Jewellery Designer Visa Pathway to Australia: Complete 2026 Guide
Updated: 16 June 2026
Australia classifies Jewellery Designer under ANZSCO 232313. VETASSESS conducts the skills assessment. The occupation sits on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) and the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), unlocking subclasses 190, 491, 482 and 186, but not the 189. Typical 2026 salaries run AUD $60,000 to $96,000. It is a small, portfolio-driven occupation, so a strong body of work and a relevant degree carry the application.
Quick Facts: Jewellery Designer Migration Pathway
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| ANZSCO Code | 232313 (Jewellery Designer) |
| Skill Level | 1 (Bachelor degree or higher) |
| Skills Assessment | VETASSESS (Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services), Group B |
| Occupation List | CSOL and STSOL — not on the MLTSSL |
| Visa Options | 190, 491, 482, 186 |
| Demand Level | Low to moderate — niche creative role, concentrated in capital-city design studios |
| Salary Range | AUD $60,000-$96,000 (Glassdoor / SalaryExpert, 2026) |
| Typical 189 Score | Not applicable — 232313 is not on the MLTSSL, so the 189 is closed |
| Key Challenge | Distinguishing design work from bench jewelling, and proving it with a portfolio |
What Jewellery Designers Do in Australia
A Jewellery Designer creates designs for rings, necklaces, bracelets and other pieces, then produces technical drawings or digital models that a jeweller can fabricate. The role is conceptual and technical rather than purely hands-on at the bench. Day-to-day work covers researching trends, sketching concepts, building CAD models, selecting gemstones and metals, costing pieces, and working with clients on bespoke commissions. The designer owns the look and the buildability of a piece, not necessarily its physical making.
Demand is small and creative. Roles sit with design houses and bespoke studios in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with some attached to manufacturing jewellers and gallery retailers. The market rewards a distinctive design voice and fluency in CAD tools such as Rhino or MatrixGold. Because the occupation is niche, most opportunities come through studios and established jewellery brands rather than large employers, and a recognised design qualification matters more here than in some larger occupations.
ANZSCO 232313: Code Mapping
ANZSCO 232313 belongs to unit group 2323 Fashion, Industrial and Jewellery Designers. The code covers a professional who designs jewellery and produces specifications and drawings for its manufacture.
Core tasks include conferring with clients to determine design requirements, preparing sketches and detailed drawings or CAD models, selecting and costing materials and gemstones, and overseeing the production of designs by jewellers. The distinction that matters most for the assessment is design versus making. If your work is primarily bench fabrication, repair or setting, that is a trade occupation rather than this professional design code. The neighbouring codes in the unit group cover Fashion Designer (232311) and Industrial Designer (232312), so confirm your work is genuinely jewellery design before nominating.
Skills Assessment: VETASSESS
Jewellery Designer is assessed by VETASSESS as a Group B professional occupation. Both qualifications and employment must pass for a positive outcome.
Requirements
- A qualification assessed as comparable to an AQF Bachelor degree or higher in a highly relevant field, such as jewellery design, object design or visual arts with a jewellery specialisation.
- At least one year of post-qualification employment at an appropriate skill level within the last five years, highly relevant to jewellery design.
- If the degree is at Bachelor level but not in a highly relevant field, you need either an additional AQF Diploma or higher qualification in a relevant field plus at least two years of relevant post-qualification employment, or at least three years of relevant post-qualification employment.
- At least five years of relevant employment can substitute for the formal qualification where you lack a relevant degree.
Assessment cost: AUD $1,205.60 for the full skills assessment (fee set after the October 2025 CPI increase).
Processing time: Around 7 weeks standard. Priority processing costs an extra AUD $907.50 and returns an outcome in about 10 business days.
Common rejection reasons: Evidence that reads as bench jewelling, setting or repair rather than design, and a thin portfolio that does not show original concept-to-specification work. A strong, dated portfolio of your own designs and the technical drawings or CAD files behind them is the most persuasive evidence you can supply.
English proficiency is proven separately at the visa stage.
Visa Pathways for Jewellery Designers
Because 232313 is on the CSOL and STSOL but not the MLTSSL, the 189 is closed. The available routes are state nomination and employer sponsorship.
Subclass 190 — Skilled Nominated Visa
Permanent residency through state nomination, which adds 5 points.
- Visa fee: AUD $4,910 (primary applicant)
- Eligibility constraint: Only states that currently nominate 232313 can support you. As a niche creative code, it is not always on state lists.
- Quirk: A confirmed studio role in the nominating state strengthens a small-category nomination considerably.
Subclass 491 — Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa
A five-year provisional visa with a pathway to permanent residency through the subclass 191. Regional nomination adds 15 points.
- Visa fee: AUD $4,910 (primary applicant)
- Quirk: Regional jewellery-design roles are scarce, so this route usually needs a regional employer willing to host the role.
Subclass 482 — Skills in Demand Visa
Employer-sponsored temporary visa, viable where a studio or manufacturer sponsors the role.
- Visa fee: AUD $3,210 (Core Skills stream, primary applicant)
- Salary threshold: The Core Skills Income Threshold is AUD $76,515 until 30 June 2026, rising to AUD $79,499 from 1 July 2026. Your guaranteed salary must meet the threshold and the market rate.
- Duration: Up to four years
- Quirk: Designer salaries can sit below the income threshold, so the sponsoring employer must guarantee a base that clears it, which limits the route to senior or lead-designer roles.
Subclass 186 — Employer Nomination Scheme
Permanent residency through employer sponsorship, via Direct Entry or the Temporary Residence Transition stream.
- Visa fee: AUD $4,910 (primary applicant)
- Quirk: Direct Entry requires a positive VETASSESS assessment and at least three years of relevant experience, so transitioning from a 482 is common.
For how invitations work for the 190 and 491, see the SkillSelect EOI guide.
Points Test Strategy
The 189 is closed, but the 190 and 491 run through the points test once a state invites you.
| Points Factor | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Age (25-32) | 30 | Maximum bracket |
| Age (33-39) | 25 | Still strong |
| English (Superior, IELTS 8/PTE 79) | 20 | The largest controllable lever |
| English (Proficient, IELTS 7/PTE 65) | 10 | Common starting point |
| Bachelor degree | 15 | Minimum for Skill Level 1 |
| Master's or PhD | 15-20 | Worth pursuing if close |
| Skilled experience overseas (8+ years) | 15 | Counts after assessment |
| State nomination (190) | 5 | Required for this occupation |
| Regional nomination (491) | 15 | Strongest single boost |
| Partner skills | 5-10 | If partner is skilled or has strong English |
Realistic Score Scenarios
Scenario 1: Studio jewellery designer, 29, Superior English, 5 years experience. Age 30 + degree 15 + English 20 + experience 10 = 75 points. A 190 nomination lifts this to 80 where a state lists 232313.
Scenario 2: Bespoke designer, 34, Proficient English, 8 years experience. Age 25 + degree 15 + English 10 + experience 15 = 65 points. A 491 regional nomination adds 15 to reach 80, or a sponsoring studio offers a 482 that avoids the points test.
State Nomination
State nomination for 232313 changes each programme year, and as a niche creative code it is often absent from state lists. Always confirm the current state occupation lists before lodging an expression of interest.
States with established creative and design sectors are the most likely to consider it, but allocations for niche design roles are very small. Regional nomination through the 491 generally depends on a genuine regional connection or a confirmed regional offer. Because availability is so variable, treat any state's published list as the source of truth and check it on the day you apply.
Salary and Employment Outlook
| Role | Typical Salary Range (2026) |
|---|---|
| Jewellery Designer (entry, 1-3 years) | AUD $60,000-$70,000 |
| Jewellery Designer (mid-level) | AUD $70,000-$85,000 |
| Senior / Lead Jewellery Designer | AUD $85,000-$96,000+ |
Figures combine Glassdoor and SalaryExpert 2026 data and are quoted as base. Superannuation is paid at 11.5% on top. Pay sits at the higher end with established design houses, luxury and bespoke brands, and CAD-heavy manufacturing studios. Melbourne salaries run slightly above the national average. Because most designer base salaries sit below the Core Skills Income Threshold, the employer-sponsored visas realistically suit senior and lead roles, while state nomination is the more common route for designers earlier in their careers.
Tips for a Successful Application
- Lead with a portfolio. Compile a dated, original body of work showing concept sketches through to technical drawings or CAD files. This is the single most persuasive piece of evidence for a design assessment.
- Separate design from making. VETASSESS distinguishes jewellery design from bench fabrication, setting and repair. Have referees describe your design and specification responsibilities specifically.
- Match the qualification to the field. A degree in jewellery or object design is ideal. If your degree is in a broader visual-arts field, plan for the diploma-plus-experience or three-year-experience pathway.
- Choose the right visa. With no 189 available and designer salaries often below the income threshold, weigh a state nomination against finding a senior studio role that can sponsor a 482.
- Verify state lists on the day. Niche creative codes appear and disappear from state lists between programme years. Confirm the current CSOL status and the nominating state's list right before you apply.
Step-by-Step Migration Roadmap
- Confirm your duties are jewellery design, not bench work, using the ANZSCO code finder.
- Verify 232313 remains on the CSOL for 2026.
- Assemble degree transcripts, reference letters and a strong design portfolio.
- Sit an English test, aiming for Proficient or Superior.
- Lodge the VETASSESS skills assessment (AUD $1,205.60).
- Decide your route: state nomination (190/491) or employer sponsorship (482/186).
- For state nomination, submit an expression of interest in SkillSelect.
- Apply to a state that currently nominates 232313, or secure a sponsoring studio offer.
- Receive the invitation or nomination approval.
- Lodge the visa application within the stated window.
- Complete health and character checks.
- Receive the grant and relocate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jewellery Designer different from a bench jeweller for migration?
Yes. ANZSCO 232313 is a professional design occupation focused on creating designs, technical drawings and CAD models. Bench jewelling, gem setting and repair sit under separate trade classifications. VETASSESS assesses your documented duties, so reference letters and a portfolio must demonstrate design and specification work rather than fabrication alone.
Can I apply for a 189 visa as a Jewellery Designer?
No. The code is on the Core Skills Occupation List and the Short-term Skilled Occupation List, but not the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List that feeds the 189. Your routes are the state-nominated 190, the regional 491, and the employer-sponsored 482 and 186.
Will a designer salary meet the visa income threshold?
Often not at junior levels. Many jewellery designer base salaries sit below the Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD $76,515, rising to AUD $79,499 from 1 July 2026. The employer-sponsored 482 and 186 therefore tend to suit senior or lead-designer roles where the guaranteed base clears the threshold. Earlier-career designers usually rely on state nomination instead.
What evidence does VETASSESS want for a Jewellery Designer assessment?
A relevant qualification, reference letters that describe genuine design duties, and a portfolio. The portfolio should show your original concepts moving through to technical drawings or CAD specifications, with dates and context for each piece. Applicants are best served by demonstrating ownership of the design process from brief to buildable specification.
