This guide walks through every realistic pathway for migrating to Australia as a Web Designer under ANZSCO 232414. 232414 sits on the MLTSSL + CSOL — meaning Subclass 189, Subclass 190, Subclass 491, Subclass 186 Direct Entry, Subclass 494, and Subclass 482 Core Skills are all open.
For the assessing-authority detail, see the 232414 skills assessment guide. For worked numbers, see the 232414 cost & timeline case study.
Visa eligibility snapshot
| Visa | Status for 232414 |
|---|---|
| Subclass 189 (Independent points-tested) | Open ✅ |
| Subclass 190 (State-nominated PR) | Open ✅ |
| Subclass 491 (Regional Provisional) | Open ✅ |
| Subclass 186 Direct Entry | Open ✅ |
| Subclass 482 Core Skills | Open ✅ |
| Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer-sponsored Regional) | Open ✅ |
What ANZSCO 232414 covers
- Web designer / website design lead
- UI designer — visual interface design across web and mobile
- UX designer / interaction designer — user research, journey, prototyping
- Product designer (digital) — end-to-end product / feature design
- Design system designer — component libraries, tokens, governance
- Mobile app designer (iOS / Android UI / pattern compliance)
- Senior / Lead / Principal Designer / Head of Design — discipline lead
Pathway A — Subclass 189 (Independent PR)
Senior product / UX designers with major UK / European / North American SaaS or agency experience are competitive at 189. FAANG / Atlassian / Canva / Stripe / Spotify / similar pedigree scores well.
Pathway B — Subclass 190 (state-nominated PR)
States actively nominate — particularly NSW (Sydney tech / SaaS hub), VIC (Melbourne tech cluster), QLD (Brisbane).
Pathway C — Subclass 491 → 191
Regional pathway — Newcastle / Wollongong, Geelong (Cotton On digital), Adelaide (defence + government digital), Hobart.
Pathway D — Subclass 186 Direct Entry / 494 / 482
Realistic 186 / 482 / 494 sponsors
- Major Australian SaaS / tech — Atlassian, Canva, Xero (Melbourne, ASX), SafetyCulture (Sydney), Culture Amp (Melbourne)
- Big 4 banks digital teams — Westpac, ANZ, NAB, CBA — substantial in-house product / UX teams
- Major retailers digital — Woolworths, Coles, Wesfarmers digital
- Government digital — DTA (Digital Transformation Agency, Canberra regional), Service NSW, Service Victoria
- Major agencies — Deepend, AKQA, Isobar / Dentsu Creative, R/GA Australia, Designit, ThoughtWorks
- International tech in Australia — Google Sydney, Meta Sydney / Melbourne, Microsoft Australia, Amazon Web Services
Common mistakes that cost web designers their assessment
Confusing 232414 Designer with 261212 Web Developer. Design-led with limited code = 232414. Front-end code as primary = 261212.
Pure UX research without design output. May fit 224999 Information and Organisation Professionals NEC depending on context.
Code-heavy product designer. If most of your work is React / Vue / TypeScript with design as documentation, 261212 / 261313 fits better — broader access still.
Tools to plan your pathway
- Eligibility wizard
- Visa fee calculator
- ANZSCO search — confirm 232414 vs 232411 / 232413 / 261212
- Document checklist
Where to verify the rules
Next step
Want to model 189 vs 190 vs 491 vs 186 vs 494 vs 482 against your web / UX / product design profile? Book a 30-minute free strategy call.