This guide walks through every realistic pathway for migrating to Australia as a Ship's Officer under ANZSCO 231214. 231214 sits on the ROL + CSOL — meaning Subclass 186 Direct Entry, Subclass 494, and Subclass 482 Core Skills are open. Subclass 189, Subclass 190, and Subclass 491 are NOT open.
For the assessing-authority detail, see the 231214 skills assessment guide. For worked numbers, see the 231214 cost & timeline case study.
Visa eligibility snapshot
| Visa | Status for 231214 |
|---|---|
| Subclass 189 (Independent points-tested) | Closed |
| Subclass 190 (State-nominated PR) | Closed |
| Subclass 491 (Regional Provisional) | Closed |
| Subclass 186 Direct Entry | Open ✅ |
| Subclass 482 Core Skills | Open ✅ |
| Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer-sponsored Regional) | Open ✅ |
What ANZSCO 231214 covers
- Chief Mate / Chief Officer (STCW II/2 unlimited) — second-in-command, cargo officer
- Chief Officer <3000GT — coastal trade, OSV, smaller vessel cargo officer
- Officer of the Watch (STCW II/1) — OOW (2nd Officer / 3rd Officer roles)
- DP-rated Officer — DP-2 / DP-3 OSV / construction vessel watch keeping
- Tanker Officer — LNG / oil / chemical tanker watch with cargo familiarisation
- Tug Officer — harbour and coastal tug deck operations
Pathway A — Subclass 186 Direct Entry (fastest)
Realistic 186 sponsors
- Major shipping operators — ANL Container Line, Sea Swift, BHP shipping, Rio Tinto Marine
- Offshore O&G OSV operators — Solstad Offshore Australia, MMA Offshore, Bhagwan Marine
- Tug / harbour services — Svitzer Australia, Smit Lamnalco, Engage Marine
- Passenger / RoRo — TT-Line (Spirit of Tasmania), SeaLink
- Defence-adjacent — Serco Defence Marine Services
Pathway B — Subclass 482 Core Skills
482 → 186 TRT after 2 years.
Pathway C — Subclass 494 → 191
Strong regional pathway — same regional WA / QLD / NT / TAS clusters as Master / Engineer.
Common mistakes that cost ship's officers their assessment
Sea time gaps. AMSA expects continuous sea service log signed by previous masters / superintendents.
STCW endorsement currency lapsed. Basic Safety Training, Advanced Fire Fighting, Medical Care, GMDSS, ECDIS Type-Specific.
Confusing 231214 with 231213 Master. Master = sole command. Officer below master (Chief Mate / 2nd / 3rd Officer) = 231214.
OOW certificate without Chief Mate. STCW II/1 OOW alone is genuinely 231214 — but career progression toward Master Mariner via Chief Mate II/2 is the standard upward path.
Tools to plan your pathway
- Eligibility wizard
- Visa fee calculator
- ANZSCO search — confirm 231214 vs 231213 / 231215
- Document checklist
Where to verify the rules
Next step
Want to model 186 vs 494 vs 482 against your deck officer profile and CoC class? Book a 30-minute free strategy call.