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

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.

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)?
The ANZSCO code is 521211 (Secretary (General)). Your occupation is decided by your actual duties, not your job title.
What does a secretary (general) do?
A secretary (general) performs secretarial, clerical and other administrative tasks in support of Managers and Professionals. It is an ANZSCO skill level 2 occupation.
Which skilled occupation list is Secretary (General) on?
Secretary (General) 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 a secretary (general)?
No. Home Affairs does not list Secretary (General) for the 189, which is only open to some MLTSSL occupations. Routes that are open: a regional employer (494).
Is Secretary (General) eligible for state nomination (190 or 491)?
No. Home Affairs does not list Secretary (General) for the state nominated 190 or 491 visas. Routes that are open: a regional employer (494).
Can an employer sponsor a secretary (general)?
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 secretary (general) skills for Australian migration?
The assessing authority for ANZSCO 521211 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 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.

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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