This is a worked case study for a Telecommunications Network Engineer migrating to Australia under ANZSCO 263312. Multiple pathways: Subclass 189, Subclass 190, Subclass 491 → 191, Subclass 186 Direct Entry, Subclass 494 → 191, and Subclass 482.
For visa-by-visa context, see the 263312 pathway guide and the Engineers Australia skills assessment guide.
The case profile
Anonymised composite. 34-year-old Senior Carrier IP / MPLS Engineer, BEng Electronics and Telecommunications + CCIE Service Provider + JNCIE-SP. 11 years professional career: 4 years junior IP engineer (Indian Tier 1 telecom), 4 years senior IP / MPLS engineer (UK MNO core network), 3 years principal SDN engineer (UK Tier 1 telecom — segment routing rollout + ONAP-based orchestration program). Superior English (PTE 79+ each). Family: spouse + one child under 18.
Engineers Australia outcome: Professional Engineer (Washington Accord pathway). 8-week assessment.
Pathway A — Subclass 189
| Item | AUD |
|---|---|
| Engineers Australia | 1,200-2,000 |
| 189 visa fees (family of 3) | 8,560 |
| Health, police, English | 1,050 |
| Total applicant-side | ~10,810 - 11,610 |
12 to 18 months wall-clock.
Pathway B — Subclass 190
Adds AUD 200-800 state nomination fee. NSW (Sydney carrier HQ), VIC (Melbourne corporates), QLD (Brisbane — Megaport HQ + carriers), WA (Perth resources / mining comms) all nominate. Total ~AUD 11,500.
Pathway C — Subclass 186 Direct Entry
Total applicant ~AUD 11,000. Employer SAF AUD 5,000 + AUD 540 nomination. 6-12 months. Telstra, Optus, NBN Co, Megaport, Cisco Australia, Juniper Australia all sponsor.
Pathway D — Subclass 491 / 494 / 482
~60 months for 491/494; 30-36 months for 482 → 186 TRT.
Side-by-side
| Path | Applicant cost | Employer cost | Wall-clock to PR | EA required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 189 | AUD ~11,200 | AUD 0 | 12-18 months | Yes |
| 190 | AUD ~11,500 | AUD 0 | 12-18 months | Yes |
| 186 DE | AUD ~11,000 | AUD 5,540 | 6-12 months | Yes |
| 491 → 191 | AUD ~12,500 | AUD 0 | ~60 months | Yes |
| 494 → 191 | AUD ~12,500 | AUD 6,000-25,540 | ~60 months | Yes |
| 482 → 186 TRT | AUD ~17,500 | AUD 9,000-25,000+ | 30-36 months | Yes |
Things that frequently surprise people
Megaport (ASX:MP1) is a Brisbane-based global SDN provider. Substantial international SDN engineer hire — sponsor-friendly + remote work options.
Carriers under 5G core / IP transport refresh. Telstra, Optus, NBN Co, TPG / Vodafone, Vocus — substantial demand for senior carrier IP / MPLS / SDN engineers.
Vendor primes hire experienced engineers. Cisco Australia, Juniper Networks Australia, Nokia (IP / Optical / Cloud Core), Ericsson Cloud Core — sponsorship for principal engineers.
Cloud / hyperscale presence. AWS Sydney + Melbourne, Microsoft Azure regions, Google Cloud Sydney, Equinix data centres — all hire senior network engineers with carrier-grade IP background.
CCIE-SP / JNCIE-SP premium. Australian carriers pay 20-30% premium for senior engineers with these credentials.
Health examinations expire after 12 months.
Tax residency starts on arrival. See ATO residency rules before signing.
MARA registration is mandatory for paid migration assistance. Verify any agent at the MARA register.
Tools
- Visa fee calculator
- Points calculator
- Document checklist — Engineers Australia evidence pack
- Eligibility wizard
Where to verify
Next step
Want to model 189 vs 190 vs 491 vs 186 vs 494 vs 482 against your carrier network profile? Book a 30-minute free strategy call.