Skills Visas

To apply for one of these visas you must be:


  1. Between the ages of 18 and 45. (if you are over 45 there are some other visas you may still apply for)
  2. Have a trade or profession on  the Skilled Occupations List.
  3. Have the appropriate qualifications for that trade/profession to meet the Australian standard.
  4. Have the necessary work experience for that trade/profession
  5. Be able to meet the health and character standards.

 The last hurdle (if you satisfy all of the above) is to meet the minimum points standard set for the visa  for which you are applying. To see how the points system works see: Points System

 These visas are all based on your qualifications and work experience in a trade or profession on  the Skilled Occupations List  and will involve 2 or 3 applications depending on the visa type you are applying for.The first step common to all 3 visa types is to have your occupational qualifications and experience  assessed. This is  to determine  that you meet the Australian standard set for that occupation and when successfully completed  a letter will be issued to that effect. You can not proceed without that approval!

 The assessing authority for each occupation is listed on the Skilled Occupations List together with the points you will score for that occupation.

 The next stage will be to obtain your sponsorship if your visa type requires it. Sponsorship is by a State or territory or an eligible relative. The advantage of obtaining sponsorship is that you require 100 points for a sponsored skills visa as opposed to the 120 you will need if you are not sponsored.

Sponsorship by a state also gains you an extra 10 points and sponsorship by an eligible regional relative gains you an additional 25!

Finally you will need to submit your visa application to the Department of Immigration.

 In short, and in this order you will need to:
  1. Obtain a positive assessment from the appointed assessing authority for your occupation.
  2. Obtain sponsorship (if your visa type requires it).
  3. Apply to the Department of Immigration for your visa. 
 As agents, we undertake all of the above for clients who sign up for our full support package and will advise you as to your options and the pros and cons of each visa type. Since the introduction in January 2009 of processing priorities other than date of application, serious consideration must be given to these factors as they will have a major effect on processing times!

 If you want us  to check your eligibility for you please complete our Free online Assessment Form  or contact us on 0208 996 0120 or by e-mail.

 In January 2009 the department of Immigration introduced the Critical Skills List and changed the way it prioritizes the processing of applications for skills visas. See: Priority Processing
 

State sponsorship

To obtain state sponsorship for the State sponsored (subclass 176) and Regional Sponsored (subclass 475) visas you will need to meet the following requirements.

1> That your occupation is on one of the states sponsorship lists (state, regional or off list).
2> You can show that you have sufficient resources to support yourself when you arrive.
3>You show a commitment to that state and that you are prepared to live within that state (subclass 176) for 2 years or within a regional area (subclass475) for a minimum of 2 years and work for at least 1.

The exact criteria set varies from state to state
 
The Visas

The following visas are all points tested.
 
Skilled independent (subclass 175) Minimum Score 120 

The visa entitles you to permanent residency, is valid for 5 years from date of first entry and you may live and work anywhere in Australia at any job. The only restriction is that you do not qualify for certain social security benefits until you have completed 2 years residency in Australia (Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period). At the end of this period you and your family will be entitled to apply for Australian Citizenship, or you may apply for a residents return visa instead (renewable every 5 years)

Skilled Sponsored  (subclass 176) Minimum Score 100

  To qualify for this visa you must be sponsored by one of the state governments or an Eligible Relative. A state will sponsor you if your occupation is on their state sponsorship list and you will gain an additional 10 points for that sponsorship,you will not gain any additional points if an eligible relative sponsors you. In addition, if you obtain state sponsorship you application will receive priority processing.  This visa also entitles you to permanent residency and is valid for 5 years from date of first entry. You will also be subject to the Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period for certain benefits. 

Skilled Regional Sponsored (subclass 475) Minimum Score 100

 This is a 3 year temporary residency visa and you will need at least 100 points including the points you will gain from the sponsorship. You must be sponsored by one of the state governments or an Eligible Relative living in a regional area. Sponsorship by an eligible relative  gains an additional 25 points, state sponsorship gains10.  You will be required to live and work in a Designated Regional Area.You must live there for at least 2 years and work for 1. It will not entitle you to most state benefits and  you may apply for permanent residence as soon as you have met the original conditions on your visa. If you have not met the conditions of your visa after 3 years you may apply for a 1 year extension in order to do so. Each state has its own regional sponsorship list.

  In most cases you will need formal qualifications in order to pass your assessment. There are however, a number of exceptions to this rule, most notably computer professionals and certain trades which are assessed by practical examination. To find out if you qualify for one of these visas why not fill in one of our  Online Assessment Forms  and find out?

 Finally, you should always check the state licensing requirements for your trade or profession. Many tradespeople do not realise that they need a license to practise their trade and this can and does cause problems for recently arrived migrants! As a general rule of thumb for the trades, if you  work for an employer you will be covered by your employers license, if you work for yourself then you will need your own - but always check!


 To find out if your occupation is on one of the lists:

In order to check your eligibility, please complete our Free online Assessment Form  or contact us on 0208 996 0120 or by e-mail.