This is a worked case study for a Furniture Maker migrating to Australia under ANZSCO 394113. 394113 is on CSOL only — eligible visas: Subclass 186 Direct Entry and Subclass 482 Core Skills — both employer-sponsored. NOT eligible for 189 / 190 / 491 / 494 under this code.
For visa-by-visa context see the 394113 pathway guide. For TRA OSAP see the skills assessment guide. For state-by-state breakdown see the state nomination comparison. For invitation patterns see the invitation rounds trends.
The case profile
Anonymised composite. 33-year-old Senior Bespoke Furniture Maker, UK NVQ Level 3 Furniture Production + Building Crafts College (London) Furniture Making programme + 10 years experience: 2 years apprentice at UK premium bespoke furniture maker (David Linley / Mark Ripley / Senior & Carmichael supplier base), 5 years senior furniture maker at UK design-led furniture company (specialty solid timber dining tables, sideboards, bedroom furniture in oak / walnut / cherry), 3 years lead furniture maker + designer-maker at London bespoke commission workshop (private client AUD 5,000-25,000+ pieces). Proficient English (UK native). Family: spouse, no children.
Strategic note: candidate has confirmed offer from Jardan Furniture (Melbourne) as senior furniture maker. Targeting 186 Direct Entry via 394113 CSOL pathway. Backup: MCM House Sydney, regional artisan workshop in Daylesford / Castlemaine VIC.
Pathway A — Subclass 186 Direct Entry (primary)
For couple:
| Item | AUD |
|---|---|
| TRA OSAP skills assessment | 4,300 |
| 186 visa fees (couple) | 6,750 |
| Health, police, English (PTE) | 900 |
| Total applicant-side | ~11,950 |
Employer SAF + nomination: AUD 3,540 - 5,540 + AUD 540. 186 wall-clock: 6 to 12 months. PR straight away.
Pathway B — Subclass 482 Core Skills
| Item | AUD |
|---|---|
| TRA OSAP skills assessment | 4,300 |
| 482 visa fees (couple) | 4,160 |
| Health, police, English (PTE) | 900 |
| Total applicant-side | ~9,360 |
Employer SAF AUD 1,200/year × 4 + AUD 540 nomination. 482 → 186 TRT after 2 years + 3 years cumulative.
Pathways NOT available under 394113
Per source data, 394113 is not eligible for:
- Subclass 189 Independent — MLTSSL-only (consider 394111 Cabinetmaker if scope fits).
- Subclass 190 State-Nominated — STSOL / MLTSSL only.
- Subclass 491 Regional Provisional — STSOL / MLTSSL only.
- Subclass 494 Regional Employer — ROL only.
For points-tested or state-nominated pathways, evaluate whether 394111 Cabinetmaker fits your scope (work must include built-in cabinetry / kitchens / wardrobes alongside furniture).
Side-by-side comparison
| Path | Applicant cost | Employer cost | Wall-clock to PR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 189 (Independent) | N/A | N/A | Not eligible (394113) |
| 190 / 491 | N/A | N/A | Not eligible (394113) |
| 186 Direct Entry (CSOL) | AUD ~11,950 (couple) | AUD 3,540 - 5,540 | 6-12 months |
| 494 regional employer | N/A | N/A | Not eligible (394113) |
| 482 Core Skills → 186 TRT | AUD ~9,360 + 186 | AUD 5,340 + 186 SAF | 30-36 months |
Things that frequently surprise people
394113 is sponsor-tied only. No points-tested pathways under this code. Plan sponsor outreach early.
186 DE is the fastest PR pathway. 6-12 months from confirmed sponsor offer.
Melbourne is the strongest furniture-making sponsor market. Jardan Furniture is Australia's premier furniture maker — sustained skilled trade recruitment.
Sydney secondary. MCM House, Coco Republic, Becker Minty, King Living adjacency. Smaller sponsor pool than Melbourne but functional.
Regional artisan workshops sponsor too. Daylesford / Castlemaine / Bendigo VIC, Hobart TAS, Margaret River WA, Northern Rivers NSW artisan clusters — smaller per-employer capacity but quality sponsorship.
Furniture maker pay range. Junior furniture maker AUD 55-70k; experienced furniture maker AUD 70-95k; senior bespoke furniture maker / designer-maker AUD 85-115k; master furniture maker / workshop principal AUD 100-150k+. Jardan, MCM House, premium bespoke houses pay top of range.
Furniture designer credentials matter. Building Crafts College (London), Sturt School for Wood (NSW), Centre for Furniture Design (Vic), Inside Passage School (US), North Bennet Street School (US) — premium training credentials genuinely differentiate.
Compagnons du Devoir (France) and German Tischler apprenticeship gold-standard. Premium European furniture-making traditions highly valued.
Australian hardwood knowledge valued. Tasmanian Oak, Blackbutt, Spotted Gum, Jarrah, Marri, Huon Pine, Blackwood, Brushbox, Cypress — species behaviour knowledge matters for Australian workshops.
Hand-cut joinery and traditional finishing valued. French polish, oil finishes, hand-cut dovetails are signals of premium-furniture trade.
CNC operation skills genuine differentiator. Modern furniture workshops use Felder / Biesse / Homag / SCM CNC routers + CAD/CAM software.
TRA OSAP cost ~AUD 4,000-4,500. Budget early.
Portfolio essentially required. 15-20 paired examples (tables, chairs, sideboards, bedroom, bespoke commissions). Close-ups of joinery, finishing, hardware.
Health examinations expire after 12 months. Plan accordingly.
Tax residency starts on arrival. The Australian tax year runs 1 July to 30 June. See ATO residency rules before signing.
MARA registration is mandatory for paid migration assistance. Verify any agent at the MARA register.
The pragmatic conversation
Realistic conversation with an overseas furniture maker considering Australia:
- Do you have a sponsor offer? If YES → 394113 / 186 DE fast track. If NO → evaluate whether 394111 Cabinetmaker fits scope for points-tested pathway.
- Sponsor outreach strategy:
- Melbourne: Jardan Furniture (Australia's premier furniture maker), Living Edge, Designs of Australia, Pop & Scott. - Sydney: MCM House, Coco Republic, Becker Minty, King Living adjacency. - Regional artisan: Daylesford / Castlemaine / Bendigo VIC, Hobart TAS, Margaret River WA.
- TRA OSAP planning. Cert III equivalent + 3 years post-trade evidence + portfolio + premium training credentials. Budget ~AUD 4,500.
- Code evaluation. 394113 (Furniture Maker / sponsor-tied) vs 394111 (Cabinetmaker / points-tested MLTSSL). Critical strategic question.
- Premium credentials matter. Building Crafts College, Sturt School for Wood, Compagnons du Devoir, Tischler apprenticeship — investing in these credentials genuinely differentiates for sponsor offer.
Tools
- Visa fee calculator
- Points calculator
- Document checklist
- Eligibility wizard
- Skilled Occupation List
- Occupation Shortage List
- ANZSCO search
Where to verify the numbers
- Home Affairs visa pricing page
- Subclass 186 details
- Subclass 482 details
- Trades Recognition Australia (TRA)
- Furnishing Industry Association of Australia
- Furniture Designer Maker Association
- Office of MARA
- ATO
Next step
Want to model 394113 (sponsor 186 DE) vs 394111 (points 189) for your case, and identify realistic Australian furniture-maker sponsors? Book a 30-minute free strategy call with a MARA-registered agent at Global Select.