Skilled Migration visa for Australia

A skilled migration visa for Australia is essentially  Australian permanent residency.

If you have Australian permanent residency, you are entitled to live and work in Australia on an indefinite basis. It is like being an Australian citizen except you don’t have the right to vote.  Holding a skilled migration visa for Australia will give you this entitlement.

The main skilled migration visas sub classes are:

  • Skilled independent migration visa subclass 189
  • State sponsored migration visa subclass 190
  • Regional sponsored migration visa subclass 489

A person must have  a minimum pass mark of 60 points under the points test to be eligible to apply.

Basic visa requirements include:

  • Positive skill assessment outcome from the relevant Skilled Occupations List (SOL) or the Consolidated Skilled Occupations List (CSOL)
  • Being under the age of 50
  • Have relevant IELTS test score if necessary
  • Have a suitable occupation nominated on the SOL or CSOL
  • Have state sponsorship approval if necessary
  • Have received an invitation from the Skillselect system
  • Have sufficient skilled work experience if required

If your occupation is on the SOL this means that if you have sufficient pass mark you would be eligible to apply for the Skilled independent migration visa subclass 189.  Most people prefer this option as this particular visa allows the holder to live and work anywhere.

The State sponsored skilled migration visa subclass 190 is also a good option but there can be a challenging one.  Many states now require applicants to have a job offer or significant financial assets as part of their sponsorship applications which can prove difficult to show.

Best,

Mege