Retail Pharmacist (ANZSCO 251513)
Updated
What a Retail Pharmacist does
Dispenses prescribed pharmaceuticals to the public, educates customers on health promotion, disease prevention and the proper use of medicines, and sells non-prescription medicines and related goods in a community pharmacy. Registration or licensing is required.
- Also called
- Community Pharmacist
Key facts
- ANZSCO code
- 251513
- Skill level
- 1Bachelor degree or higher
- Skilled lists
- Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)Regional Occupation List (ROL)
- Assessing authority
- APharmC
- National shortage
- Shortage
Visa options
Occupation eligibility is one requirement; each visa page links to the rest.
Points-tested
- Subclass 189 Skilled IndependentNot on its occupation listsNot eligible
- Subclass 190 Skilled NominatedVia STSOLEligible
- Subclass 491, state or territory nominatedVia STSOL and ROLEligible
- Subclass 491, family sponsoredNot on its occupation listsNot eligible
Employer-sponsored
Main tasks
- receiving prescriptions, checking patients' medicine histories, and ensuring optimal dosage and methods of administration and drug compatibility before dispensing
- preparing or supervising the preparation and labelling of liquid medicines, ointments, powders, tablets and other medications to fill prescriptions
- advising prescribers on drug incompatibility and contra-indications
- reviewing and monitoring the medicine therapy of individual patients, and assessing the effectiveness of the total medicine therapy
- maintaining prescription files and recording issue of narcotics, poisons and habit-forming drugs
- storing and preserving vaccines, serums and other drugs subject to deterioration
- supplying non-prescription medicines, and diagnostic and therapeutic aids
- supervising and coordinating the work of Pharmacy Technicians, pharmacy interns and Pharmacy Sales Assistants
- conducting research to develop and improve pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and related chemical products
- conferring with Chemists, Engineering Professionals and other professionals about manufacturing techniques and ingredients
- testing and analysing drugs to determine their identity, purity and strength in relation to specified standards
- developing standards for drugs used in pharmaceuticals
Shortage by state
- NationalShortage
- ACTShortage
- NSWShortage
- NTShortage
- QLDShortage
- SAShortage
- TASShortage
- VICShortage
- WAShortage
State and territory nomination
For the 190 and 491, each state and territory also has its own occupation list.
Common questions
What does a Retail Pharmacist do?
Dispenses prescribed pharmaceuticals to the public, educates customers on health promotion, disease prevention and the proper use of medicines, and sells non-prescription medicines and related goods in a community pharmacy. Registration or licensing is required. Also called: Community Pharmacist. (ABS ANZSCO description.)
Is Retail Pharmacist on the skilled occupation list?
Yes. Retail Pharmacist (ANZSCO 251513) is on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and Regional Occupation List (ROL) (lists in force from 14 December 2024). It is listed for the 186, 190, 482, 491 and 494 visas.
What is the ANZSCO code for Retail Pharmacist?
251513. Home Affairs uses ANZSCO codes for skilled visas.
How can a Retail Pharmacist migrate to Australia?
The occupation lists Home Affairs publishes include Retail Pharmacist for the Subclass 186, Subclass 190, Subclass 482, Subclass 491 and Subclass 494 visas. Being on a list is one requirement among several; each visa's page links to Home Affairs for the rest.
Who assesses Retail Pharmacist for an Australian visa?
APharmC, the skills assessing authority listed for 251513.
Is Retail Pharmacist in demand in Australia?
Jobs and Skills Australia rated it "Shortage" nationally in its 2025 Occupation Shortage List, with ratings for each state and territory shown above.