This is a 2026 step-by-step pathway guide for a Fisheries Officer migrating to Australia under ANZSCO 311311. 311311 is on CSOL with state nomination availability — full skilled visa stack: Subclass 189 Independent (where listed), 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 311311 cost & timeline case study. For VETASSESS document details see the skills assessment guide.
Step 1 — Confirm 311311 is the right code
ANZSCO 311311 covers fisheries / compliance work — inspecting commercial fishing vessels and seafood operations for compliance with quota / size / closure rules, recreational fishing inspections (licence checks, bag-limit / size-limit checks), fisheries observer work onboard commercial vessels (recording catch composition, bycatch, fishing effort), aquaculture site inspections, log-book auditing, market / wholesale / processing facility inspections, illegal fishing investigations and prosecution support, fisheries stock survey support, and maritime patrol and apprehension work.
If you're a research scientist running stock assessments, 234517 Fisheries Scientist is the right code. If you do production aquaculture work, 311114 Aquaculture or Fisheries Technician may fit better.
Step 2 — VETASSESS skills assessment
VETASSESS (vetassess.com.au) handles 311311. Standard requirements:
- Qualification — at least AQF Bachelor degree (Bachelor of Fisheries Science / Marine Science / Environmental Science / Aquaculture / Natural Resource Management). Some pathways accept Diploma + extensive experience.
- Skilled employment — at least 1 year highly relevant in the 5 years before applying (post-qualification).
- Reference letters must show majority time on compliance / inspection / observer work.
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 / 190 / 491
189 if 311311 is on MLTSSL — confirm at EOI. 190 / 491 are realistic — state and Commonwealth fisheries agencies recruit on rolling cycles.
State nomination markets:
- TAS — Tasmanian fisheries (rock lobster, abalone, salmon — large compliance footprint).
- SA — PIRSA Fisheries (Eyre Peninsula, southern bluefin tuna, oyster, rock lobster).
- WA — DPIRD WA (rock lobster, abalone, prawn, pearl).
- QLD — Fisheries Queensland (trawl, line, crab, prawn — Gulf of Carpentaria, Great Barrier Reef).
- NSW — NSW DPI Fisheries (rock lobster, abalone, oyster).
- NT — NT Fisheries (mud crab, barramundi, mackerel).
Subclass 186 / 494 / 482
Main 311311 employers are government — AFMA (Canberra HQ + regional offices in Darwin / Thursday Island / Mooloolaba / Lakes Entrance), state fisheries agencies, AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority), Australian Border Force (maritime), Parks Australia (marine parks compliance).
Private-sector 311311 employers are rare — but some fishing-industry organisations (Seafood Industry Australia, Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries) hire compliance / standards specialists.
Step 5 — Score / Step 6 — Submit
Use points calculator. Lodge via SkillSelect.
Tools
Authoritative sources
Next step
Want to map your fisheries officer profile against 189 vs 190 vs 491 vs 186 vs 494 vs 482? Book a 30-minute free strategy call.