C.A. · Registered Migration Agent (MARN: 1803385)

ANZSCO 311214 · ROL

Operating Theatre Technician: ANZSCO 311214

Official Home Affairs skilled occupation list · checked 21 October 2026

Operating Theatre Technician (ANZSCO 311214) is on the ROL (Regional Occupation List). It can be used for the 491, 494 and 407 visas, and the skills assessment is done by VETASSESS. Checked against the Home Affairs list on 21 October 2026.

Occupation lists

ROL

Regional Occupation List

Permanent visa options

None directly

Temporary or provisional visas only

Assessing authority

VETASSESS

Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services

Skill level

Level 3

Certificate IV, or Certificate III with at least 2 years of on-the-job training, or 3 years of relevant experience

The job

What an operating theatre technician does

Prepares and maintains an operating theatre and its equipment, assists the surgical team during operations and provides support to patients in the recovery room.

Unit group 3112

Tasks of Medical Technicians

  • Operating equipment used in diagnosing and monitoring disorders of the heart, lungs, kidneys, nervous system and hearing, and in anaesthesia
  • Undertaking and assisting with medical analytical procedures and assisting Anaesthetists and surgical teams
  • Recording the electrical activity of the heart, from which the heart rate is measured, and pattern and rhythm interpreted
  • Taking, collecting and labelling blood, urine and other samples from patients
  • Preparing and staining slides and tissue sections for blood and histological examination
  • Performing diagnostic tests on tissues and body fluids and analysing the chemical constituents of blood, urine, faeces and tissues
  • Testing for diseases by looking for the presence of antibodies and the products of immune response in samples
  • Setting up, checking and maintaining operating theatres, anaesthetic workstations, life support machines and associated equipment
  • Referring prescriptions to Pharmacists and assisting in preparing medications
  • Operating and maintaining equipment used in diagnosing and monitoring of breathing or sleep disorders

Qualifications and experience

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.

In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

The occupations Pathology Collector / Phlebotomist and Operating Theatre Technician have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.

In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

Registration or licensing may be required.

  • AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma, or at least three years of experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)
  • AQF Certificate III including at least two years of on-the-job training, or AQF Certificate IV or at least three years of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)

Assessing authorities check your duties against these tasks, so your experience must match them, not only the job title.

Visa options

Which visas ANZSCO 311214 can be used for

From the Department of Home Affairs combined list of eligible skilled occupations. Every visa also has its own points, age, English, experience and skills assessment rules.

VisaEligibleANZSCO versionNotes
189 Skilled Independent No—
190 Skilled Nominated (state) No—
407 Training visa YesANZSCO 2013
485 Temporary Graduate No—
494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional YesANZSCO 2013
491 State Skilled Work Regional, state nominated YesANZSCO 2013Needs a state or territory nomination
491 Family Skilled Work Regional, family sponsored No—
482 Skills in Demand, Core Skills stream No—
186 Employer Nomination Scheme, Direct Entry No—

Skills assessment

Skills assessment for ANZSCO 311214

Most skilled visas need a positive skills assessment from the authority below before you can lodge. It must be for the same occupation you nominate.

Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services (VETASSESS)

We prepare your VETASSESS assessment with you and check that your duties match ANZSCO 311214 before you apply.

States and territories

State and territory nomination

Operating Theatre Technician is on a list that allows state nomination for the 491 (regional, provisional). Each state then decides which occupations it will nominate, and on what conditions.

State lists, points cut-offs and residence or job offer rules change during the program year, and some states close streams once their places are used. Ask us which states are nominating operating theatre technician now.

Questions

ANZSCO 311214: common questions

What is the ANZSCO code for operating theatre technician?
The ANZSCO code is 311214 (Operating Theatre Technician). Your occupation is decided by your actual duties, not your job title.
What does an operating theatre technician do?
An operating theatre technician prepares and maintains an operating theatre and its equipment, assists the surgical team during operations and provides support to patients in the recovery room. It is an ANZSCO skill level 3 occupation.
Which skilled occupation list is Operating Theatre Technician on?
Operating Theatre Technician is on the Regional Occupation List (ROL), according to the Home Affairs combined list checked on 21 October 2026.
Can I get a 189 visa as an operating theatre technician?
No. Home Affairs does not list Operating Theatre Technician for the 189, which is only open to some MLTSSL occupations. Routes that are open: a regional 491 with state nomination or a regional employer (494).
Is Operating Theatre Technician eligible for state nomination (190 or 491)?
Yes, it is eligible for the 491 (regional, provisional). But each state and territory has its own occupation list, points cut-offs and residence or work rules, and they change during the program year. You need to qualify with at least one state.
Can an employer sponsor an operating theatre technician?
Only in regional Australia. It is not on the CSOL, so the 482 Core Skills stream and 186 Direct Entry stream are not available, but a regional employer can nominate it for the subclass 494 visa.
Who assesses operating theatre technician skills for Australian migration?
The assessing authority for ANZSCO 311214 is VETASSESS. You need a positive skills assessment before you lodge most skilled visas, and some 482 applicants also need one.

Talk to us

Is ANZSCO 311214 your occupation? Ask us about your options.

Tell us your duties, qualifications, experience and English scores. We will confirm the right occupation and the visas that fit.

The more context you give, the more useful the first conversation will be.

Source: Department of Home Affairs, checked 21 October 2026. Descriptions: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ANZSCO 2022 (CC BY 4.0). General information only, not immigration advice.

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