Rehabilitation Counsellor
A Rehabilitation Counsellor assists people with disabilities, injuries, or chronic conditions to return to work and participate in the community through assessment, planning, and vocational rehabilitation in Australia.
Full-time AUD, 2025 indicative. Wide bands reflect variation by employer, experience, and location.
Consistent demand in workers compensation, NDIS, and DVA rehabilitation programs.
Occupation list membership
Which Department of Home Affairs skilled lists this occupation currently appears on.
- STSOLShort-Term Skilled Occupation List
Occupations eligible for shorter-term sponsored visas including Subclass 482 (short-term stream).
- 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.
- VETVETASSESSVisit official site →
Visa pathways
Australian visa subclasses for which this occupation is currently eligible.
- 186Learn more →Employer Nomination Scheme visa
Permanent employer-sponsored visa for workers nominated by an approved sponsor.
- 190Learn more →Skilled Nominated visa
Permanent visa for workers nominated by a state or territory government.
- 482Learn more →Skills in Demand visa
Employer-sponsored temporary visa (formerly TSS) for occupations on the relevant list.
- 491Learn more →Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa
Five-year provisional visa for workers willing to live and work in regional Australia.
- 494Learn more →Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa
Five-year employer-sponsored provisional visa in regional Australia, with a path to PR.
State nominations
States and territories that currently nominate this occupation for skilled migration.
| Code | State / Territory | Details |
|---|---|---|
| WA | Western Australia | View nomination → |
| SA | South Australia | View nomination → |
| ACT | Australian Capital Territory | View nomination → |
Key duties
- Conduct vocational and functional capacity assessments for injured or disabled clients
- Develop return-to-work and vocational rehabilitation plans
- Liaise with employers, insurers, medical practitioners, and Centrelink on client rehabilitation
- Provide career counselling and support clients in gaining or retaining employment
Skills required
- Vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work case management
- Functional capacity and transferable skills assessment
- Workers compensation and NDIS system knowledge
- Employer engagement and workplace modification advice
Typical qualifications pathway
Bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Counselling; CICA membership. VETASSESS 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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