Role Snapshot

ANZSCO Code: 272111 (Psychologist) / 272312 (School Counsellor) — classification varies by state and qualification
NZR Code: NZR-167
Country: Australia
Role Variants: School Counsellor, Guidance Counsellor, School Psychologist, Educational Psychologist, Wellbeing Counsellor, Student Wellbeing Leader, Pastoral Care Coordinator
Registration Body: Varies by state and role type. AHPRA (via the Psychology Board of Australia) for roles involving psychological assessment. PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia) or ACA (Australian Counselling Association) for counselling roles. Teaching registration required in states where school counsellors must be registered teachers.
Skill Level: 1
Skilled Occupation Lists: School Counsellor (ANZSCO 272312) and Psychologist (ANZSCO 272111) have different list placements. Market demand is consistently strong across both classifications. Confirm current status at Home Affairs Skilled Occupation List.

🇳🇿Also considering New Zealand?School Counsellor Roles in New ZealandNZAC registration · Teaching Council · AEWV pathways→

School counsellors in Australia support the social, emotional, and learning wellbeing of students. The specific scope of practice, title, and required qualifications vary significantly by state and school system. In NSW, school counsellors are required to hold a teaching qualification plus postgraduate counselling or psychology training; in VIC, School Counsellors under the DET model typically hold a postgraduate qualification in counselling, psychology, or social work; in QLD and WA, guidance counsellors typically hold a teaching registration plus additional counselling or psychology qualifications. The pathway for overseas professionals is therefore state-dependent and requires careful verification against the requirements of the specific system and state where you intend to practise.

The mental health of Australian school students has become a major policy priority. Anxiety, depression, and social-emotional difficulties among school-age children are at historically high levels, and Australian school systems at all levels are under pressure to increase their wellbeing and counselling capacity. This creates genuine demand for qualified practitioners, particularly those who combine school-specific experience with clinical counselling or psychological training.

Typical employers: State government school systems (NSW DET, VIC DET, QLD DoE, WA DoE, SA DoE), Catholic school systems (Catholic Education Diocese offices in each state), independent schools, and specialist education settings.

Salary Ranges

School counsellor salaries in Australia are typically governed by state teacher enterprise agreements (for roles requiring teaching registration) or separate school counsellor/psychologist enterprise agreements in some systems. The classification and pay band depend on qualifications and state-specific role definitions.

Typical Ranges (AUD per year, before tax):

Remote and rural area allowances can add $5,000–$20,000 annually for counsellors willing to work in rural or remote schools. Some states also have attraction and retention bonuses for hard-to-staff counsellor positions. Independent school salaries may differ from government school enterprise agreement rates and can be negotiated.

Source: State teacher enterprise agreements | SEEK AU — School Counsellor. Reviewed May 2026.

Where Demand Is Strongest

• All states — rural and regional areas: The most acute shortages are outside metropolitan areas in every state. Rural and regional students have the highest need for wellbeing support and the lowest ratio of counsellors to students. State education departments specifically recruit for regional placements and offer financial incentives to attract qualified counsellors.
• New South Wales: NSW DET employs school counsellors across its 2,200+ government schools. The Western NSW, Hunter New England, and New England regions are persistently underserved. Sydney outer west also has vacancies in schools with high student support needs.
• Victoria: The VIC DET has been expanding its wellbeing workforce under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Schools program. Regional Victoria (Gippsland, Loddon Mallee, Grampians) has ongoing shortages. The Catholic Education Melbourne and diocesan offices recruit counsellors separately from the government system.
• Queensland: QLD DoE’s Guidance Officers (the QLD title for school counsellors) are in consistent shortage across regional and remote QLD. Far North QLD, Central QLD, and South West QLD are particularly underserved. Guidance Officers in QLD must hold a teaching registration plus specific counselling or psychology qualifications.
• Western Australia: WA School Psychologists and Guidance Counsellors are in persistent shortage, especially in the Kimberley, Pilbara, and Goldfields regions. Remote WA school counsellor roles carry significant financial incentives.
• Northern Territory: NT has the most acute school counsellor shortage in Australia relative to student population. Darwin and remote NT community schools have significant student mental health and wellbeing needs with very limited counsellor coverage. NT roles carry hardship and remote area allowances.

Registration Requirements

The registration pathway for school counsellors in Australia is state-specific and depends on whether the role involves formal psychological assessment. Read this section carefully before applying to specific roles.

Roles involving psychological assessment (psychometric testing, formal diagnostic assessment):

• Require registration with AHPRA via the Psychology Board of Australia
• Psychology Board of Australia (via AHPRA) is the national registration authority
• Overseas psychologists must apply for registration through AHPRA; qualifications from NZ, the UK, the USA, Canada, and South Africa are regularly assessed
• Allow 8–16 weeks for AHPRA assessment from submission of a complete application

Roles requiring teaching registration plus counselling qualifications (most government school counsellor roles in NSW, QLD, WA):

• Require teacher registration from the relevant state authority (see Special Education Teacher page for state-by-state registration authorities)
• Plus postgraduate qualifications in counselling, psychology, or social work
• The specific postgraduate qualification required varies by state system and role classification; verify with the relevant state education authority before applying

Counselling roles not requiring teaching registration or psychology registration:

• PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia): membership is a professional credential for counsellors and psychotherapists; Clinical Member or Registered status signals professional standing
• ACA (Australian Counselling Association): membership at Level 2, 3, or 4 is a recognised professional credential; ACA is used by some independent school systems as the professional standard for non-teaching counsellors

Working With Children Check: All school counsellors working with children in Australia require a state-specific WWCC (Blue Card in QLD, WWC Check in VIC, WWCC in NSW, etc.). Apply early as processing can take several weeks.

Immigration Pathway

The skilled migration pathway for school counsellors depends on which ANZSCO code applies to your role. School Counsellor (272312) and Psychologist (272111) have different list placements and assessing authorities. Most overseas school counsellors enter via employer sponsorship or points-tested residence.

Immigration advice: TEFI does not provide immigration advice. TEFI can refer you to trusted advisers: contact Tate directly.

Readiness Signals

• Clarify your Australian pathway before applying: The single most important step for overseas school counsellors is to confirm whether your qualifications and experience align with the teaching-registration-plus-counselling pathway, the AHPRA psychology registration pathway, or the PACFA/ACA counselling pathway in the specific state and school system you are targeting. Contact the relevant state education authority’s recruitment team directly; most have an overseas professional inquiry process.
• AHPRA application underway (if applicable): If your role requires psychology registration, beginning your AHPRA application before applying for roles is essential. Allow 8–16 weeks for processing and inform prospective employers of your application timeline.
• Mental health literacy and Australian student wellbeing frameworks: Australian school systems use specific frameworks for student mental health (e.g., MindMatters, KidsMatter evolved into the Be You framework). Familiarity with the Be You framework, positive education approaches, and Australian school wellbeing data demonstrates sector readiness.
• Crisis intervention and risk assessment competency: Australian schools expect school counsellors to be competent in suicide risk assessment and management protocols (using tools such as the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale), safety planning, and mandatory reporting obligations. Overseas counsellors who can demonstrate competency in these areas will be assessed more confidently by Australian school systems.
• Mandatory reporting training: All Australian states require teachers and school staff (including counsellors) to report child abuse and neglect. Most state education departments provide mandatory reporting training online; completing this before your job search signals preparedness.
• Regional openness: For overseas school counsellors whose primary goal is permanent residence, regional placement is the fastest path. Schools and education systems in rural and remote areas actively support overseas counsellors through accommodation assistance, relocation support, and often accelerated engagement with the registration process.

Job Boards and Where to Find Roles

• SEEK AU — School Counsellor / Guidance Counsellor — primary job board; government and independent school roles; set up state-specific alerts
• State government teacher/counsellor recruitment portals:
  • Teach NSW — School Counsellor roles and overseas applicant information
  • Teach Victoria
  • Teach Queensland — Guidance Officer roles
  • WA Department of Education Careers
  • NT Department of Education
• LinkedIn Jobs — School Counsellor Australia — independent and Catholic school roles and pre-arrival networking
• Catholic school system recruitment: Catholic Education offices in each state recruit directly; contact the diocesan HR office for your target region
• Specialist education recruitment agencies: Randstad Education, Frontline Education, Teachers on Call — all maintain wellbeing and counsellor candidate databases