ANZSCO 311215 · CSOL · STSOL
Pharmacy Technician: ANZSCO 311215
Official Home Affairs skilled occupation list · checked 21 October 2026
Pharmacy Technician (ANZSCO 311215) is on the CSOL (Core Skills Occupation List) and STSOL (Short-term Skilled Occupation List). It can be used for the 190, 491, 494, 482, 186 and 407 visas, and the skills assessment is done by VETASSESS. Checked against the Home Affairs list on 21 October 2026.
Occupation lists
CSOL, STSOL
Core Skills Occupation List; Short-term Skilled Occupation List
Permanent visa options
190, 186
Visas that give permanent residence
Assessing authority
VETASSESS
Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services
Skill level
Level 2
Associate degree, advanced diploma or diploma, or at least 3 years of relevant experience
The job
What a pharmacy technician does
Fills and labels patients' prescriptions under the supervision of a Pharmacist. May record details of, place orders for, take stock of, and store medications and medical supplies and deliver them to patients.
Also known as
- Dispensary Technician
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 311215 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.
| Visa | Eligible | ANZSCO version | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 189 Skilled Independent | No | — | |
| 190 Skilled Nominated (state) | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | Needs a state or territory nomination |
| 407 Training visa | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | |
| 485 Temporary Graduate | No | — | |
| 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | |
| 491 State Skilled Work Regional, state nominated | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | Needs a state or territory nomination |
| 491 Family Skilled Work Regional, family sponsored | No | — | |
| 482 Skills in Demand, Core Skills stream | Yes | ANZSCO 2022 | |
| 186 Employer Nomination Scheme, Direct Entry | Yes | ANZSCO 2022 |
Skills assessment
Skills assessment for ANZSCO 311215
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 311215 before you apply.
States and territories
State and territory nomination
Pharmacy Technician is on a list that allows state nomination for the 190 (permanent) and 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 pharmacy technician now.
Similar occupations
Other occupations in Medical Technicians
If your duties fit one of these better, that is the code to nominate.
Questions
ANZSCO 311215: common questions
What is the ANZSCO code for pharmacy technician?
What does a pharmacy technician do?
Which skilled occupation list is Pharmacy Technician on?
Can I get a 189 visa as a pharmacy technician?
Is Pharmacy Technician eligible for state nomination (190 or 491)?
Can an employer sponsor a pharmacy technician?
Who assesses pharmacy technician skills for Australian migration?
Talk to us
Is ANZSCO 311215 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.
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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