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ANZSCO 253514OSCA 253514Skill level 1Version 6Updated 2026-04-26

Orthopaedic Surgeon

An Orthopaedic Surgeon diagnoses and performs surgery for disorders of bones, joints, and soft tissues in Australian hospitals, with high demand for joint replacement and sports surgery.

Indicative salary range
$500,000 - $1,000,000+ (2025 indicative)

Full-time AUD, 2025 indicative. Wide bands reflect variation by employer, experience, and location.

Labour market demand

High demand; joint replacement volumes are growing with an ageing Australian population.

Occupation list membership

Which Department of Home Affairs skilled lists this occupation currently appears on.

  • MLTSSLMedium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List

    Occupations eligible for permanent visas including Subclass 189 and 190.

  • CSOLCombined Skilled Occupation List

    The merged skilled list that consolidates previous MLTSSL and STSOL eligibility under the Skills in Demand program.

Assessing authority

The body that assesses skills for migration purposes for this occupation.

  • MED
    MEDBA

Visa pathways

Australian visa subclasses for which this occupation is currently eligible.

State nominations

States and territories that currently nominate this occupation for skilled migration.

CodeState / TerritoryDetails
NSWNew South WalesView nomination →
VICVictoriaView nomination →
QLDQueenslandView nomination →
WAWestern AustraliaView nomination →
SASouth AustraliaView nomination →
TASTasmaniaView nomination →
NTNorthern TerritoryView nomination →
ACTAustralian Capital TerritoryView nomination →

Key duties

  • Perform joint replacement (hip, knee, shoulder), fracture fixation, and arthroscopic surgery
  • Manage trauma, paediatric orthopaedics, and spine conditions
  • Conduct outpatient clinics and manage post-operative rehabilitation
  • Provide acute orthopaedic trauma on-call cover

Skills required

  • Orthopaedic surgical technique across subspecialties
  • Fracture management and joint reconstruction
  • Arthroscopic and minimally invasive surgical techniques
  • Orthopaedic biomechanics and implant knowledge

Typical qualifications pathway

MBBS plus FRACS (Orthopaedic Surgery); AHPRA specialist registration. MedBA assesses qualifications.

Visa & occupation list information

Listed on MLTSSL and CSOL, enabling subclasses 186, 189, 190, 482, 485, 491, and 494 For advice on which pathway suits your circumstances, consult a registered MARA migration agent.

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Occupation record last reviewed by editorial team: