Cabinet Maker Visa Pathway to Australia: Complete 2026 Guide
Updated: 29 October 2026
Australia classifies Cabinet Maker under ANZSCO 394112. Trades Recognition Australia conducts the skills assessment. Under its ANZSCO 2022 code, the occupation sits on the Core Skills Occupation List, unlocking subclasses 482 and 186. Home Affairs also lists Cabinetmaker under the older ANZSCO 2013 code 394111 on the MLTSSL. Typical 2026 salaries range AUD $80,000-$90,000.
Quick Facts: Cabinet Maker Migration Pathway
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ANZSCO Code | 394112 (Cabinet Maker) |
| Skill Level | 3 (AQF Certificate III + 2 years on-the-job training, or Certificate IV) |
| Skills Assessment | TRA (Trades Recognition Australia) |
| Occupation List | CSOL |
| Visas Home Affairs lists | 186 and 482 |
| Demand Level | High — sustained construction trade shortage |
| Salary Range | AUD $80,000-$90,000 (SEEK, May 2026) |
| Typical 482 Salary Threshold | Core Skills Income Threshold AUD79,423 (from 1 July 2026) |
| Key Challenge | Code 394112 is employer-sponsored only (482 and 186); the 189, 190 and 491 are listed under the ANZSCO 2013 code 394111 |
| Official figures checked | 28 October 2026 (Home Affairs occupation list, visa fees and processing times) |
What a Cabinet Maker Does in Australia
The role covers design, fabrication, and installation of cabinetry — kitchens, bathrooms, wardrobes, commercial fitouts, and bespoke joinery. Day-to-day work involves reading construction drawings, programming CNC machines, cutting and dressing timber and engineered wood products, edging and assembly, hardware fitting, and on-site installation. The work splits between high-volume kitchen and bathroom manufacturers, commercial fitout contractors, bespoke joinery studios, and shopfitting specialists.
Demand sits firmly in the high band. Jobs and Skills Australia continues to record national shortage, and TRA's FAQs describe priority processing, at no extra fee, for targeted construction occupations between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2026. The work concentrates in metropolitan growth corridors (Western Sydney, Melbourne's northern suburbs, southeast Queensland) and in commercial fitout hubs servicing retail, hospitality, and aged-care construction.
ANZSCO Code Mapping
The exact code is 394112 Cabinet Maker (Home Affairs also lists the ANZSCO 2013 code 394111 Cabinetmaker as a separate row). The ABS task list covers examining drawings, work orders, and sample parts to determine specifications; selecting and working with timber, veneers, particle board, synthetic wood, and engineered products; programming and operating CNC machines; making cabinets and furniture from drawings and specifications; and installing cabinetry in kitchens, bathrooms, and commercial fitouts.
The closest adjacent codes are 394113 Furniture Maker (focused on standalone furniture rather than fitted cabinetry) and 394111 in the older taxonomy. Some applicants who do both fitted and freestanding work consider both codes — but if the majority of your duties involve kitchen, bathroom, and built-in cabinetry, 394112 is the correct choice. References must describe duties using the ABS task vocabulary.
Skills Assessment
TRA Migration Skills Assessment (MSA)
The MSA is a documentary assessment covering qualification equivalence and post-qualification work experience. TRA's MSA needs the occupation on the MLTSSL or STSOL, and it is not for 482 applicants. Cabinet Maker 394112 is on the CSOL only, so the MSA is not open under that code. Home Affairs lists Cabinetmaker under the ANZSCO 2013 code 394111 on the MLTSSL. Use TRA's Pathfinder to confirm the program and code that apply to you.
Requirements:
- A qualification at least comparable to AQF Certificate III in Cabinet Making (or AQF III in Furniture Making with cabinet-making units)
- At least three years of post-qualification employment performing the ANZSCO 394112 task set
- Documentary evidence of training transcripts, employer references on letterhead, payslips, tax records
Assessment cost: The MSA costs AUD795 in total. TRA's FAQs describe priority processing, at no extra fee, for targeted construction occupations between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2026. Check TRA's website for whether priority still applies to your trade.
Processing time: typically within 120 days of submission.
If your 482 needs a skills assessment, TRA runs a separate Temporary Skills Shortage Skills Assessment Program. Check the current fee and time on TRA's website.
TRA Job Ready Program (JRP)
The JRP is for international graduates of an Australian VET course who are working in Australia. It is not a route for overseas-trained applicants. The pathway has four stages: the Provisional Skills Assessment, then the three Job Ready Program steps, which add an Australian workplace placement and practical assessment.
Stage fees (2026):
- Stage 1 — Provisional Skills Assessment: AUD130 in total
- Stage 2 — Job Ready Employment registration
- Stage 3 — Job Ready Workplace Assessment
- Stage 4 — Job Ready Final Assessment
- Job Ready Program cost (stages 2-4): AUD3,410 in total (AUD490 for Job Ready Employment, AUD2,845 for the Job Ready Workplace Assessment and AUD75 for the Job Ready Final Assessment), and more if you need more than one Workplace Assessment
Processing time: The Job Ready Program takes at least 12 months, because it needs 12 months of full-time (or equivalent) work with a TRA-approved employer, unless you have eligible prior employment.
Common rejection reasons: training delivered without supervised practical hours; references that describe shopfitter or carpenter duties without cabinet-specific work; weak documentary evidence of overseas employment (no payslips, no tax records); duty descriptions that align more closely with Joiner (331213) or carpenter (331212) than cabinet maker. For wider assessment context, see the skills assessment bodies complete list.
Visa Pathways
Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand Visa
The dominant pathway. Cabinet Maker is on the CSOL, eligible for the Core Skills stream of the 482.
- Visa fee: AUD4,015 for the main applicant
- Salary threshold: Core Skills Income Threshold AUD79,423 (from 1 July 2026). The Specialist Skills stream is not open to this occupation, because Home Affairs excludes ANZSCO Major Groups 3, 7 and 8.
- Reality check: SEEK's 2026 average sits at AUD $80,000-$90,000, comfortably above the CSIT. Specialist commercial-fitout and bench joiners often clear $95,000.
- Duration: Up to 4 years
- Processing time: Core Skills stream: 50% of applications processed within 4 months and 90% within 9 months
- Pathway to PR: After 2 years on the 482 with the nominating employer, transition to 186 TRT stream
For more on the visa, see the subclass 482 visa guide.
Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme
Permanent residency through employer sponsorship. Two streams apply:
- Direct Entry: for applicants with a positive TRA assessment and 3+ years of post-qualification experience. Visa fee AUD6,140 for the main applicant. Processing: 50% of applications processed within 21 months and 90% within 25 months.
- Temporary Residence Transition: for applicants who have held a 482 with the nominating employer for at least 2 years.
Under code 394112, the 186 (Direct Entry or Temporary Residence Transition) is the only permanent option, because that code is listed for the 482 and 186 only. Home Affairs lists Cabinetmaker under the ANZSCO 2013 code 394111 on the MLTSSL, for the 189, 190, 491, 494 and 485.
State Nomination
Cabinet Maker is not currently nominated for the 190 or 491 by any state or territory in the 2025-26 program year on the standard skilled migration lists. Under its 2022 code 394112, Cabinet Maker is on the CSOL only, which Home Affairs lists for the 482 Core Skills stream and the 186 Direct Entry pathway. The 190 and 491 are listed for Cabinetmaker under the ANZSCO 2013 code 394111 (MLTSSL).
The only nominated entry points are through state-administered Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) that include cabinet making among regional concessional occupations — in particular several Western Australian DAMAs and selected Northern Territory programs. Verify the current DAMA occupation lists directly with the relevant regional authority before lodging an EOI.
Salary and Employment Outlook
| Role | Typical Salary Range |
|---|---|
| Apprentice / 1st-year tradesperson | AUD $50,000-$60,000 |
| Cabinet Maker (3-7 yrs) | AUD $80,000-$90,000 |
| Senior Cabinet Maker (8+ yrs) | AUD $90,000-$105,000 |
| Bench Joiner / Bespoke Studio | AUD $90,000-$115,000 |
| Site Installer (commercial fitout) | AUD $85,000-$110,000 |
| Workshop Manager | AUD $100,000-$130,000 |
| Owner-Operator (gross billings) | AUD $120,000-$220,000 |
Source: SEEK Career Advice, May 2026; cross-referenced against Indeed, PayScale, and Jora.
Top-paying locations on SEEK include Launceston and North East Tasmania (averages above $97,000) and the Sunshine Coast ($90,000), where heritage and bespoke residential work drives premium rates. By industry, Construction averages around $66,500 and Trades & Services around $62,500 on advertised job posts — these figures reflect entry and mid-grade roles. Senior and specialist positions on enterprise-bargaining-agreement workplaces clear those averages substantially.
Total packages on permanent roles add 12% superannuation. Site allowances, tool allowances, and overtime are standard in the commercial fitout sector. The highest-paying sectors are commercial joinery (hospitality, retail, aged care, healthcare fitouts), bespoke residential studios in Sydney's eastern suburbs and Melbourne's inner south, and shopfitting contractors servicing the major retail chains.
Tips for a Successful Application
1. Use the TRA Construction-Trade Prioritisation Window
TRA's FAQs describe priority processing, at no extra fee, for targeted construction occupations between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2026. That window has passed. Check TRA's website for whether priority still applies to your trade.
2. Verify the Cabinet-Making Units in Your Overseas Qualification
A general "Carpentry and Joinery" certificate without cabinet-specific units of competency often fails TRA's equivalence check. If your qualification covers framing, formwork, or general timberwork rather than cabinetmaking, work experience will not fill the gap: TRA does not accept work experience as a substitute for a qualification. Order your full unit-of-competency transcripts, not just the certificate cover.
3. Target Accredited Sponsors in the Commercial Fitout Sector
Commercial fitout contractors employ multiple cabinet makers per project and are among the most active 482 sponsors in the trades. Major players include Buildcorp, ADCO Constructions, FDC, and a long tail of specialist joinery contractors.
4. Document CNC and Software Skills
Modern Australian workshops run CNC routers, edge banders, and CAD/CAM software (AutoCAD, Cabinet Vision, Microvellum). References that describe your CNC programming experience and software proficiency reduce employer onboarding friction and raise your effective salary band. List specific machine brands and software versions where possible.
5. Get Your Tax and Payroll Records in Order Before Lodging
TRA documentary assessments fail more often on weak employment evidence than on qualification gaps. Payslips, tax records, social-security statements, and provident-fund statements all support the duration and intensity of your claimed work. Family-business or sole-trader references must be supported by independent documents — ABN-equivalent registration, customer invoices, statutory filings.
Step-by-Step Migration Roadmap
- Confirm ANZSCO 394112 fits your duties — see the how to find ANZSCO code guide
- Check the CSOL listing on the Core Skills Occupation List hub
- Order sealed training transcripts and unit-of-competency records
- Sit your English test — meet the English requirement for your 482 stream
- Lodge the TRA application — for a 482, TRA's Temporary Skills Shortage Skills Assessment Program if your visa needs one; the JRP is only for graduates of an Australian VET course working in Australia
- Search for a sponsoring employer — target accredited sponsors in commercial fitout
- Receive nomination from the sponsor
- Lodge the 482 visa — within the validity window of your nomination
- Work in Australia for 2 years on the 482 — clearing the Core Skills Income Threshold
- Transition to 186 via TRT stream — for permanent residency
- Complete health and character checks
- Receive visa grant and continue working
For broader visa context, see the most in-demand occupations in Australia 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get permanent residency directly as a Cabinet Maker?
Yes, through the 186 Direct Entry stream if you hold a positive TRA assessment and a sponsoring employer. Home Affairs reports Direct Entry processing as 50% of applications processed within 21 months and 90% within 25 months, so most applicants prefer to enter on a 482 and transition through the TRT stream after 2 years of qualifying service.
Why isn't Cabinet Maker on the state nomination lists for the 190 or 491?
Home Affairs lists Cabinet Maker (ANZSCO 2022 code 394112) on the CSOL only. Cabinetmaker under the ANZSCO 2013 code 394111 is on the MLTSSL, and Home Affairs lists that code for the 189, 190, 491, 494 and 485. State nomination programs administer separate lists drawn from federal eligibility, and most states currently prioritise occupations with broader 189/190 access. Cabinet Maker retains full 482 and 186 access at federal level and may also be eligible under regional DAMAs.
Is the Job Ready Program mandatory for offshore applicants?
No. The JRP is not an offshore route. It is for international graduates of an Australian VET course who are working in Australia. The Migration Skills Assessment (MSA) is a documentary route (typically within 120 days of submission), but it needs the occupation on the MLTSSL or STSOL, so it applies only under the ANZSCO 2013 code 394111. For a 482, TRA runs a separate Temporary Skills Shortage Skills Assessment Program.
What if my qualification is in Carpentry rather than Cabinet Making?
Carpentry maps to 331212 Carpenter, which is a separate code with its own list status. If your duties over the past 3 years have shifted toward cabinetry — kitchen and bathroom fabrication, built-in joinery, commercial fitout — you can apply under 394112 if your references describe those duties. TRA will check the duty descriptions against the ABS task list.
Which Australian employers actively sponsor Cabinet Makers?
Commercial fitout contractors (Buildcorp, ADCO, FDC, SHAPE), specialist joinery shops in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, kitchen-and-bathroom manufacturers (kitchen renovation chains, premium bespoke studios), and shopfitting contractors serving the major retail chains. Accredited sponsors in this sector lodge multiple 482 nominations per year.
