This is a 2026 step-by-step pathway guide for an Aquaculture or Fisheries Technician migrating to Australia under ANZSCO 311114. 311114 is on CSOL with state nomination availability — full skilled visa stack: Subclass 189 Independent (where on MLTSSL), Subclass 190 State-Nominated, Subclass 491 Regional Provisional → 191 PR, Subclass 186 Direct Entry, Subclass 494 Regional Employer → 191, and Subclass 482 Core Skills → 186 TRT.
For the cost / timeline view see the 311114 cost & timeline case study. For VETASSESS document details see the skills assessment guide.
Step 1 — Confirm 311114 is the right code
ANZSCO 311114 covers technical work supporting aquaculture and fisheries — hatchery operations (broodstock conditioning, spawning induction, larval rearing, fingerling grow-out), grow-out operations (sea-cage management for salmon / kingfish / tuna, pond / raceway operations for prawn / barramundi, oyster / mussel rope-and-tray operations), feed management and FCR optimisation, water-quality monitoring (dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, ammonia, nitrate), disease and parasite monitoring (sea lice in salmon, white spot in prawn), harvest and grading operations, and fisheries observer / stock-assessment work.
Use ANZSCO search to verify against the broader 234XXX science professional codes. If you're a research scientist with PhD, 234517 Fisheries Scientist or 234518 Aquaculture Scientist may be the right code.
The cleanest 311114 fit: hatchery technicians, sea-cage / pond technicians, water-quality technicians, harvest technicians.
Step 2 — VETASSESS skills assessment
VETASSESS (vetassess.com.au) handles 311114. Standard requirements:
- Qualification — at least AQF Bachelor degree (Bachelor of Aquaculture, Bachelor of Marine Science with aquaculture major, Bachelor of Fisheries Science, Bachelor of Aquatic Biology / Aquatic Animal Health).
- Skilled employment — at least 1 year highly relevant in the 5 years before applying (post-qualification).
- Reference letters must show majority time on aquaculture / fisheries-specific work — water-quality monitoring, fish health, hatchery, harvest etc.
Standard turnaround 12-16 weeks.
Step 3 — English
EOI lodgement requires Competent English. For points-tested visas, target Proficient (10 pts) or Superior (20 pts).
Step 4 — Choose a visa pathway
Subclass 189 (Independent PR)
Available when 311114 is on MLTSSL — confirm at EOI. Invitation rounds for 311114 have historically been thin; don't bank on this as primary pathway.
Subclass 190 / 491 (recommended for 311114)
This is realistically the strongest path. State / regional nominations:
- Tasmania — by far the largest sponsor market. Atlantic salmon majors (Tassal, Huon Aquaculture, Petuna Aquaculture, Saltas hatchery) run Storm Bay, Macquarie Harbour, Tamar and east coast operations.
- South Australia — Clean Seas Seafood (yellowtail kingfish at Port Lincoln), Australian Bluefin Tuna ranching (Stehr Group, Sarin), oyster industry (Coffin Bay, Smoky Bay).
- Western Australia — Indian Ocean Fresh Australia (cobia / yellowtail kingfish), Cygnet Bay Pearls (Kimberley pearl), Marine Produce Australia (barramundi at Cone Bay), Mainstream Aquaculture (barramundi).
- Queensland — Pacific Reef Fisheries (prawn — North QLD), Australis Aquaculture (barramundi — Mt Surround), and oyster / clam producers.
- NSW — Sydney Rock Oyster industry (Hawkesbury, Wallis Lake, Port Stephens).
491 +15 points regional gives genuine invitation realism for 311114.
Subclass 186 / 494 / 482
Direct sponsorship is realistic for senior hatchery / production roles. Tasmania Atlantic salmon companies and SA tuna ranchers regularly nominate 482 / 494 / 186. Marine science research institutes (CSIRO Hobart, IMAS — Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, AIMS — Australian Institute of Marine Science) also occasionally sponsor for technical roles.
Step 5 — Score / Step 6 — Submit
Use points calculator. Lodge via SkillSelect.
Tools
Authoritative sources
Next step
Want to map your aquaculture / fisheries profile against 189 vs 190 vs 491 vs 186 vs 494 vs 482? Book a 30-minute free strategy call.