Migrate to Australia as a Cardiothoracic Surgeon (ANZSCO 253512) — 2026 Pathway Guide

This is a working migration guide for Cardiothoracic Surgeons under ANZSCO 253512 in 2026. Highly specialised surgical specialty — RACS Specialist Pathway with cardiothoracic surgery endorsement.

For costs and timelines see the 253512 cost & timeline case study. For RACS, see the skills assessment guide.

What 253512 covers

ANZSCO 253512 covers cardiothoracic surgery consultant practice:

• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
• Valvular heart surgery (AVR, MVR, mitral repair)
• Aortic surgery (root, ascending, arch, TEVAR-assist)
• Adult congenital cardiac surgery
• Cardiac transplantation (sub-specialty)
• VAD implantation (sub-specialty)
• Lung surgery (lobectomy, pneumonectomy, VATS)
• Oesophageal surgery
• Mediastinal / chest wall surgery

Visas open to 253512

See Subclass 189, 190, 491, 186, 494, and 482.

RACS Specialist Pathway (Cardiothoracic)

Standard RACS Specialist Pathway:

1. Application + qualifications + experience + procedure logbook
2. RACS Specialist Assessment with cardiothoracic endorsement (6-12 months)
3. Outcome: Substantially Comparable / Partially Comparable / Not Comparable
4. Medical Board Specialist Registration with cardiothoracic endorsement
5. 12 months supervised practice (Substantially Comparable)
6. FRACS + Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship granted

Expected evidence:

• Primary medical degree (MBBS / MD / equivalent)
• Cardiothoracic Fellowship (FRCS Cardiothoracic UK, FRCSC Cardiothoracic, ABTS US, etc.)
• Origin-side specialist registration
• Comprehensive procedure logbook (CABG, valves, transplant, lung resection)
• Continuing professional development records
• English language test (typically OET B grade)

RACS Specialist Pathway fees: ~AUD 8,000-15,000.

Sponsors that hire 253512

• Major cardiothoracic centres — Alfred Hospital (Vic), RPA / RNS Sydney, Royal Brisbane / Prince Charles, Royal Adelaide, SCGH (WA), Royal Hobart
• Cardiac transplant centres — Alfred (Vic), St Vincent's (NSW), Prince Charles (QLD)
• Private cardiothoracic centres — limited but exist (Macquarie Heart, Cabrini Cardiac, etc.)
• Children's hospitals — paediatric cardiothoracic — Royal Children's (Melbourne), Sydney Children's, Queensland Children's

Common mistakes

• Insufficient procedure logbook. Cardiothoracic requires extensive case volume documentation
• English test too old. OET / IELTS validity ~2-3 years
• Origin-side restrictions. Unrestricted essential

Tools

• Eligibility wizard
• ANZSCO search — verify 253512 vs 253511
• Document checklist
• Visa fee calculator

Where to verify

• RACS
• Medical Board of Australia
• ANZSCTS

Next step

Want help mapping your cardiothoracic profile to RACS + Medical Board? Book a 30-minute free strategy call.