Marine Engineer Roles in Australia


Marine Engineer Roles in Australia

This page provides a practical overview of the Marine Engineer role in Australia — covering the naval shipbuilding and offshore sectors, professional registration, immigration pathways, and what degree-qualified marine engineers need to know before beginning their job search.


Role Snapshot

ANZSCO Code: 231212 — Marine Engineer (degree-qualified professional engineer)
Role Variants: Marine Systems Engineer, Ship Design Engineer, Naval Architect, Offshore Structural Engineer, Port Infrastructure Engineer, Marine Engineer Officer (CoC-based, ANZSCO 712211), Chief Engineer (CoC-based)
Parent Category: AU Maritime Roles
Skill Level: 1
Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL): Yes — eligible for TSS 482 visa with an employer sponsor
Skills Assessment Body: Engineers Australia (EA) for degree-qualified professionals; AMSA Certificate of Competency for CoC-based Marine Engineer Officers

🇳🇿Also available for New ZealandMarine Engineer Roles in New ZealandEngineering NZ · Skill Shortage→

This page covers ANZSCO 231212 (degree-qualified Marine Engineer) as the primary role. Many TEFI clients hold engineering degrees and have worked in offshore, naval, or commercial maritime environments. If you hold a CoC-based qualification (Chief Engineer, Second Engineer) rather than a degree, the same page applies to your context — AMSA CoC recognition is your primary credential, and EA assessment may apply for visa purposes depending on your pathway. The two streams are distinct but the Australian market welcomes both.

Australia’s marine engineering workforce is shaped by three structural demand drivers. The AUKUS naval shipbuilding programme (Hunter-class frigates, Arafura-class OPVs, and the long-term AUKUS submarine build) is creating a multi-decade engineering demand wave centred in Adelaide and Perth. Offshore oil and gas (North West Shelf, Bass Strait, Browse Basin) sustains consistent demand for offshore structural and systems engineers. And large ship repair yards, port infrastructure projects, and commercial maritime operators all compete for the same talent pool. The result is a sustained and well-documented shortage of qualified marine engineers across all specialisms.

  • Design, analyse, and specify marine propulsion, hull, and systems engineering solutions
  • Provide technical oversight for vessel construction, conversion, or repair projects
  • Conduct structural analysis, fatigue assessment, and classification society liaison
  • Support offshore installation and subsea engineering projects
  • Lead compliance reviews against AS/NZS marine standards, DNV-GL, Lloyd’s Register, or Bureau Veritas rules
  • Manage stakeholder interfaces between naval architects, operators, and Defence programme offices
  • Support ISM/ISM audits and safety management system development for commercial fleets

Typical employers: ASC (Australian Submarine Corporation — AUKUS construction hub), BAE Systems Australia (naval shipbuilding), Austal (aluminium vessel builder, Henderson WA), Forgacs Engineering, Svitzer, INPEX, Woodside, Royal Australian Navy / Defence (APS engineering roles), GHD Maritime, BMT Group, SMEC (now Surbana Jurong)


Salary Benchmark

Typical Range: $90,000 – $175,000+ AUD per year. Defence and AUKUS programme roles carry a premium over commercial maritime equivalents, particularly at senior and principal levels.

  • Graduate / early career (0–3 years): $82,000–$100,000
  • Mid-career (4–9 years): $105,000–$145,000
  • Senior / principal engineer: $148,000–$175,000+

Source: SEEK AU — Marine Engineer Salary | Hays Salary Guide AU 2026 | Data reviewed May 2026

AUKUS programme premium: Engineers embedded in the AUKUS submarine programme or Hunter-class frigate build typically receive salaries at the top of the senior range, with additional allowances for security clearance responsibilities and programme complexity. Competition for these roles is strong, but so is the pipeline of opportunities.

Cost of living: For an independent comparison, see Numbeo — Australia. TEFI provides clients with a detailed financial planning workbook to model living costs by city and lifestyle — ask Tate for a copy.

Where Demand Is Strongest

  • Adelaide (SA): The national hub for AUKUS naval engineering. ASC, BAE Systems, and the broader defence supply chain are all centred here. The Hunter-class frigate programme and AUKUS submarine construction are generating sustained, long-horizon demand for marine and naval engineers at all levels
  • Perth (WA): Offshore oil and gas engineering (North West Shelf, Browse, Ichthys), Royal Australian Navy HMAS Stirling (Garden Island), and Austal’s Henderson shipyard. The WA offshore sector is the largest commercial marine engineering market in Australia
  • Sydney / Newcastle (NSW): BAE Systems Maritime Australia (Garden Island), Royal Australian Navy HMAS Watson and Fleet Base East, and the commercial shipbuilding and repair sector at Newcastle
  • Darwin (NT): Growing Defence Force base presence, patrol vessel support, and offshore oil and gas engineering support roles tied to the Ichthys and Barossa projects
  • Melbourne (VIC): BAE Systems, L3Harris, Royal Australian Navy HMAS Cerberus (engineering training), and the Bass Strait offshore sector

Licensing & Professional Registration

Engineers Australia (EA) assessment is the standard pathway for overseas-qualified marine engineers seeking immigration to Australia. EA assesses qualifications against Australian engineering standards and issues a positive skills assessment required for points-tested visas.

Assessment pathways:

  • Washington Accord graduates (UK, NZ, Canada, USA, Ireland, and most European countries): recognition of degree equivalence is straightforward. EA will assess experience and competency
  • Non-Washington Accord graduates: EA conducts a more detailed assessment of both qualification and work experience. Allow additional time

Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) through EA is the standard senior professional credential in Australia. For AUKUS and defence roles, CPEng is not always mandatory at hire but is expected at Principal level.

AGSVA security clearance: Senior defence engineering roles (AUKUS, naval programme) require an AGSVA Negative Vetting Level 1 (NV1) or NV2 clearance. Clearance sponsorship requires Australian PR or citizenship-track status. Candidates who are on a pathway to PR are often prioritised by defence employers for clearance sponsorship.

Reference: Engineers Australia — Skills Assessment


Immigration Pathway

Skills assessment required: Yes — Engineers Australia (EA) for ANZSCO 231212. EA assessment is required for points-tested visa pathways and strongly expected for employer-sponsored pathways.

Visa options:

Important: TEFI does not provide immigration advice. We recommend working with a registered Australian migration agent. We refer clients to New Zealand Shores — contact Fabien Maisonneuve at Fabien@newzealandshores.com and mention Tate sent you.

Migrant Readiness Signals

  • Engineers Australia (EA) skills assessment submitted or in preparation — this is the first step for points-tested visa pathways and expected by most defence employers
  • Naval vs commercial vs offshore specialism clearly declared in CV and cover materials — Australian employers hire to specific sectors, not “marine engineering” generically
  • AUKUS naval programme awareness demonstrated in applications — candidates who understand the Hunter-class and Arafura-class programmes stand out immediately
  • Australian and international standards familiarity documented (AS/NZS marine standards, DNV-GL, Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas, ISO marine) alongside home-country equivalents
  • Defence security clearance pathway understood — AGSVA NV1/NV2 process, timeline, and the PR/citizenship requirement for clearance sponsorship

Where to Find Roles

Direct to employer: ASC, BAE Systems Australia, and Austal all manage significant direct engineering recruitment. GHD Maritime and BMT Group post project-specific roles directly via their career pages. For offshore oil and gas, Woodside and INPEX manage engineering contractor panels.

A note on cold applications: Defence prime contractors in Adelaide are actively seeking overseas-trained marine engineers, but the application process is more structured than commercial maritime — generic applications rarely succeed. Positioning your background against the specific programme (Hunter-class, Arafura-class, AUKUS submarine) makes a material difference. If you’d like a view on how your CV reads to an Australian defence or maritime employer, upload your CV for no-cost, practical feedback — Tate typically responds within one business day.


What to expect: For overseas marine engineers targeting Australia, a realistic job search timeline is 4–8 weeks from a well-prepared starting point once EA assessment is in hand. Defence and AUKUS roles have longer hiring cycles (8–14 weeks including security checks); commercial offshore roles typically move faster. The EA assessment process itself adds 8–16 weeks to the overall timeline, so starting it early is important.

Take the Next Step

If you would like support positioning your experience for the NZ job market — including CV alignment, interview preparation, and employer targeting — TEFI's career coaching is designed specifically for internationally trained professionals.

Tate has 17 years of immigration employment coaching experience and works with clients until they secure a job offer.

Immigration information disclaimer: This page provides general information only and does not constitute immigration advice. Visa eligibility, qualification requirements, and occupation lists change regularly. Your individual circumstances — including work history, qualifications, and country of origin — affect which pathways are available to you. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed New Zealand immigration adviser. TEFI refers clients to New Zealand Shores (Fabien Gilberton) as a trusted referral — mention Tate's name when you get in touch.