Skilled Immigration
What Is Skilled Immigration?
The Skilled Migration Program, also known as the General Skilled Migration Program, is for people who have skills in particular occupations required in Australia but are not sponsored by an employer. The visa granted is often referred to as a skilled independent migrant. Every year more than one hundred thousand skilled people are migrating to Australia under this category so why not you?
Explore About Visa Categories
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Independent Skilled VISA (SUBCLASS 189)
This permanent visa category is assessed against the applicant’s skills. It is aimed at overseas students who have finished their studies in the last six months and as the name suggests it is independent of sponsorship or other criteria and relies on the applicant’s skill base alone.
Who is eligible for an Independent Skilled Visa?
The visa is for skilled workers who are currently in or outside Australia who satisfy the point test. Processing of applications is by invitation only and an intended applicant must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and have a suitable skills assessment for that occupation from the relevant approved assessing authorities.
Benefits of the Independent Skilled Visa
This visa provides immediate permanent residency to the applicant and his or her immediate family who accompany them on their application.
Other Requirements for an Independent Skilled Visa
You must be under the age of 45 years at the time of making application and have competent English language Skills. You must have skills or qualifications comparable to Australian Qualification in a skilled occupation on the Consolidated Skilled Occupation List (CSOL) and Australian Immigration Critical Skills List.
During processing of the Subclass 189 visa, it is assessed on a points system and currently minimum 65 points are required to qualify as well as meeting the standard conditions.
Sponsored Skilled VISA (SUBCLASS 190)
This visa allows skilled workers who do not meet the point test for the skilled – independent visa or as per demand of occupation to apply for permanent residency through state and territory nomination. This permanent visa category is assessed against the applicant’s skills and requires the nomination from a state or territory (NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, TAS, NT and ACT).
Visa Sponsor Requirements
Your sponsor must be a State or Territory government. The visa is assessed on a point test basis with currently minimum 65 points are required to qualify in addition to meeting the standard conditions.
Who is eligible for a Skilled-Nominated Visa?
The visa is for skilled workers who are currently in or outside Australia who satisfy the point test. Applications are by invitation only and an intended applicant must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and have a suitable skills assessment for that occupation from the relevant assessing authorities. The applicant will also require an approved nomination from the state or territory government before applying for visa.
Other Requirements for a Skilled-Nominated Visa
You must be under the age of 45 years at the time of making application and have good English Skills (minimum competent English). You must have skills or qualifications comparable to an Australian Qualification in a skilled occupation on the Consolidated Skilled Occupation List (CSOL) and Australian Immigration Critical Skills List.
Benefits of the Skilled-Nominated Visa
This immigration visa provides immediate permanent residency to the applicant and his or her immediate family. There is no waiting period associated with this visa however; the applicant and the associated family have to make a commitment of staying by the sponsored state for 2 years.
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa – SUBCLASS 491
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa
This is a five-year provisional visa which gives the applicant temporary immigration and residency with a pathway option for permanent immigration after meeting certain requirements. This visa is designed to encourage migrants to live and work in regional areas of Australia where there are large skills shortages and significant numbers of job vacancies.
Requirements for a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa
The visa requires sponsorship from an eligible relative living in a designated region of Australia or from a State or Territory Government (NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, TAS, NT and ACT).
This stream is for Points-tested skilled workers who must be able to meet the points score of minimum 65 points that are required to qualify as well as meeting the standard conditions.
Benefits of the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa
This visa gives the applicant and his or her immediate family temporary residency and permanent residency once the living in that particular region and full-time employment conditions are satisfied. Once the applicant has lived for three years and worked full-time for three years in a specified regional area have complied with the conditions on that visa and have met minimum income each year ($53,900 per annum)- requirements, permanent residency is available.
For Subclass 491, points are awarded in the following categories:
- Age (0 to 30 points depending upon the age bracket)
- English Language (0 to 20 points depending upon the English competency in last 3 years)
- Skilled Employment (0 to 20 points for any combination of employment in and outside Australia in last 10 years)
- Qualifications (10 to 20 points from an award to doctorate level of a recognized standard)
- Australian Study (5 to 10 points including regional and research study)
- Special education (5 to 10 points Master degree or doctorate degree by research in (STEM) from Australian educational institution with at least two academic years).
- Professional Year (5 points in Accounting, Information Technology and Engineering Field)
- Credentialled Community Language (5 points)
- Partner Skills (5 to 10 points)
- Partner Competent English (5 Points)
- Single Applicant (10 points)
- State or Family Sponsorship (5 to 15 points)
Graduate Work Visa (Subclass 485)
This is an onshore visa for international students in Australia who do not satisfy the requirements for permanent skilled migration to Australia. Students may be eligible for graduate work visas on completion of their courses. This gives them full work rights in Australia for 18 to 24 months and makes it easier to accumulate more points when applying for skilled migration or opportunities to find an employer sponsorship visas. This visa has two main categories:
Post-Study Work Stream
This visa is for international students who graduate with a higher education degree from an Australian education provider, irrespective of their field of study. Visa in this stream can be granted for up to four years depending on the qualification achieved.
Graduate Work Stream
This is for international students who are graduates with skills and qualifications that relate to the occupations on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). In this stream, 18 months of temporary residency visa is granted to students from the date of grant.
Benefits of a Graduate Skilled Visa
Graduating students are able to remain within Australia for the duration of visa granted to complete a professional year, or/and to gain Australian work experience or to increase English Language skills.
Skilled Recognized Graduate Temporary Visa (SUBCLASS 476)
The Skilled Recognized Visa is a temporary visa that allows recent engineering graduates from recognized institutions & eligible universities to attain up to 18 months of skilled work experience.
You can be inside or outside Australia, while applying for the Visa; however you have to be outside Australia, while the visa is being granted, unless you a New Zealand citizen with a Special Category visa (subclass 444).
You could get this visa if you:
- Are not more than 31 years of age.
- Must have completed their engineering degree from a recognized institution within the past two years
- Are not a primary visa holder of a subclass 485 or 476 visa
- Can demonstrate English language ability
- Can fulfill character and health requirements
Engineering Qualifications
Within two years before applying for this Visa, you should have obtained any:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree
- Doctoral degree
- Postgraduate diploma
The major sequence of your engineering study or qualification must contain following fields:
- Mechanical, production and plant engineering
- Environmental engineering
- Civil engineering
- Structural engineering
- Electrical and electronics engineering
- Chemical engineering
- Mining and material engineering
Benefits of Skilled Recognized Graduate Visa 476
This visa allows you and any secondary applicants included in your visa application to remain in Australia for up to 18 months with no restrictions on work or study. During this period you may choose to:
- Work
- Travel
- Undertake further professional studies
- Study to improve your English skills