General Skilled Migration for Permanent Residency to Australia:
General Skilled Migration
For General Skilled Migration to Australia, you or your spouse must be able to satisfy the following basic requirements.
Age: You must be under 45 years of age when you apply.
English Language: You must have sufficient ability in the English language for working in Australia. This is known as 'vocational English'.
A higher level of English is required in:
The Skilled-Designated Area Sponsored categories; and
The Skill Matching visa category.
You are encouraged to have your English language ability tested before you apply.
Qualifications: You must have post-secondary (such as university or trade) qualifications and your skills must have been assessed by the relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nomination occupation. Note: For some 60 point occupations substantial relevant work experience may be acceptable.
Nominated Occupation: When you apply, you must nominate a skilled occupation which fits your skills and qualifications. Your nominated occupation must be on the:
Skilled Occupations List (SOL)
Note: If your nominated occupation is not on the SOL you cannot apply.
Recent Work Experience: This requirement is separate to the need to have your skills assessed as suitable for your nominated occupation before you apply. If your nominated occupation is worth 60 points (See Skilled Occupations List), you must provide evidence in that you have been in paid employment in a skilled occupation for at least 12 of the 18 months immediately before applying.
If your nominated occupation is worth 40 or 50 points, you must provide evidence that you have been in paid employment in a skilled occupation for at least 2 of the 3 years immediately before you apply.
For certain occupations a longer period of specific work experience is required to obtain a suitable skills assessment (eg. Manager). If you nominate a 40 or 50 point occupation and are relying on a registered occupation usually worth 60 points (eg. Pharmacist) to meet the 'recent work experience' requirement you must submit 2 skills assessments. That is as well as an assessment for your nominated occupation you also need an assessment from the relevant assessing authority for the occupation in which you gained work experience.
In the Skill Matching or Skilled-Designated Area Sponsored categories you may be eligible with less work experience.
Recent work experience exemption:
You do not need to meet the work experience requirement if you meet the 2 years study in Australia requirement less than 6 months before lodging your visa application.
Note: This exemption cannot be used to waive any specific work experience requirement imposed by an assessing body as part of a skills assessment. If you intend taking advantage of this concession you should note that the 6 month period begins from the date of completion of the qualification, and not from the date the qualification was conferred.
If you are using work experience obtained in Australia to meet this requirement, that work must have been undertaken while you were the holder of a substantive visa authorising you to work. Work undertaken in Australia while you are holding a bridging visa cannot be counted to meet this requirement.
Skills Assessment: Before you apply, you must have had your skills assessed by a relevant Australian assessing authority (as outlined on the Skilled Occupations List) for your nominated occupation.
To be granted a visa, your skills must have been assessed as suitable for your occupation. You also need to find out if the occupation you have nominated requires you to be registered, licensed, or be a member of a professional or industry organisation.
Note: These assessing authorities are responsible for undertaking skills assessment for migration purposes, and are not employment agencies. The assessing authorities will not reply to requests for job placement. Nor can they give advice on the allocation of points.
If you are not able to satisfy these basic requirements, you will NOT be eligible for General Skilled Migration.
General Skilled Migration Categories
To apply for General Skilled Migration you must first choose the most appropriate visa. There are a range of options including temporary and permanent visa categories of which this booklet provides information on permanent visas on the following categories:
Offshore General Skilled - for applicants generally outside Australia
Onshore New Zealand Citizen - for New Zealand citizens currently in Australia
Within the above categories, you may apply under the following types of visa classes:
Skilled Independent
For those who meet the basic requirement and do not have a family sponsor or who choose not to be sponsored by family, or have been nominated by a State or Territory government.
Skill Matching
For those wanting to be involved in the skill matching process (and who are seeking to be nominated by a State or Territory government or an employer).
If you are applying for the Onshore General Skilled or Onshore New Zealand Citizen visa categories you cannot apply under this category.
Designated Area Sponsored
For those who have a sponsor and an assurer. Your sponsor must live in a designated area (see page 20) at the time of application and continue to reside there at the time of decision. You must be related to your sponsor as:
A non-dependent child (a natural, adoptive or step-child);
A parent;
A brother or sister (including adoptive or step-siblings);
A niece or nephew (including adoptive or step-niece or nephew);
A first cousin; or
A grandchild
To ensure the processing of your application is not delayed, please include a diagram of your family tree with your application. Please include all relevant proof of relationship documents with your application.
Note: Even if you meet all the requirements for this category, you may still consider applying under the Independent category which does not need a sponsor or assurer.
If your sponsor is your spouse's blood relative, your spouse must complete for 47SK Application for general skilled migration to Australia as the primary applicant. Even if you are the person satisfying the basic requirements.
Australian Sponsorship:
This category is designed for potential skilled migrants whose sponsor lives outside the designated areas listed on page 20. You must have a sponsor and an assurer. You must be related to your sponsor as:
A non-dependent child (a natural, adoptive or step-child);
A parent;
A brother or sister (including an adoptive or step-sibling); or
A niece or nephew (including adoptive or step-niece or nephew).
To ensure the processing of your application is not delayed, please include a diagram of your family tree with your application. Please include all relevant proof of relationship documents with your application.
Note: Even if you meet all the requirements for this category, you may still consider applying under the Independent category which does not need a sponsor or assurer.
If your sponsor is your spouse's blood relative, your spouse must complete for 47SK Application for general skilled migration to Australia as the primary applicant. Even if you are the person satisfying the basic requirements.
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Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only. |
Offshore General Skilled Categories
Skilled - Independent (Class BN, subclass 136)
Skilled - State Territory Nominated Independent (Class BN, subclass 137)
Skill Matching (Class BR, subclass 134)
Skilled - Designated Area Sponsored (Class BQ, subclass 139)
Skilled - Australian Sponsored (Class BQ, subclass 138)
Onshore New Zealand Citizen Categories
Skilled - Onshore Independent New Zealand Citizen (Class DB, subclass 861)
Skilled - Onshore Designated Area Sponsored New Zealand Citizen (Class DB, subclass 863)
Skilled - Onshore Australian Sponsored New Zealand Citizen (Class DB, subclass 862)
In addition to the basic requirements, to apply under the Onshore New Zealand Citizen categories you must meet the following requirements:
The applicant seeking to satisfy the primary criteria must be the holder of a subclass 444 (Special Category) visa;
The primary applicant and dependents must be in Australia at the time of lodgement; and
For grant of visa, all applicants included in the application must be in Australia.
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Disclaimer: Visa criteria constantly changes, please ensure you click the DIMA button to view the latest official migration booklets. This page is for guidance purposes only. |