Skilled visas - General Requirements
Skilled migration has always been and still is the highest priority and the most popular migration stream in Australian immigration. About 40% of all the immigrants come to Australia under this stream.
1 of July 2012 the new skilled migration model was implemented, called Skilled Select
At the moment the following visa subclasses come under skilled migration:
Visa |
Visa subclass |
Skilled Indepenent |
189 |
Skilled Nominated |
190 |
Skilled Nominated or Sponsored (Provisional) |
489 |
Skilled Graduate |
485 |
Skilled Recognised Graduate |
476 |
Skilled Regional |
887 |
General requirements for Skilled visas:
- The candidates should be under 50 years of age when they are invited to apply
- The candidates should nominate a skilled occupation, which must be on Skilled Occupation List (SOL) http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/sol/
Visa subclasses 189, 190 and 489 are subject to the points test.
Candidates get points for
- Age
- English proficiency
- Overseas and Australian employment experience
- Educational qualifications
You also get extra points for :
- Australian study
- Community language accredited at paraprofessional level for interpreting or translating by NAATI
- Studying and living in Regional Australia
- If you partner also meets the criteria such as age, English language proficiency and nominated occupation
- State nomination
- Sponsorship by territory or relative living in a Designated area
To apply all the candidates have to meet the pass mark, which is currently 60 points.
A potential applicant for a points tested visa will have to submit the Expression of Interest (EOI). Under Skilled Select there is a quota by occupation and the candidates with the highest point will be selected by computer system and will get invitations to apply .
There is also a priority system within skilled migration : 1st priority visa subclass 489, then 190 and the last 189.