Looking to live and work in Australia? As a qualified professional or tradesperson with relevant work experience, you may be eligible to apply for skilled migration to Australia.
The General Skilled Australian Migration program is for people who are not sponsored by an employer and who have skills that will contribute to the Australian economy. Applicants must be over 18 and under 50 years of age, with good English language ability, recent skilled work experience and qualifications.
Types of Visas for Australia (Skilled Migration Program)
Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)
This Skilled Independent Visa is a permanent residency Australian visa that allows you to:
• stay in Australia indefinitely
• work and study in Australia
• enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
• apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
• sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
Skilled Sponsored or Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
Each Australian state or territory government agency has its own nominating process. If you are a qualified professional with work experience, however your occupation is not on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), then you may be eligible for this visa.
If you accept a Skilled Sponsored Visa for Australia, the states and territories may ask that you live in the nominating state or territory for a specific time.
Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa (Subclass 489)
The Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa is a temporary Australian residency visa that can lead to permanent residency at a later stage.
Under this particular visa category extra points are awarded if you are sponsored by a close relative or nominated by a State or Territory government agency.
This Skilled Australian visa allows you and your family to stay in Australia for up to four years, and live, work and study in a specified regional area of Australia.
Areas of skill that are considered are required to fill Australia’s current skill shortages include:
• IT Professionals (ICT)
• Engineers
• Teachers
• Tradesmen (boilermakers, electrician, plumbers, etc.)
• Accountants
There is a range of Australia visa options under the General Skilled Migration program for skilled workers who want to live in Australia and who do not have an employer sponsoring them. These include options for skilled people applying as an independent migrant as well as those sponsored by a relative, or nominated by a State or Territory government.
The processing times for the Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) can be found at the Australian Immigration and Border Protection website.
As skilled Australian immigration consultants with a wealth of knowledge on the Skill Stream of Australia’s Migration Program, we can ensure that your dream of furthering your career in Australia is realised. Our personalised services are not only geared to save you time and money by guiding you through the technical application process, but also provide you with the professional advice that you need to ensure a successful outcome.
Do you qualify for a skilled migrant visa?
Skilled Migrant Visa Assessment
Migrate 2 Oz’s FREE Visa Assessment service allows you to quickly and easily find it if you meet the basic requirements to apply for a visa to Australia. To ensure that your assessment gives you a realistic result, ensure that the information you provide is as accurate as possible.