Chief Executive or Managing Director Visa Pathway to Australia: Complete 2026 Guide
Updated: 13 May 2026
Australia classifies Chief Executive or Managing Director under ANZSCO 111111. The Institute of Managers and Leaders (IML) conducts the skills assessment. The occupation sits on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), unlocking subclasses 482 (Specialist Skills stream) and 186. Typical 2026 salaries range AUD $165,000-$275,000+. IML's 2026 assessment emphasises "delegated authority" — the demonstrated power to hire, allocate capital and bind the organisation contractually.
Quick Facts: Chief Executive or Managing Director Migration Pathway
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ANZSCO Code | 111111 (Chief Executive or Managing Director) |
| Skill Level | 1 (Bachelor degree or higher; 5+ years of relevant experience may substitute) |
| Skills Assessment | IML (Institute of Managers and Leaders) |
| Occupation List | CSOL (Core Skills Occupation List) |
| Visa Options | 482 (Specialist Skills stream), 186 (Direct Entry / TRT), 494 (Regional) |
| Demand Level | Steady — driven by foreign-owned subsidiaries, PE-backed companies, and high-growth tech firms |
| Salary Range | AUD $165,000-$275,000+ (SEEK Managing Director and CEO data, 2026) |
| Typical 482 Salary | Specialist Skills threshold AUD $141,210 — almost all 111111 nominations clear this easily |
| Key Challenge | Demonstrating delegated authority over a substantive business — IML rejects "Director in name only" roles in small family businesses |
What ANZSCO 111111 Actually Covers
Chief Executive or Managing Director (111111) is the most senior operational role inside a single organisation. The person who reports to the board, sets and executes strategy, allocates capital, hires and fires the executive team, and signs the contracts that bind the company. In a listed company that is the CEO. In a private company that is often the Managing Director. In a foreign-owned subsidiary it is the Country Manager or Australian CEO. In a startup beyond founder stage it is the appointed CEO.
IML — the assessing authority — describes its mandate as assessing "senior-level management skills" for skilled migration. The bar is delegated authority, not just title. A CEO of a 4-person consultancy is harder to assess than the CFO of a 200-person mid-market firm, because the question is not what's on the business card but what the role actually controls. IML's 2026 guidance places strong emphasis on the ability to make independent strategic decisions including hiring, resource allocation, and binding financial commitments.
The role is distinct from Corporate General Manager (111211), which sits one layer below CEO and typically runs a business unit or function rather than the whole organisation. It is also distinct from functional management codes like Sales and Marketing Manager (131112), Engineering Manager (133211) or Human Resource Manager (132311), which are functional rather than enterprise-level roles. IML assesses all of these — but each has its own evidence bar.
Where Australia Hires 111111 Roles
Demand for ANZSCO 111111 in Australia in 2026 sits in three main pools:
Foreign subsidiaries. Multinational companies opening or scaling Australian operations bring in a Country Manager / Managing Director to lead the local entity. Common in technology (Salesforce, ServiceNow, Stripe and others have run this model), professional services, manufacturing, and consumer goods. The role typically reports to a regional president overseas.
Private equity portfolio companies. PE-backed mid-market firms (BGH, Pacific Equity Partners, Quadrant, KKR-owned assets) regularly recruit international CEOs and MDs for portfolio companies undergoing operational transformation. The visa pathway most commonly used is 482 Specialist Skills, often transitioning to 186 within 2-3 years.
High-growth tech and scale-ups. Australian scale-ups bringing in experienced operators from US, UK or Singapore markets at CEO and Managing Director level. Atlassian, Canva, Airwallex, Employment Hero and others have hired internationally at executive level.
A smaller but real pool sits in family business succession, where founders hire an external Managing Director to professionalise the firm and exit operationally. This is the riskiest evidence base for IML — the role must be substantive and not nominal.
ANZSCO 111111 — The Code in Detail
The ABS classifies Chief Executive or Managing Director at Skill Level 1 under ANZSCO 2022 revision 1. The role covers determining, formulating, directing and reviewing the policies, programs and budgets of an organisation, and ensuring conformance with relevant legislation and standards.
Tasks include developing and implementing organisational strategy, directing senior managers, monitoring organisational performance against objectives, representing the organisation to stakeholders and external bodies, and reporting to a governing body (board, shareholders, parent company).
The skill level requires a bachelor degree or higher qualification, although at least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification. For migration purposes IML requires both — qualification plus substantial executive experience.
Skills Assessment — Institute of Managers and Leaders
IML is the sole assessing authority for ANZSCO 111111. The assessment looks at qualification, employment evidence, delegated authority, and overall fit to the occupation description.
Standard Migration Skills Assessment
The default IML pathway. You provide ten years of employment evidence, qualification documents, organisational structure documents showing your reporting line, and detailed role descriptions demonstrating delegated authority.
- Standard fee (offshore applicants, excl. GST): AUD $788
- Standard fee (onshore applicants, incl. GST): AUD $866
- Express service fee (additional): AUD $210 offshore / AUD $231 onshore
- Standard processing time: 10 weeks; express 6 weeks (target)
- Validity of positive assessment: 3 years from issue
(Fees current as published by IML, effective 8 September 2025.)
Common rejection reasons:
- Role title of CEO or Managing Director without supporting evidence of organisational scale or delegated authority (small family businesses where the applicant is essentially self-employed)
- Insufficient evidence of binding decisions — no examples of hiring at senior level, no capital allocation evidence, no contracts signed in the role
- Mismatched qualification (degree in unrelated field with no MBA or comparable executive education and limited substitution evidence)
- Reporting line confusion — applicants who report directly to a CEO are normally Corporate General Manager (111211), not Chief Executive
Review and Appeal
If your assessment outcome is negative, IML offers a review (AUD $578 offshore / $635 onshore, target 4 weeks) and an appeal (AUD $788 offshore / $866 onshore, target 12 weeks). An outcome extension request (to extend validity) costs AUD $158 offshore / $173 onshore.
Visa Pathways for Chief Executive or Managing Director
ANZSCO 111111 is on the CSOL only. Subclasses 189, 190 and 491 are not available. The realistic pathways are employer-sponsored — but a CEO is normally the employer's own appointment, which makes the dynamic different from junior trade migration.
Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand (Specialist Skills Stream)
The dominant pathway for senior executives. Because the salary almost always exceeds AUD $141,210, applicants qualify for the Specialist Skills stream of the 482, which carries faster processing and slightly lighter labour market testing obligations than the Core Skills stream.
Key details:
- Visa fee: AUD $3,210 (primary applicant)
- Salary threshold (Specialist Skills): AUD $141,210 for nominations lodged before 1 July 2026; rising to AUD $146,717 from 1 July 2026
- Duration: Up to 4 years
- Pathway to PR: Subclass 186 TRT after 2 years with the same sponsor
- Reality: Specialist Skills processing typically completes within weeks rather than months for compliant nominations
Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme
The most common permanent residency route for senior executives. Either Direct Entry (immediately, if the employer is willing) or TRT (after 2 years on 482).
Key details:
- Visa fee: AUD $4,910 (primary applicant)
- Salary requirement: Subclass 186 excludes positions with nominated annual earnings below AUD $180,001 for some senior-manager and trade nominations; verify against the current Home Affairs guidance for your role
- English: Competent (IELTS 6 each band or equivalent) for Direct Entry
- Total employer cost: AUD $8,450-$10,450 including nomination fee and SAF levy
Executive or Senior Manager Concession (International Trade Obligations)
Home Affairs maintains a published list of executive and senior manager occupations that qualify for streamlined processing where the role meets international trade obligations under agreements such as AUSFTA. Chief Executive or Managing Director sits on this list. The concession can reduce labour market testing requirements in some circumstances — your migration agent should check whether the applicable trade agreement applies to your situation.
Subclass 494 — Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional)
If the role is based in a regional area (mining-region operations, regional manufacturing, regional health systems), the 494 is a 5-year provisional visa with a PR pathway via subclass 191 after three years of qualifying regional residence and income.
- Visa fee: AUD $4,910 (primary applicant)
State Nomination
ANZSCO 111111 is not on the MLTSSL, so 190 and 491 state nomination is not available for this code. State investment-related visa programs (188 / 888 / 132) operate separately and are about capital investment and business establishment rather than employment as an executive.
Salary and Employment Outlook
Pay by role and location
| Role / Location | Typical Salary Range (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Managing Director — National Average | $210,000-$230,000 |
| Managing Director — Brisbane | $275,000 |
| Managing Director — Perth | $225,000 |
| Managing Director — Sydney | $190,000 |
| Managing Director — Melbourne | $165,000 |
| Chief Executive Officer — National Average | $225,000-$245,000 |
| Executive Director | $220,000-$240,000 |
| Director (functional / divisional) | $160,000-$180,000 |
Sources: SEEK CEO, Managing Director, Executive Director and Director salary insights (early 2026 data through May 2026).
These are base salaries. Total executive packages include superannuation (11.5% on top), short-term incentive (typically 20-50% of base, paid annually against performance metrics), long-term incentive (equity, options or deferred cash, typically 30-100% of base over 3-5 year vesting), and benefits (vehicle, health, expense allowance). A Managing Director with $230,000 base in Sydney commonly has a total package of $350,000-$500,000+ when STI and LTI are included.
Highest-paying sectors
- Financial services — Big Four banks, AMP, Macquarie, insurance and superannuation funds
- Resources — BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Woodside, and the broader mining services chain
- Professional services — Big Four accounting (PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, EY), MBB consulting (McKinsey, BCG, Bain), the large law firms at managing partner level
- Technology — Atlassian, Canva, REA, Seek, plus US tech subsidiaries (Salesforce, Microsoft, AWS, Google)
- Healthcare and life sciences — CSL, Cochlear, ResMed, Ramsay Health Care
Brisbane and Perth often appear higher than Sydney and Melbourne in headline executive salary surveys because resources-sector executive roles concentrate there and pay above east-coast banking benchmarks.
Tips for a Successful Application
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Document delegated authority, not just title. IML's 2026 emphasis is squarely on what the role actually controlled. Build a portfolio of evidence — board minutes (redacted where confidential), org charts showing direct reports, examples of capital decisions you made, contracts you signed, executives you hired. A title alone does not pass IML.
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Match the qualification framework. A bachelor degree minimum, with an MBA, executive education or other advanced qualification meaningfully strengthening the case. If you have no degree but 20+ years of senior executive experience, the experience substitution applies — but you need to demonstrate it cleanly with employer letters and organisational charts.
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Choose the right 482 stream from the start. Almost every 111111 nomination meets the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (AUD $141,210). Specialist Skills processes faster than Core Skills and reduces labour market testing friction. Make sure your sponsor and migration agent lodge under Specialist Skills rather than Core.
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For founder-CEO scenarios, structure carefully. If you are the founder of an established overseas business expanding to Australia, you have several paths — 482, Business Innovation and Investment (188) family, or the Global Talent program in some cases. Speak with a registered migration agent before choosing. Each path has different timelines, capital requirements and outcomes.
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Use the executive concession where applicable. The Executive or Senior Manager concession under international trade obligations can streamline 482 nominations. Your migration agent should confirm whether the relevant trade agreement (AUSFTA, CPTPP, A-UKFTA) applies to your circumstances and structure the application accordingly.
Step-by-Step Migration Roadmap
- Confirm your role maps to ANZSCO 111111 via the code finder, not to a more junior management code
- Verify the code's current status on the CSOL
- Compile 10 years of executive employment evidence: organisational charts, role descriptions, capital decisions, hires made, contracts signed
- Engage IML for assessment — choose standard or express service
- Sit your English test — IELTS, PTE or OET — at Competent minimum for 186 Direct Entry
- Confirm sponsor arrangement: foreign parent posting you to Australia, Australian subsidiary, PE-backed portfolio firm, or Australian-based hiring company
- Verify nominated salary clears the Specialist Skills threshold of AUD $141,210 (lodgements before 1 July 2026)
- Employer lodges sponsorship and nomination under 482 Specialist Skills stream
- You lodge subclass 482 application via ImmiAccount
- Complete health and character checks
- Receive visa grant and relocate
- Transition to subclass 186 — either Direct Entry immediately, or TRT after 2 years on 482
Frequently Asked Questions
What does IML mean by "delegated authority"?
Delegated authority is the substantive power, exercised in the role, to make decisions that bind the organisation. The clearest indicators are hiring decisions at senior level, capital allocation decisions above a meaningful threshold, signing authority on customer or supplier contracts, and reporting directly to a board or parent company rather than to another executive. IML's 2026 assessment guidance places this at the centre of the evidence review.
Is the salary threshold for the 482 met by typical CEO roles?
Almost always. The Specialist Skills Income Threshold is AUD $141,210 for nominations lodged before 1 July 2026. SEEK 2026 salary data shows Managing Director averages from AUD $165,000 (Melbourne) to AUD $275,000 (Brisbane), and CEO averages of $225,000-$245,000. Even the lowest-paying capital city averages comfortably exceed the threshold. Some smaller-organisation MD roles may sit closer to the line — confirm before nomination.
What's the difference between Chief Executive (111111) and Corporate General Manager (111211)?
Chief Executive or Managing Director (111111) is the top operational role inside an organisation, reporting to the board or parent company. Corporate General Manager (111211) reports to a CEO and typically runs a business unit, division, or country operation within a larger group. The distinction matters for IML assessment — if your reporting line is to another executive rather than a board, you are likely 111211, not 111111. Both codes are on the CSOL and both are assessed by IML.
Can I use the Global Talent program instead of 482?
Possibly. The Global Talent Visa Program (now under National Innovation visa pathways) targets exceptionally talented and internationally recognised individuals in target sectors. Senior executives with substantial track records and earnings well above AUD $250,000 may qualify under the high-income pathway. Eligibility is narrower than the 482, but the process can be faster. Discuss with a registered migration agent before committing.
What happens if my role is a startup CEO with a small team?
Startup CEOs sit at the harder end of IML assessment. The evidence bar is the same — delegated authority over a substantive business. If your startup has 20+ employees, meaningful revenue, external investors, and you have made real hiring and capital decisions, IML can assess favourably. If you are a 3-person founder-led company with no external capital, the assessment is more likely to push back. Build evidence around investor agreements, board minutes, hiring records and contractual decisions before applying.
How long does the IML assessment take?
The standard service target is 10 weeks from receipt of a complete application. The express service targets 6 weeks for an additional AUD $210-$231. Incomplete submissions extend the timeline. Reviews target 4 weeks; appeals target 12 weeks. A positive assessment is valid for 3 years from issue.
For broader skilled migration context, the skills assessment bodies hub covers IML and the other assessing authorities, and the most in-demand occupations list summarises where senior executive migration sits relative to other categories.
