ANZSCO 521211 · ROL
Secretary (General): ANZSCO 521211
Official Home Affairs skilled occupation list · checked 21 October 2026
Secretary (General) (ANZSCO 521211) is on the ROL (Regional Occupation List). It can be used for the 494 visa, 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 2
Associate degree, advanced diploma or diploma, or at least 3 years of relevant experience
The job
What a secretary (general) does
Performs secretarial, clerical and other administrative tasks in support of Managers and Professionals.
Unit group 5212
Tasks of Secretaries
- Liaising with other staff to arrange meetings, and to gain and provide information
- Preparing reports, briefing notes and correspondence, and proofreading work for typographical and grammatical errors
- Maintaining appointment diaries and making travel arrangements
- Processing incoming and outgoing mail, filing correspondence and maintaining records
- Answering telephone calls, responding to inquiries and redirecting callers
- Taking and transcribing dictation of letters and other documents
- Greeting visitors, ascertaining nature of business and directing visitors to appropriate persons
- May implement management decisions and maintain records of meetings
- May handle bookkeeping and petty cash functions
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.
- AQF Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma, or at least three years of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)
Assessing authorities check your duties against these tasks, so your experience must match them, not only the job title.
Visa options
Which visas ANZSCO 521211 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) | No | — | |
| 407 Training visa | No | — | |
| 485 Temporary Graduate | No | — | |
| 494 Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional | Yes | ANZSCO 2013 | |
| 491 State Skilled Work Regional, state nominated | No | — | |
| 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 521211
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 521211 before you apply.
States and territories
State and territory nomination
Home Affairs does not list Secretary (General) for the 190 or 491, so states and territories cannot nominate it. Employer sponsorship is the main route.
Similar occupations
Other occupations in Secretaries
If your duties fit one of these better, that is the code to nominate.
Questions
ANZSCO 521211: common questions
What is the ANZSCO code for secretary (general)?
What does a secretary (general) do?
Which skilled occupation list is Secretary (General) on?
Can I get a 189 visa as a secretary (general)?
Is Secretary (General) eligible for state nomination (190 or 491)?
Can an employer sponsor a secretary (general)?
Who assesses secretary (general) skills for Australian migration?
Talk to us
Is ANZSCO 521211 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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