{"id":25412,"date":"2024-12-04T14:04:44","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T14:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/?p=25412"},"modified":"2025-08-14T05:31:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T05:31:12","slug":"maximize-your-visa-points-and-pursue-a-successful-pharmacy-career-in-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/maximize-your-visa-points-and-pursue-a-successful-pharmacy-career-in-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"Maximize Your Visa Points and Pursue a Successful Pharmacy Career in Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"25412\" class=\"elementor elementor-25412\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1f2f2171 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"1f2f2171\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-21fbdafd sc_content_align_inherit sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left sc_fly_static\" data-id=\"21fbdafd\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-218ec805 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"218ec805\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-13c6f1028ca5eb3362ca83493197a118\">Are you an aspiring pharmacist willing to practice in Australia? Have you completed your Overseas pharmacist licensure exam for Australia, the <a href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/opra-exam-preparation-course\/\">OPRA Exam Australia<\/a> which was previously KAPS exam conducted by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pharmacycouncil.org.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">APC<\/a>\u00a0Wondering what are the next important steps to be taken in your journey to Australia? Then this blog would help you with what are the visa options available for you and how to increase the visa points in order to make your path easy. Visa options for Australian pharmacist and how to increase the visa points for Australia is the topic of discussion once you complete your OPRA exam (previously KAPS exam), which is the licensure exam for Overseas pharmacists to move to Australia, and here is Elite Expertise\u2019s take on it to clearly explain the process. The General Skilled Migration (GSM) program provides overseas-trained pharmacists with a fantastic pathway to live and work in Australia permanently. This program includes different visa subclasses based on individual\u00a0circumstances:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-49045722ca106cff2643003fabf8b25f\">\n<li><strong>Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent Visa):<\/strong> No sponsorship required.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated Visa):<\/strong> Requires state or territory nomination, offering <strong>5 extra points<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Subclass 491<\/strong><strong> (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa):<\/strong> Ideal for regional work and provides <strong>15 additional points<\/strong> when nominated by a state or region.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/opra-exam-reference-books\/\">OPRA Exam Reference Books<\/a><\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-b874dd51a53bd251a78249b2a8234598\"><strong>Detailed guide to earning and maximizing your visa points:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"544\" class=\"wp-image-25434\" src=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2-1024x544.png\" alt=\"Detailed guide to earning and maximizing your visa points:\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2-1024x544.png 1024w, https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2-768x408.png 768w, https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2-1536x815.png 1536w, https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2-370x196.png 370w, https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2-840x446.png 840w, https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2-410x218.png 410w, https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-2.png 1869w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-f6be0bc7670ad4937832af51fdbc5f82\"><strong>1. Age Criteria<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-146f5804da9a2e2e770dad94465cd5f5\">Points are awarded based on your age:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-5c8588fca355b540d11c3b4931bb5d4b\">\n<li><strong>18-24 years:<\/strong> 25 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>25-32 years:<\/strong> 30 points (maximum for age)<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>33-39 years:<\/strong> 25 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>40-45 years:<\/strong> 15 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Above 45 years:<\/strong> 0 points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-742a6d843288e18419070fec09dc925a\"><strong>2. English Language Proficiency<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-7e2b946655c149e6cd26ac05ded7a320\">Higher proficiency in tests like PTE, IELTS, or TOEFL can significantly increase your points:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-3a69868a1c25989c994e5500a5ff66b1\">\n<li><strong>Superior English (PTE 79+ in all modules \/ IELTS Band 8):<\/strong> 20 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Proficient English (PTE 70-78 \/ IELTS Band 7):<\/strong> 10 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Competent English (PTE &lt;65 \/ IELTS Band 6):<\/strong> 0 points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-4bd7c1ee4c42da07325f27a8790dada6\"><strong>3. Work Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-hover-2-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-4177c4b112fed8282e6c877f7dc0bd94\"><strong>Overseas Work Experience:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-09587e99ed9a3976e2f36aa0c3755c0f\">\n<li><strong>3 years:<\/strong> 5 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>5 years:<\/strong> 10 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>8 years:<\/strong> 15 points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-hover-2-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-8db117206618b949440e75dc9ab91367\"><strong>Australian Work Experience:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-cea8aab1b8ef2dc7dae97c8161143eda\">\n<li><strong>1 year:<\/strong> 5 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>3 years:<\/strong> 10 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>5 years:<\/strong> 15 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>8 years:<\/strong> 20 points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-900e5a70f2518ac31d6acf44672543c9\"><strong>4. Skills Assessment (OPRA Exam)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-2c92eba7e08ae31dc1374de7ae858fb6\"><a href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/opra-exam-preparation-course\/\">OPRA Exam full form<\/a> Overseas Pharmacist Registration Exam \u00a0is essential for overseas pharmacists. It validates your qualifications and is mandatory for registration in Australia.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-fa798a20a880d683172ff5bc0e9dcbae\"><strong>5. Qualifications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-b4b2ba178117496db54237c7450ea23e\">Points based on academic achievements:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-4238f365809e754cea588517791cfa13\">\n<li><strong>Doctorate:<\/strong> 20 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Bachelor\u2019s or Master\u2019s degree:<\/strong> 15 points<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-ab25807071f4cb973de33db721f99f08\">Qualifications closely aligned with pharmacy enhance success prospects.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-c4dd1d17ea126f59b1ad745a91add59a\"><strong>6. Regional Study<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-381041c767bf16bdc3d88a8da28d5e12\">Studying for at least two years in regional Australia earns 5 points. This also opens doors to <strong>Regional Sponsored Migration Schemes (RSMS).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-825cab96e7dd5fa1b91073cf3312b9b3\"><strong>7. Professional Year in Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-1eb274a488db58600b14c4ea7ead8c2e\">Completing a <strong>Professional Year (PY)<\/strong> program related to pharmacy in Australia adds 5 points.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-d43c6ca2ec8df1fe2709d34db12340e3\">For those on a <strong>Subclass 407 Training Visa<\/strong>, completing the training in Australia allows you to claim 5 points for your Permanent Residency (PR) application.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-8e0c18deb90d8cf9136aba147c4a1456\"><strong>8. Partner Points<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-592cf30c7f30448a81b7b134710665fe\">\n<li><strong>Single or married to an Australian partner:<\/strong> 10 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Partner\u2019s occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (meeting age and English language proficiency criteria):<\/strong> 10 points<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Partner with competent English only (PTE 60+ or IELTS Band 6+):<\/strong> 5 points (even if their occupation is not on the Skilled Occupation List).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"has-luminous-vivid-amber-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-f330da3f1aef30d721cc47c97d156b3d\"><strong>9. State Sponsorship Points<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-cb0115b7a0c282cf214be4a79c34cabb\">\n<li><strong>Subclass 190 Visa:<\/strong> 5 additional points for state nomination.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Subclass 491 Visa:<\/strong> 15 additional points for state or regional nomination.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/age-limit-for-kaps-exam-for-overseas-pharmacists\/\">Age Limit for KAPS\/OPRA Exam for Overseas Pharmacists<\/a><\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-7b835ed2926f4665abebdcbf9f8b177c\"><strong>Conclusion: Achieve Your Pharmacy Career Goals in Australia<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-860722b81a1a9823078f26839cc9f6f4\">To increase your chances of qualifying for a GSM visa, focus on improving your <strong>English language proficiency<\/strong>, gaining <strong>work experience<\/strong>, and completing <strong>regional study<\/strong> or a <strong>professional year in Australia<\/strong>. These steps not only boost your points but also position you for success in Australia\u2019s in-demand pharmacy sector.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-2fd466a54686afd6b542d7c61118ee02\">At <a href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/\">Elite Expertise<\/a>, we provide tailored support for the <a href=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/opra-exam-preparation-course\/\">OPRA exam Preparation <\/a>and guidance through every step of the registration and migration process. Take the first step toward building a thriving pharmacy career in Australia today!<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you an aspiring pharmacist willing to practice in Australia? Have you completed your Overseas pharmacist licensure exam for Australia, the OPRA Exam Australia which was previously KAPS exam conducted&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":25423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[206],"tags":[270,275,269,268,271,274,272,273,276],"ppma_author":[1377],"class_list":["post-25412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-visa","tag-australia-pharmacist-visa-update-2025","tag-pharmacist-visa-sponsorship","tag-pharmacist-career-paths-in-australia","tag-pharmacist-in-australia","tag-pharmacist-jobs-australia","tag-pharmacy-jobs-in-australia-with-visa-sponsorship","tag-visa-points","tag-visa-sponsorship","tag-visa-sponsorship-pharmacist"],"authors":[{"term_id":1377,"user_id":11,"is_guest":0,"slug":"krupa","display_name":"Krupa Karamchand","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a988d9c41ccf8992d012c8280ee2417e9e20f362a3e1bf9303aa3279ff763c3d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","author_category":"1","first_name":"Krupa","last_name":"Karamchand","user_url":"","job_title":"Healthcare Content Strategist, SEO Writer & LinkedIn Growth Expert","description":"<img class=\"wp-image-32534 size-liability-thumb-tiny\" src=\"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Krupa-Karamchand-120x120.jpeg\" alt=\"Krupa Karamchand\" width=\"120\" height=\"120\" \/>\r\n\r\n<b>B.Pharm, RPh (KAPS &amp; MOH Qualified) | Healthcare Content Strategist, SEO Writer &amp; LinkedIn Growth Expert\u00a0<\/b>\r\n\r\nLicence Number: 54178 (active from 28\/12\/2015)\r\n\r\nKrupa Karamchand is a registered pharmacist, healthcare content strategist, and SEO writer with expertise in pharmacy, healthcare education, and digital content marketing. Holding a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Kerala University of Health and Allied Sciences (KUHS) along with KAPS and MOH qualifications, she combines clinical knowledge with digital expertise to create accurate, evidence-based, and engaging healthcare content.\r\n\r\nShe specialises in SEO-optimised blogs, web pages, landing pages, long-form guides, and social media content focused on pharmacy careers, international pharmacist registration pathways, and healthcare education. Her areas of expertise include OPRA, KAPS, DHA, MOH, and pharmacist registration pathways in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland.\r\n\r\nIn addition to healthcare writing, Krupa is an experienced LinkedIn Growth Strategist and AI Visual Content Designer. She helps professionals and organisations enhance their online presence through LinkedIn optimisation, personal branding, ghostwriting, and social media strategy. She is proficient in SEO and analytics tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console and actively leverages AI tools including ChatGPT, Claude AI, and Gemini to deliver high-quality, data-driven content.\r\n\r\nHer professional experience includes serving as managing director and pharmacist at Prarthana Pharma and previously working as a hospital pharmacist at Thumbay Hospital. Today, she focuses on empowering pharmacists and healthcare professionals through trusted educational content, strategic digital communication, and innovative content solutions.\r\n<b><\/b>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25412"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25412\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29850,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25412\/revisions\/29850"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25412"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eliteexpertise.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=25412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}