This is the practical, step-by-step VETASSESS skills assessment guide for ANZSCO 221211 Company Secretary.
For the upstream pathway choice, see the Company Secretary pathway guide. For costs and timelines, see the company secretary cost & timeline case study.
Why VETASSESS
VETASSESS is the federal assessing authority for ANZSCO 221211.
For 190 / 491 / 186 / 494 / 482, you need a positive VETASSESS outcome before lodging the visa.
Step 1 — Confirm 221211 is the right code
| Code | Title | Use if dominant role is... |
|---|---|---|
| 221211 | Company Secretary | Corporate governance / company secretarial |
| 221212 | Corporate Treasurer | Corporate treasury / cash management |
| 221213 | External Auditor | External audit |
| 221214 | Internal Auditor | Internal audit |
| 271311 | Solicitor | Legal practice (corporate / commercial law) |
| 132211 | Finance Manager | Senior corporate finance leadership |
Pick 221211 only if your dominant role over 5 years is company secretarial / corporate governance — board support, corporate filings, listing rules compliance, governance advisory, board minutes, AGM administration.
Step 2 — Map your qualification
VETASSESS requires AQF Bachelor degree-level qualification in a highly relevant field. For 221211:
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Bachelor of Commerce (Corporate Governance / Commercial Law)
- Bachelor of Business (Corporate Governance / Commercial Law)
- Chartered Secretary qualification — Chartered Governance Institute (CGI, formerly ICSA), Institute of Chartered Secretaries
- Equivalent international degrees from recognised institutions
- Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance / similar
Step 3 — Document post-qualification employment
VETASSESS expects "highly relevant employment":
- Acting as Company Secretary / Deputy Company Secretary / Group Company Secretary
- Maintaining statutory registers and corporate records
- Preparing board / committee meeting agendas, papers, minutes
- Advising the board on governance / Corporations Act / ASX Listing Rules / regulatory compliance
- Coordinating AGM / EGM administration
- Managing corporate filings (ASIC / ASX / regulators)
- Supporting director appointments / changes / resignations
Evidence VETASSESS accepts
- Employment letters explicitly stating Company Secretary / Deputy Company Secretary / Group Company Secretary appointment
- Annual reports crediting you as Company Secretary
- Corporate filings (ASIC equivalents) showing your appointment
- Reference letters from Chair / CEO / General Counsel
- Chartered Secretary qualification certificate
- Tax returns showing Company Secretary income
Step 4 — Build the portfolio submission
VETASSESS for 221211 typically wants:
- CV / Company Secretary CV — chronological list of CS appointments with dates, organisation
- Annual reports / corporate filings crediting you as CS
- Reference letters from senior leadership
- Chartered Secretary credentials
Step 5 — Lodge the assessment
Lodge online at the VETASSESS portal. Standard fee AUD 1,096; Priority Processing AUD 836 extra. Standard processing 12-14 weeks.
Step 6 — Handle a Request for Further Information
About 25-35% of 221211 applications trigger an RFI. Common prompts:
- Confirmation of Company Secretary appointment (vs general legal counsel / executive assistant)
- Additional annual report / corporate filing evidence
- Translation issues for foreign-language corporate filings
Respond comprehensively within 30 days.
Reassessment if you receive a negative outcome
Options:
- Reassessment (AUD 372) — additional evidence within 90 days
- Appeal (AUD 200) — only if procedurally wrong
- Reapply for a different occupation — pay full fee. Realistic alternatives: 271311 Solicitor (if legal practice dominates), 221213 / 221214 Auditor, 132211 Finance Manager
Common VETASSESS rejection patterns for 221211
"Insufficient evidence of Company Secretary appointment." Many candidates work in governance / general counsel without explicit CS appointment. Get appointment letters / annual report credits.
"Qualification not at AQF Bachelor level." Diploma / short-course candidates without strong post-qualification CS record often fail.
"Insufficient years of post-qualification highly relevant employment." VETASSESS typically wants at least 1 year for positive outcome; 3-5 years for visa points.
After a positive VETASSESS outcome — next steps
- English testing — push for Superior (IELTS 8 / PTE 79) for 20 points
- Lodge EOI via SkillSelect — for 190 / 491
- State nomination application — for 190 / 491
- Sponsor search — for 186 / 494 / 482 (ASX-200 corporates, government-owned corporations, large super funds)
- Health, police, character checks — closer to lodgement
Tools
- Document checklist — VETASSESS evidence pack template
- Visa fee calculator — model fees per pathway
- Eligibility wizard — quick scan
- ANZSCO search — confirm 221211 vs 271311 / 221213 / 221214
Where to verify the rules
- VETASSESS
- Department of Home Affairs
- Governance Institute of Australia — peak body
- ASIC — corporate regulator
- ASX — listing rules
Next step
Want a personalised review of your Company Secretary appointment evidence before you lodge with VETASSESS? Book a 30-minute free strategy call and we'll walk through readiness, evidence gaps, and pathway choice.