies
- identifying, managing and reporting on financial risks
- assisting with equity management, debt management, securities and taxation planning issues
- collecting, analysing and interpreting information on the financial standing, cost structures and trading effectiveness of organisations
- devising, re-organising and establishing budgetary cost control and other accounting systems such as computer-based systems
- conducting audits and investigations and preparing financial statements and reports for management, shareholders, and governing and statutory bodies
- evaluating the cost effectiveness and risks of operational processes, activities, policies and systems
- reporting to management on the existence and effectiveness of the system of internal controls
- establishing audit objectives, and designing and implementing audit methodologies, processes and audit report criteria
ANZSCO Skill Level 1
Skill Level 1 requires qualifications that are equivalent to an Australian bachelor’s degree or higher. This includes a bachelor’s degree, an honours degree, a graduate diploma, a master’s degree, or a doctoral degree.
Occupations:
Company Secretary Skills Assessment Requirement
Assessing Authorities: VETASSESS
VETASSESS is the authority responsible for conducting skills assessments for the occupation of company secretary (ANZSCO 221211). It evaluates qualifications and assesses work experience against the relevant criteria. The following section outlines the requirements, processes, and application fees associated with the skills assessment.
Qualification Requirements
To qualify for the occupation of company secretary (ANZSCO 221211), you must possess at least a relevant diploma or a higher qualification. This includes qualifications assessed at the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels of Advanced Diploma, associate degree, Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral degrees.
Highly relevant major fields of study include:
- Risk Management
- Corporate Governance
- Law and Business
- Public and Administration
Vetassess Skills Assessment Pathways
VETASSESS provides four pathways for skills assessment; select the one that aligns best with your background. To obtain a positive outcome in your skills assessment, it is essential to meet the requirements for both qualifications and employment.
Pathway 1
- Qualification assessed at an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) bachelor’s degree or higher degree highly relevant field of study, and
- at least one (1) year of post qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years.
Pathway 2
- Qualification assessed at an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) bachelor’s degree or higher degree with an additional qualification at least Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Diploma level in a highly relevant field of study, and
- at least two (2) years of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years.
Pathway 3
- Qualification assessed at an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) bachelor’s degree or higher degree without highly relevant field of study, and
- at least three (3) years of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years.
Pathway 4
- if all of your employment is before your qualification assessed at the AQF bachelor's degree level, and
- five (5) years of highly relevant employment in addition to at least one (1) year of highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years.
Source from vetassess
Processing Time
The full skills assessment process for this occupation will take between 8 and 10 weeks from the date you submit and pay for the application to VETASSESS. The time it takes to finish depends on how quickly VETASSESS get all of the required documents and any other information from you. Making sure you've given all the necessary documents in the right format will help cut down on the time it takes to process.
What will I get after the assessment?
When your application for a skills assessment is done, the assessing authority will send you an email with a soft copy of the skills assessment outcome letter.
The letter should contain the required skill level outcome, whether your qualification is assessed as comparable to the education level of an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) or not. Furthermore, it outlines the employment period that you have claimed and whether the evidence that you provided is met or not. If you meet both the qualifications and employment criteria for the skill assessment, you will get a positive result. If you don't, you will get an unsuccessful result.
Application Fees
The following table provides an outline of the fees that are charged by VETASSESS in accordance with it for the purpose of their service of full skill assessments for professional occupations.
| Application Fees – Full Skills Assessment | |
| Applicant is a resident of Australia for tax purposes* (fee includes GST) | AUD $1,177 |
| Applicant is NOT a resident of Australia for tax purposes*(fee excludes GST) | AUD $1,070 |
Company Secretary Skills Assessment Document Checklist
The document checklist for the Company Secretary occupation (ANZSCO 221211) is outlined below. You must submit these documents with your skill assessment application. Please ensure that any documents not in English are translated by a professional translator before submission.
Personal Documents
- Passport bio page
- Passport photo
- Other identification: national ID, driver license
- Current CV/Resume
Qualifications
- Relevant Diploma/Bachelor/Master/Doctorate
- A full academic transcript
Employments Evidence Documents.
- Employment contract
- Personal tax return
- Superannuation statement
- Employment verification letter
- Payslips
Migration Skills Assessment
Why is a migration skills assessment mandatory?
If you are an accountant seeking to immigrate to Australia under the General Skills Migration subclass 190, or subclass 491 skilled points-based visa, it is crucial to complete the required skills assessment, as this is a mandatory requirement.
Mandatory skill assessments for Visa 186, Visa 494
All applicants wishing to immigrate to Australia under the Employer Nomination Scheme subclass 186 visa direct entry stream, or Subclass 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa for the occupation of accountant must obtain a positive skills assessment.
Potential Visa Pathways for Company Secretary
The Company Secretary ANZSCO 221211 occupation is currently included on the following migration occupation lists:
- Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)
- Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
Occupation: Company Secretary ANZSCO 221211 with the potential to obtain a pathway from temporary to permanent residency through the following visas:
General Skilled Migration Program
The General Skilled Migration program is a points-based visa that enables eligible overseas skilled workers to migrate to Australia without the need for an employer to sponsor their visa. In order to qualify for general skilled migration visas, you must possess a skill in a profession that is in high demand in Australia.
This visa system is points-based and assesses applicants on a variety of criteria, such as their academic background, work experience, English language proficiency, and age. The program ensures that migrants can effectively integrate into the Australian workforce and society by prioritising those with skills in demand in addition to addressing labour shortages.
Successful applicants can stay and work in Australia indefinitely on a permanent visa. The General Skilled Migration program is divided into three visa subclasses, which include:
- Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa
- Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated Visa
- Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa
Professional Advice
We simplify the Australian immigration application process and provide precise, specialised assistance based on your specific needs. We determine the optimal immigration road for you, and if the law or your circumstances change unexpectedly, we provide other paths to assist you in achieving your migration goals.
Our dedicated team is committed to staying updated on the latest immigration policies, ensuring that you have the most accurate information at your fingertips. With our support, you can navigate the complexities of the system with confidence and clarity.
Book a consultationSkill Assessment Support
We provide skill assessment support for individuals seeking to complete the skills assessment for the occupation company secretary ANZSCO 221211. Our services include guidance on qualification requirement and employment evidence you need to gather, as well as advice on what to include in your resume and how to obtain employer reference letters. With our document-checking expertise, we ensure that your applications fulfil all necessary requirements. This approach will help us prepare your application to achieve the best possible outcome.
Visa Types
Frequent Ask Questions
Here is a list of common questions that our clients ask us regarding company secretary occupation skills assessment. If you need more information do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
The ANZSCO occupation code for a company secretary in Australia is 221211, as classified by the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations system.
To qualify as a company secretary in Australia, the usual entry requirement involves completing a 3-year bachelor’s degree or higher, a master’s degree, or a doctorate, focusing on fields of study such as:
- Risk Management
- Corporate Governance
- Law and Business
- Public and Administration
In Australia, a company secretary is considered a professional occupation. This role demands a skill level of 1, which requires at least a bachelor’s degree.
Yes, the company secretary occupation, classified under ANZSCO code 221211, is designated as Skill Level 1. It is currently in high demand and lists on the migration occupation list, including the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (MLTSSL) and the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).
in Australia, VETASSESS is the authority responsible for conducting skills assessments for the occupation of company secretary (ANZSCO 221211).
Ozlinks Migration Agent is here to assist you with the skills assessment for the company secretary 221211 occupation. With our extensive experience in this area, we offer step-by-step guidance to help you meet all document requirements and maximise your chances of a positive outcome.