Australia Permanent Resident Visa

UK Work Permit

Australia is a popular destination for immigration. The most common ways to immigrate to Australia are through skilled worker visas, family reunification visas, student visas, and investor visas. The requirements for immigration to Australia vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for.

australia pr visa

What are the benefits of having an Australian PR Visa?

What are the pathways to get an Australia PR?

What are the eligibility requirements for a PR visa?

How many points are required for Australian PR?

How can I get Australian PR in 2020?

What are the new visa rules for Australia?

Is it easy to get an Australia PR Visa?

What is the processing time for Australia PR visa in 2020?

What are the factors affecting the processing time?

How do you ensure that you get your visa processed on time?

What is the total cost of a permanent resident (PR) visa?

What are the expenses at each stage in the PR application process?

What are the reasons for the rejection of your PR visa application?

What can you do when your application is rejected?

What mistakes should you avoid when filing your PR application for Australia?

What are the steps to take if your PR visa application is rejected?

How do you make a reapplication if your previous PR visa application is rejected?

What are the options for international students in Australia to obtain a Permanent Residency in the country?

What are the options for international students in Australia who apply for a PR visa under the General Skilled Migration program?

How will the Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) help one to migrate to Australia?

What are the application steps for the Skilled Nominated visa?

What are the features of the Skilled Nominated Visa?

What are the various visa options under the Skilled Migration program that offer an Australia permanent residency?

subclasses

Can one get permanent residency in Australia with the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa?

What can one do with the Subclass 186 visa?

What are the benefits of the Subclass 891 visa? Does it offer permanent residency?

What is the Skilled Regional visa (Subclass 887)?

What are the benefits of the Subclass 887 visa?

What are the permanent resident options for students who come to study in Australia?

gti program

What is Australia’s Global Talent Independent (GTI) program?

What are the eligibility requirements for the GTI program?

Which Australian regional visa allows Permanent Residency?

What is Australia’s Temporary Skill Shortage visa or TSS visa?

Can the TSS visa be converted to permanent residency?

What is Skill Assessment, and how is it significant for permanent residency in Australia?

What are the details of the Parent visa available to immigrants in Australia?

australia business visa

What is the Australian Business visa program?

What are the steps to apply for a provincial business visa?

Does this visa provide a path to permanent residency?

How do you apply for Australian citizenship?

What are the three ways by which one can get Australian citizenship?

What are the details of the Australia child visa?

Why is a positive skill assessment necessary to migrate to Australia?

What is the Distinguished Talent visa?

What is the Australia working holiday visa?

Can you move to Australia without a job?

What are the visa options for those who want to move to Australia without a job offer?

What are the requirements to get a student visa to Australia?

What is the professional year program offered by Australia for international students?

What happens in the citizenship test and interview?

What is the processing time for Australian citizenship?

What are State nominated visas?

What is employer nomination scheme?

What can one do with this visa?

What are the features of Australia’s Temporary Parent Visa?

What are the requirements for Skilled migration?

What are the work visa options in Australia?

What are the visa options to bring dependents to Australia?

How can you bring your family members to Australia?

What are the benefits of working in Australia?

What is Skill select invitation?

Can I move to Australia without a job?

What are the details of the Skilled Regional visa (Subclass 191)?

What is occupation ceiling? Which visas are dependent on them?

temporary graduate visa

What are the eligibility requirements for the Temporary graduate visa?

What are the documents required to apply for the Temporary graduate visa?

How can I get Australian PR in 2022?

How will the Subclass 190 visa or Skilled Nominated visa aid in migrating to Australia?

What are the benefits of having an Australian PR Visa?

The benefits of having an Australian PR visa are

  • Freedom to travel and live anywhere in Australia
  • Apply for education loans and study for higher education
  • Benefits of social security after 2 years as a PR visa holder
  • Children born in Australia are granted Australian citizenship
  • Family can get PR if they meet the requirements
  • Eligible for government jobs
  • Apply for the visa of New Zealand

Other benefits

  1. Can live indefinitely in Australia

A permanent resident visa in Australia allows you to travel indefinitely to and from Australia. The PR visa is valid for 5 years. Care needs to be taken to extend the visa before its expires

  1. Medical benefits

You will have access to economical health benefits, access to services at public hospitals, discounts on medicines, and all-inclusive Medicare health coverage would be available for you.

  1. Benefits to children

The children born in Australia of PR Visa holders have the advantage of being granted permanent residence. They can access the best facilities of Australia in healthcare and education. They are immediately considered by birth as Australian citizens.

  1. Australian citizenship eligibility

Suppose you have lived in Australia for a minimum of 12 months with a PR or lived legally for 4 years in Australia. In that case, you are eligible to apply for citizenship in Australia.

What are the pathways to get an Australia PR?

Australia has multiple options for the application of the PR visa. You can choose the best option for yourself based on the requirements and eligibility. The options which are famous for Australian PR:

Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent Visa: This option is aimed at skilled workers. This type of visa is not applicable for sponsorship.

Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa: This option is aimed at skilled workers with a nomination from a specific Australian territory or state. This visa requires proof that the occupation is included in the Skilled Occupation List.

Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa: This visa has come in place of the Subclass 489 Visa. It is a pathway for the PR visa. The skilled workers of this subclass and their families are required to live, work, and study in a particular regional area for five years. They will be eligible for the PR visa only after three years.

The Australian government sets migration planning levels and fixes a specific number of places under each migration program.

The details of the immigration plans for 2022-2023 are given below.

Stream and CategoryNumber of Allotments
Employer Sponsor76300
Skilled Independent25000
Regional (Employer Sponsor)25000
State/Territory Nominated45000
Business Innovation and Investment Program13500
Global Talent15000
Distinguished Talent200
Skills total200000
Family Stream
Partner72300
Parent4500
Other Family500
Family total77300
Special Eligibility100
Child (an estimate, not subjected to ceiling)3000
Family total

210000


What are the eligibility requirements for a PR visa?

You need to score a minimum of 65 points in the Point’s Grid. The points influence your eligibility for an Australian PR or permanent residency visa. The table given below gives information about the different criteria for scoring points.

Category Maximum Points
Age (25-33 years)30 points
English proficiency (8 bands)20 points
Work Experience outside Australia (8-10 years)15 points
Work Experience in Australia (8-10 years)20 points
Education (outside Australia)20 points
Doctorate degree
Niche skills such as Doctorate or Master’s degree in Australia5 points
Study in a regional area5 points
Accredited in community language5 points
Professional year in a skilled program in Australia5 points
State sponsorship (190 visa)5 points

How many points are required for Australian PR?

You need to score a minimum of 65 points in the Point’s Grid. The points influence your eligibility for an Australian PR or permanent residency visa. The table given below gives information about the different criteria for scoring points.

Category Maximum Points
Age (25-33 years)30 points
English proficiency (8 bands)20 points
Work Experience outside Australia (8-10 years)15 points
Work Experience in Australia (8-10 years)20 points
Education (outside Australia)20 points
Doctorate degree
Niche skills such as Doctorate or Master’s degree in Australia5 points
Study in a regional area5 points
Accredited in community language5 points
Professional year in a skilled program in Australia5 points
State sponsorship (190 visa)5 points

How can I get Australian PR in 2020?

Steps to get your Australia PR from India

Step 1:  Check the eligibility requirements

Check if you meet the eligibility requirements

Verify if your occupation is present in the list of occupations in demand.

Check if you have the required points based on the points table.

Step 2: English proficiency Test

Check if you have the required proficiency in the English language by taking the specified English language test. Fortunately, the Australian immigration authorities accept scores from various English ability tests like IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, etc. So, you can take any of these tests to obtain the specified score.

Step 3: Select your occupation from the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)

You can select your occupation from three skills list:

  • Short-term Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
  • Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (CSOL)
  • Medium and long-term Strategic Skills List (MTSSL)

Step 4: Register your Expression of Interest

The next step is to register an Expression of Interest (EOI) on Australia’s Skill Select website. Provide all the required information in the online application.

Step 5: Get your Invitation to Apply (ITA)

Once you submit your application and if it meets all the requirements then you will get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Australia PR.

 The government of Australia conducts invitation rounds for PR applicants on a monthly basis. The ITAs can vary depending on the number of candidates who have applied for the nominated occupation and the current occupation ceiling and the time of the year.

The invitation numbers will also vary depending on the number of applications that the immigration department is processing in that month.

Applicants with the highest score in the points grid are eligible to apply for the visa subclass. For applicants with equivalent scores, preference is granted to those who have achieved their points score first under the subclass under which they have applied. Similarly, expressions of interest submitted earlier are given preference over those that were submitted later.

Step 6: Submit your PR application

The next step is to submit your PR application. You must submit it within 60 days. The application must have all the supporting documents for processing your PR visa. These documents are your personal documents, immigration documents, and work experience documents.

Step 7: Get your clearance certificates

The next step is to submit your police clearance certificates. After a medical examination, you must submit your medical clearance certificate.

Step 8:  Get your visa grant

The last step is getting your visa grant.

If you follow these steps meticulously you will successfully get your Australian PR visa.


What are the new visa rules for Australia?

The borders of Australia reopened for eligible foreign national students and specific skilled workers visa holders since December 15, 2021.

The citizens and permanent residents of the country too can enter Australia. Their family members can apply for an entry permit.

Opportunities for temporary visa holders

The planning level of 2021-22 aims to add more than 160,000 immigrants and also carry over the numbers from the previous year. The number of vacant slots for each category is given below.

  • Skill stream – 79,600
  • Family – 77,300
  • Special Eligibility – 100
  • Children – 3,000

Permanent residency for skilled migrants in health and hospitality

The government of Australia announced major visa changes to keep back highly skilled migrants in important sectors to aid its economic recovery after the pandemic. As per the changes, specific migrants who chose to stay and work for Australia in the pandemic are eligible for PR in Canada.

The changes made recently will aid the existing Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage visa holders for the stream of short-term work. They were earlier restricted for a 2-year stay without a pathway of this kind.

The holders of the visa for Subclass 457 – Temporary Work Skilled, which has now been discontinued, will also benefit.

The new permanent residency pathways include Subclass 191 – Skilled Regional visa for the

people who have worked, studied, or lived in a regional area.

New visa settings for temporary graduate visa holders

The holders of temporary graduate visas who were not in Australia during the pandemic can also apply for a replacement visa with a certain waiting period.

The Australian government announced in November that the changes in the visa policy would facilitate current and former Subclass 485 – Temporary graduate visa holders whose visas have expired on or after February 1, 2020, to apply for a new visa of the same time period from July 1, 2022.

Is it easy to get an Australia PR Visa?

The processing time for Australia is based on the type of application and other factors such as:

  • The number of applications submitted at the department of immigration
  • The complexity level of your application
  • Points awarded to the specific category of skilled migration visa
  • The application form must be accurate and complete
  • Incomplete submission of the required documents
  • Additional documents required by the immigration department

The tentative waiting time for the PR of Australia is approximately 8 -12 months, according to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

The factors which affect the time for processing Australian PR are:

Category of the PR Visa

The category of visa which is selected affects the processing time for Australian PR, such as:

  • Skilled migration visas:
  • Australia skilled Independent subclass 189 – Within 8 to 11 months
  • Australia state-sponsored visa subclass 190 – Within 9-12 months
  • Australia skilled regional provisional subclass 489 – Within 7-9 months
  • The processing time for parent category visas takes 1-3 years.
  • Highest priority points

The SkillSelect applications for subclass 489 visas of Australia will be on the top of the priority list. It is followed by the applications for subclass 190 visa and subclass 189 visa, respectively.

The job role which is given more priority in Australia gets awarded more points.

What is the processing time for Australia PR visa in 2020?

The processing time for the PR visa in each subclass based on data gathered in the past months of 2020 are:

  • Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189: 12 to 20 months
  • Skilled Nominated Visa 190: 9 to 10 months
  • Skilled regional (provisional) Subclass 489: No standard processing time

What are the factors affecting the processing time?

Many factors can affect processing time. The time can vary every month because of factors such as the number of applications coming in, seasons that see a higher number of applications, a higher number of complex cases, or incomplete applications. Other reasons that impact processing times include:

  • Incorrect applications
  • Lack of supporting documents
  • Time is taken to answer any queries raised by immigration officers
  • Demand for the applicant’s occupation
  • Inadequate points scored by the applicant in the SkillSelect online system
  • Delay in the background verification process
  • Time is taken to receive information from external agencies about health or character
  • Number of places available in the migration program

How do you ensure that you get your visa processed on time?

To ensure that your Australian PR visa application is processed on time do not submit an incomplete application. For the smooth processing of your application, make sure you meet the key requirements of the visa application process.  Here are the details of the key requirements:

Include the key documents:  Your application must have two key documents which are:

  1. The Skills Assessment Report from the relevant Skill Assessing Authority
  2. The results of your IELTS test

Select the right visa category to apply: Analyze each visa category and choose the category that you feel is suitable.

Select the right occupation for the Skilled Occupation List (SOL):  After you choose the relevant visa category to choose an occupation from the SOL which is relevant to you.

Make an application in the point-based system: Follow these steps to make your application:

  1. Submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) online in the SkillSelect system of Australia where you must give details like your age, occupation, work experience, education, etc.
  2. You will be awarded points for each criterion.
  3. You must score at least 65 points to be eligible for a PR visa. A higher score will increase your chances of getting the invitation to apply for a PR visa.

Ensure you meet the health and character requirements:  For this, you need to be certified as medically fit and good in your character. You should include the relevant certificates in your application.

What is the total cost of a permanent resident (PR) visa?

Suppose you have opted for the General Skilled Migration System (Skilled Independent Visa, State Nomination Visa) to apply for your PR visa, the application process for this visa follows a defined set of steps. These include Skills Assessment, English language test, medical test, police clearance, etc. Each stage comes with its own processing fees. If you want an estimate of the total cost of the PR visa, you must add all the charges.

The total cost of the PR visa will include these charges along with the visa application fees.

What are the expenses at each stage in the PR application process?

The PR visa application starts with a Skills Assessment where an accreditation organization affiliated to the Australian government will assess your skills and qualifications. For this, you will have to pay the Skills Assessment fees which vary based on the occupation.

The next step is to prove your English proficiency by taking any one of the English language tests approved by the Australian government. These include IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, etc.  Again, the cost of the test varies based on which test you choose.

Applying for PR under Subclass Visa 190 includes State Sponsorship. This will shorten the processing time. This makes you eligible for a State Nomination for your PR visa. The fees for State Sponsorship vary with each State, the maximum cost is around AUD 300.

After these formalities, you will get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) where you will pay the relevant visa fees and submit your final visa application to the DINP. Under the General Skilled Migration Program, you would be applying for any one of the following-189 /190 / 489 Skilled independent visas.

Apart from your application, you will have to submit proof of your educational qualifications and work experience.

For your PR visa, you and your dependents should have certificates for good health and character. For this you will have to pay for medical examination and a police clearance certificate is required. The cost of the police clearance certificate depends on the country you are from.

The application for Australia PR involves different stages and there are certain costs at each stage. The table below will give you an idea of the processing costs.

Processing stage Fees per person
Skills Assessment feesAUD 250-4000
English test feesIELTS-AUD 236.95

TOEFL-AUD 180

PTE-AUD 278.92

Medical Examination Fees (varies by country)AUD 94
Police clearance certificateVaries by country

What are the reasons for the rejection of your PR visa application?

Here is a list of possible reasons for the rejection of your PR visa application:

  1. Application for the wrong visa type
  2. Violation of conditions of your previous visa
  3. Incomplete or inconsistent information in your visa application
  4. Failure to meet health requirements for the visa
  5. Failure to meet the character requirements
  6. Lack of enough funds
  7. Inability to score the required level in English language proficiency test
  8. Failure to clear the visa verification process

What can you do when your application is rejected?

If your application is rejected, you can find out the reasons for the department of immigration. You must make an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal but in the prescribed time. They will review the decision and give you reasons for the rejection.

A review will also give you an opportunity to give an explanation to the points raised in the review document and provide any missing information or documents.

You must take care to follow the deadline for a review otherwise you will lose the opportunity to get a visa. Take care to submit your appeal on time and submit a thorough review application and you will still get an opportunity to secure your PR visa.

What mistakes should you avoid when filing your PR application for Australia?

Providing inconsistent information

Immigration officials check for consistency of information in your application form. They also check if the information in the current form is consistent with the information provided in your previous applications. The department is vigilant and looks out for any inconsistencies and treats them with suspicion.

Not providing supporting documents

Provide documents to back up details of your education, employment history or personal information in the form. Some details require more than certificates as proof. The immigration authorities may need to verify them from a third party. For this, you will have to provide the contact details of the references you have mentioned in your application.

Conflicting information on social media

Your social media account could come under scrutiny if the information there does not agree with what you have mentioned in your application. Details about your marital status if found inconsistent with your social media details could be a cause for scrutiny and rejection of your visa application.

 Failing to be honest

The visa application requires you to be honest about any criminal convictions or disputes with the law you had in the past. Avoid omitting even the smallest piece of information or giving false information. Immigration officers have a database of information that they can cross-check with the details you provide.

What are the steps to take if your PR visa application is rejected?

Steps to take if your application is rejected

If your PR visa application is rejected, examine the reasons given for rejection in the refusal letter you have received from the immigration department.  the next step is to plan on how best you can avoid the same grounds for rejection in your subsequent application for the visa.

There is no point in reapplying for the visa unless you have rectified the problems in your previous application.

How do you make a reapplication if your previous PR visa application is rejected?

Before you reapply for the PR visa, ensure you have chosen the right category because the immigration department can reject your application once more if they feel you are unsuited to apply under a certain category. You will have better chances of success if you apply under a new category.

There is no minimum or maximum time frame for making a re-application after a visa refusal. You will need to make a fresh application and ensure you submit all the records and documents once more. You will once again have to pay the visa fees when you submit your application.

When making an application for the second time, ensure you do not make the same mistakes that were grounds for rejection in your previous application.

However, it is advisable not to reapply for a visa unless there is a change in your circumstances which was the reason for rejection. For instance, if the reason was the lack of enough funds, you must ensure you have the required funds in your account before reapplying for the PR visa.

What are the options for international students in Australia to obtain a Permanent Residency in the country?

If students want to live and work in Australia and obtain permanent residence (PR) visa, they can take advantage of the various pathways which can lead to a PR visa.

 After two years of studying in Australia, a student can apply for a post-study work visa under Subclass 485. This is also called the Graduate Temporary visa. Here are more details about the visa.

Graduate Temporary visa (Subclass 485)   

This visa is for migrant students who have studied for two years in Australia. They can live and work here between 18 months and 4 years.

There are two streams for the Subclass 485 visa:

  • Graduate work: This is for students who have completed 2 years of study in Australia. Their course of study must be related to the nominated occupation. The validity of the visa is 18 months.
  • Post-study work: This visa is for international students who have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher degree at an Australian institution. They can stay on this visa for up to 4 years. However, these applicants will not need to nominate an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).

The length of stay depends on the applicant’s qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree – 2 years
  • Research-based master’s degree – 3 years
  • D. – 4 years

Family members can be included in this visa. The privileges offered in this visa are:

  • Work and live in Australia on a temporary basis
  • Study in Australia
  • Travel in and out of the country during the visa’s validity

With this visa, graduates can decide to stay and work in Australia and apply for job opportunities. On the Subclass 485 visa, students can apply for a permanent resident visa provided they meet the points requirements and eligibility criteria.

What are the options for international students in Australia who apply for a PR visa under the General Skilled Migration program?

If the student is applying through the General Skilled Migration program, he must get a skills assessment done from the skills assessing authority and his occupation must be listed in the Skilled Occupation List released by the Australian government.

Australia’s Department of Immigration and Board Protection releases a list of occupations that are required for the country’s economic growth and development. The department of education and training releases the following lists every year. They are the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).

Occupations that are mentioned in this list have better PR prospects. Students looking for a PR visa in Australia must select the right course which will continue to be in demand and acquire the skills and qualifications related to the SOL.

How will the Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190) help one to migrate to Australia?

This visa was designed to enable migrants belonging to occupations in high demand in Australia’s labor market to migrate to the country.

The visa allows one to work and study anywhere in Australia. Visa holders can sponsor their eligible relatives for permanent residency. If qualified, they can also become Australian citizens.

Eligibility requirements for Skilled Nominated Visa

  • You must have experience in a nominated occupation on Australia’s Skilled Occupations List
  • You must have completed a skills assessment with a relevant assessing authority for the work you have selected
  • It would be best if you were older than 18 and less than 50 years of age
  • You must meet the basic requirements for Skilled Migration, which include English language, health, and character checks
  • It would help if you had a minimum score of 65 on the points test

Applicants must score at least 65 points to be eligible for an invitation to apply for this visa.

What are the application steps for the Skilled Nominated visa?

Application steps for Skilled Nominated Visa

  • Step 1: Check if your occupation is on the Skilled Occupation List, assess if you have the minimum required points, and meet all the other eligibility factors.
  • Step 2: Submit your expression of interest in SkillSelect.
  • Step 3: Wait for the ITA to apply for the visa.
  • Step 4: Collect the documents required for the application.
  • Step 5: Apply for the visa within 60 days of receiving the ITA.

What are the features of the Skilled Nominated Visa?

The Subclass 190 visa is a permanent visa that allows you to stay in Australia for an indefinite period. However, you can travel to and from Australia only in the first five years that you have a visa. After the 5-year period, you will require a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155 or 157) to travel outside the country and re-enter it as a permanent resident.

The visa also allows you to enroll in Australia’s public healthcare system.

When making your visa application, you can also include your family members. They can include your:

  • Your partner (married or de facto)
  • Yours or your partner’s dependent children
  • Other dependent relatives

They must also meet the health and character requirements to be eligible for the visa.

What are the various visa options under the Skilled Migration program that offer an Australia permanent residency?

With the Skilled Migration stream having the highest number of places for a PR visa, this should be your option when applying for one. You have better chances under this stream, provided you meet the eligibility requirements and score the required points. The Australian government on its part has made changes to the age and English language requirements under this program to ensure only highly skilled migrants are eligible.

The skilled migration stream is a points-based system and is the most popular immigration program that aspiring migrants choose. Here are the eligibility requirements for the three main visa categories under the Skilled Migration Program.

Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189): Before submitting your application under this category, you must give an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. This can be done within or outside of Australia.

 The applications are by invitation only, for this you should:

  • Have experience in a nominated occupation on Australia’s Skilled Occupations List
  • Get a skill assessment report by a designated authority for that occupation
  • Submit an Expression of Interest

Other requirements include:

  • Age must be under 45 years
  • Must meet general Skilled Migration basic requirements
  • Score at least 65 on the points test
  • Meet health and character requirements

Once you receive an invitation to apply for this visa, you must do so within 60 days.

Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190): You qualify for this visa if you are nominated by an Australian state or territory. The privileges in this visa are the same as the Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189)

The application requirements are similar except that you should have experience in a nominated occupation on the Skilled Occupations List.

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 Visa: This visa has replaced the Subclass 489 Visa as a pathway to a PR visa. Under this visa skilled workers and their families must live, work and study in a designated regional area for 5 years. They will be eligible for a PR visa after three years of staying in a specific region. The eligibility requirements are the same as for other Skilled nomination programs.

If you are opting to apply for your PR visa under the Skilled Migration program, choose an option that is best suited to your qualifications. Consider how far you can meet the eligibility requirements and choose your option for a successful outcome.

Can one get permanent residency in Australia with the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa?

Yes, the Employee Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa is a permanent residency visa.

The Subclass 186 visa has three streams:

  • Direct Entry stream
  • Labor Agreement stream
  • Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream

Direct Entry Stream

An applicant is eligible for this visa if they are nominated by an Australian employer but must apply for the visa within six months of the visa being approved.

Eligibility conditions

An employer who is nominating the applicant must:

  • Have an active and lawful business operating in Australia
  • Fulfilled the relevant training requirements
  • Have no adverse information against the company
  • Have a genuine need for an employee in that position
  • Pay a salary as per the market rates

The employment position nominated for the visa must be:

  • A genuine position
  • A full-time position that is available for a minimum of two years from the date the visa is granted
  • For an occupation that appears in the Consolidated Skilled Occupations List (CSOL)
  • Having employment terms and conditions that are not less favorable compared to those provided to Australian citizens

Visa process

The visa process involves two steps, the first step is nomination by an approved Australian employer and the second step is the visa application that must be made by a qualified overseas worker.

Benefits of getting a visa under the Direct Entry Stream

The applicant need not spend two years with an employer on a 457 visa to qualify for the Direct Entry stream in the Subclass 186 visa.

With a visa under the Direct Entry system, immigrants can live and work in Australia permanently.

They can include family members in the application.

In case the candidate gets a positive skills assessment and has a post qualification experience of three years, he can immediately apply for the visa.

What can one do with the Subclass 186 visa?

The holder of this visa can:

  • Work and study in Australia without restrictions
  • Travel in and out of Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted
  • Stay in Australia for an indefinite period
  • Sign up for Australia’s universal healthcare scheme
  • Apply for Australian citizenship if he is eligible
  • Sponsor relatives for temporary or permanent visas if they are eligible

Obligations:

Applicants and their family members must obey all Australian laws

They should work for the nominating employer for at least two years

They should agree to begin employment within six months of:

  • Entry into Australia if they were granted the visa from outside the country
  • The date the visa was granted if within the country.

What are the benefits of the Subclass 891 visa? Does it offer permanent residency?

The Subclass 891 visa is basically a permanent visa for immigrants who wish to start a business or want to undertake investment activities in Australia. With this visa, you can stay in the country indefinitely and become a permanent resident once you get this visa. You can also include your family members when you apply for this visa.

Benefits of the visa

With the Subclass 891 visa, you can;

  • Work and study in Australia without restrictions
  • Stay in Australia for an unlimited period
  • Subscribe for Australia’s universal healthcare scheme
  • Apply for Australian citizenship if you are eligible
  • Travel in and out of Australia for five years
  • You can include your family members in the visa application

What is the Skilled Regional visa (Subclass 887)?

The Skilled Regional Visa (Subclass 887) visa is your ticket to permanent residency in Australia after you have stayed here on an eligible visa.

The Skilled Regional Visa (Subclass 887) is offered by the Australian government to allow Skilled Regional visa holders to apply for permanent residency. This visa leads to PR for those who have held the Subclass 489, 495, 496, 475 or 487 visas, or a Bridging visa A or B after applying for a subclass 489, 495 or 487 visas.

The condition is that they should have lived for two years and worked full time for one year in a specified regional area in the country.

The application requirements for the 887 visa that leads to the permanent residence are comparatively lesser compared to the Subclass 491 visa. The subclass 887 visa requires no minimum income threshold. On the other hand, the 491 visa which also leads to PR visa has a high-income threshold that must be sustained for a three-year period.

Family members can also be included in the visa application, this includes your partner, your dependent children and you and your partner’s dependent relatives.

Eligibility conditions 

 Applicant must have an eligible visa which includes the subclass 489, 495, 496, 475 or 487 visas, or the Bridging visa A or Bridging visa B, after submitting a valid application for a subclass 489, 495 or 487 visas.

Applicants should have complied with the conditions attached to the eligible visa they are presently holding.

Applicants must meet the health and character requirements for the visa.

Application steps for Skilled Independent Visa

Step 1: Before you even submit your application, you must first gather the required documents.

Step 2: The documents you must submit are proof of your identity, character, and other documents that prove that you have fulfilled the visa conditions under which you are presently staying in the country. You will need to provide these documents for your spouse and dependent children.

Step 3: Apply for the visa online. You and your family members must be living in Australia when you are making the visa application.

Step 4: You will be notified by the authorities that they have received your visa application.

Step 5:  You will be notified of the outcome of your visa application. If you get an affirmative decision, you must be in Australia during this time

What are the benefits of the Subclass 887 visa?

The benefits of this visa include:

  • Live and work permanently in Australia
  • Study in the country
  • Get access to Medicare, Australia’s scheme to provide healthcare to its residents
  • Access social security benefits
  • Apply for citizenship
  • Sponsor your relatives for permanent residence in Australia

What are the permanent resident options for students who come to study in Australia?

If students want to live and work in Australia and obtain permanent residence (PR) visa, they can take advantage of the various pathways which can lead to a PR visa.

Graduate Temporary visa (Subclass 485)  

After two years of studying in Australia, a student can apply for a post-study work visa under Subclass 485. This is also called the Graduate Temporary visa. They can live and work here between 18 months and 4 years on this visa.

There are two streams for the Subclass 485 visa:

  • Graduate work: This is for students who have completed 2 years of study in Australia. Their course of study must be related to the nominated occupation. The validity of the visa is 18 months.
  • Post-study work: This visa is for international students who have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher degree at an Australian institution. They can stay on this visa for up to 4 years. However, these applicants will not need to nominate an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).

The length of stay depends on the applicant’s qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree – 2 years
  • Research-based master’s degree – 3 years
  • D. – 4 years

Family members can be included in this visa. The privileges offered in this visa are:

  • Work and live in Australia on a temporary basis
  • Study in Australia
  • Travel in and out of the country during the visa’s validity

With this visa, graduates can decide to stay and work in Australia and apply for job opportunities. On the Subclass 485 visa, students can apply for a permanent resident visa provided they meet the points requirements and eligibility criteria.

Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa

Another alternative is to look for an employer who can provide them a TSS visa or the permanent ENS 186/ RSMS 187 visa.

If the student is applying through the General Skilled Migration program, he must get a skills assessment done from the skills assessing authority and his occupation must be listed in the Skilled Occupation List released by the Australian government.

Australia’s Department of Immigration and Board Protection releases a list of occupations that are required for the country’s economic growth and development. The department of education and training releases the following lists every year. They are the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).

Occupations that are mentioned in this list have better PR prospects. Students looking for a PR visa in Australia must select the right course which will continue to be in demand and acquire the skills and qualifications related to the SOL.

What is Australia’s Global Talent Independent (GTI) program?

Australia introduced the Global Talent Independent program (GTI) in November 2019 with an intention to bring the best talent from across the world, to the country. The GTI provides a streamlined and prioritized pathway for highly skilled and talented individuals from overseas to work and live permanently in Australia.

 GTI is specifically designed for attracting skilled migrants to the top future-focused fields to Australia. Under the new program, highly skilled migrants in certain selected industries will get fast-tracked processing for their Australian permanent residency.

These industries the government believes will drive the growth of the Australian economy in the future. The GTI is intended to fill the skill shortages the country is facing in this field.  The GTI program is designed to give access to highly skilled talent from across the world to local industries.

With this scheme, the government hopes to make the country a global technology hub and create high-paying local jobs.

Under the scheme, 5000 visas were made available for 2019-2020. The 5000 visas were included in the country’s permanent migration program.

What are the eligibility requirements for the GTI program?

The GTI program is a great way to get training in the medical field, but there are a few eligibility requirements you’ll need to meet first. These include being at least 18 years old, having a high school diploma or GED equivalent, and passing a criminal background check. If you meet all of these criteria, you should be eligible for the program. If you meet all of these requirements, you’re well on your way to getting the training you need to start your career in the medical field.

If you’re looking for an Australian regional visa that gives you the opportunity for permanent residency, look no further! Here is a list of the best regional visas for permanent residence in Australia. Whether you want to live in a big city or a small town, a visa on this list is perfect for you. So start your research and find the right one for you!

Which Australian regional visa allows Permanent Residency?

Several regional visas offer permanent residency in Australia. The most famous regional visa is the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489). This visa allows skilled workers to live and work in designated restricted areas of Australia for four years. After living in a designated regional area for two years and working full-time for one year, skilled workers on this visa can apply for permanent residency.

The best regional visas for permanent residency vary depending on what you are looking for in a location.

Many different regional visas can lead to permanent residency in Australia, and the best one for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. If you’re looking for an opportunity to live in a more rural area, then the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa might be good.

Some of the best regional visas for permanent residency include the Skilled Regional visa, the Business Innovation and Investment visa, and the Resident Return visa.

Many different regional visas can give you the opportunity for permanent residency in Australia. Each has its benefits and requirements, so be sure to do your research to see which one is right for you. With any of these visas, you’ll enjoy all that Australia offers while also getting the chance to live and work permanently in this beautiful country.

What is Australia’s Temporary Skill Shortage visa or TSS visa?

The Temporary Skill Shortage visa (Subclass 482) or the TSS visa is a work visa that allows Australian employers to sponsor an overseas worker to work for them. This visa was introduced in 2019 to replace the Temporary Work Visa Subclass 457 that has now been abolished by the Department of Home Affairs.

This visa helps Australian employers to bring in skilled workers from outside when they are unable to find skilled workers within the country. With this visa, workers can stay in the country for 2 to 4 years.

There are three streams in the Temporary Skill Shortage visa:

  • The Short-Term stream
  • The Medium-Term stream
  • The Labor Agreement stream

Basic eligibility requirements for the TSS visa:

  • You must be nominated for a skilled position by an approved sponsor which is an Australian employer
  • You must also have the right skills to do the job
  • You must have the relevant English language proficiency
  • Your occupation must be on the Consolidated Skilled Occupations List
  • You have at least two years of work experience which is related to your occupation

 With the TSS visa you can:

  • Work for your sponsor in Australia for up to four years
  • Study but without any government assistance
  • Include your family members in the visa application
  • If your family members come with you on this visa, they can live, work, and study here
  • Travel in and out of Australia as many times as you wish till the visa is valid
  • Apply for permanent residence if you are eligible

If you wish to extend your period of stay after the four-year period, your employer should apply for a new nomination and you must apply for a new visa.

Can the TSS visa be converted to permanent residency?

An overview of Australia’s TSS visa and what it means for skilled workers

Are you a skilled worker who is looking to move to Australia? If so, you may be interested in learning about the TSS visa. The TSS visa is a temporary work visa that allows skilled workers to live and work in Australia for four years. This visa is perfect for those who want to gain international experience or enjoy all that Australia offers. Here’s an overview of the TSS visa and what it means for skilled workers like you.

When assessing someone for a TSS visa, the skills that are looked at include experience, education, English language ability, and whether the applicant has an occupation on the Australian skilled occupation list.

The TSS visa is perfect for those who want to gain international experience or enjoy all that Australia offers. This visa allows skilled workers from overseas to temporarily work in Australia to fill a specific skills shortage. So if you’re looking for a way to live and work Down Under, the TSS visa could be your perfect solution.

The TSS visa requires that applicants have an occupation on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).

To be eligible for the TSS visa, applicants must have an occupation on the Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL). The STSOL is a list of professions in high demand in Australia. Occupations on the STSOL are updated regularly to reflect changes in the Australian labor market.

Applicants must also have skills and qualifications assessed by the relevant Australian authority as part of the application process.

There are over 60 occupations eligible for Australia’s Temporary Skill Shortage visa, or TSS visa. The TSS visa is a temporary work visa that allows skilled workers to fill needed positions in Australia. To be eligible for the TSS visa, applicants must have an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). Applicants must also have skills and qualifications assessed by the relevant Australian authority as part of the application process.

Once granted, holders of a TSS visa can live and

It is for people who have been nominated by an approved business to fill a skilled position that an Australian citizen or permanent Resident cannot load. Once granted, holders of a TSS visa can live and work in Australia until their visa expires.

What is Skill Assessment, and how is it significant for permanent residency in Australia?

The Australian permanent residency (PR) skill assessment process ensures that only those with the relevant skills and qualifications can obtain PR in Australia. The process involves assessing an applicant’s skills, qualifications, and work experience against the requirements for a particular occupation on the skilled occupations list (SOL). If an applicant’s skills, qualifications, and work experience meet the needs of a specific occupation on the SOL, they will be granted PR.

It is no secret that migrating to Australia can be complicated and time-consuming. This is an essential step in applying for permanent residency in Australia. It helps to ensure that only qualified and have the necessary skills can migrate.

By assessing an applicant’s skill set, education, and job history, Australian authorities can confirm that they have what it takes to fill a specific skilled position in the country. In addition, skill assessment can also help identify any gaps in an applicant’s knowledge or abilities to take steps to improve their chances of success before applying for permanent residency.

What are the details of the Parent visa available to immigrants in Australia?

Parents of Australian immigrants can reunite with their children living in Australia under the parent visa category as the government offers many options.

Categories of parent visas

There are three categories of Parent Visas:

Parent category: To apply under this category, you must be sponsored by your child.

Visa holders under this category can:

  • Shift or stay in Australia as a PR visa holder
  • Help eligible family members to come to Australia by sponsoring them
  • Apply for citizenship
  • Access subsidized healthcare schemes in the country through Medicare
  • Receive certain social security payments

Contributory parent category: This was introduced in 2003 to facilitate the expansion of the parent migration program. Applicants for this visa must provide an Assurance of Support and an Assurance of Support bond (held for ten years). Applicants will have to pay a higher visa application charge for this visa.

Visa holders under this category can:

  • Stay for an indefinite period in the country
  • Study and work in Australia
  • Become a member of Australia’s public health care scheme
  • Sponsor their relatives to come to Australia
  • Can apply for citizenship
  • Travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted

Sponsored parent category: The Sponsored Parent (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 870) was introduced early last year to enable parents to live temporarily in Australia.

Visa holders under this category can:

  • Live temporarily in Australia for either 3 or 5 years
  • Can apply for further visas to enable a maximum stay of 10 years
  • Not work in the country

Eligibility criteria for parent visas

  • Applicant must have a child who is an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen.
  • Applicant must have a child who has been living in Australia lawfully for at least two years before submitting the visa application.
  • Applicant must have a sponsor.
  • Applicant must meet the Balance of family test criteria.
  • Applicant must meet health and character requirements.

Benefits of an Australian parent visa

Parent visa holders in Australia get the same benefits as permanent residents. With this visa, they can live, study and work in Australia. Once they get their permanent residence, they gain access to certain benefits such as social security benefits, subsidized healthcare from the government, and a chance to apply for Australian citizenship.

However, those who come to the country on a temporary parent visa can avail of the subsidized healthcare, work, and study rights only for the valid visa period.

What is the Australian Business visa program?

The Australian business visa program helps business owners, senior executives, and investors to come here for business purposes and develop new or existing businesses in Australia. This can also be a pathway to permanent residency.

There are two pathways for Business Skills entry into Australia.

  1. If you have a provisional business visa (Business innovation and investment (temporary) visa), you will be eligible for permanent residence after establishing your business.
  2. A state or territorial government can sponsor business visa applicants with extensive experience (Business talent visa) for a PR visa.

Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa

With this visa, you can own and manage a business in Australia or conduct a business or investment activity entrepreneurial activity in Australia.

Basic eligibility requirements for this visa stream:

  • Submission of your Expression of Interest in SkillSelect
  • Nomination from a state or territory government agency or Austrade
  • Invitation to apply

The provisional visa program has seven categories:

  1. Business Innovation Stream- This provisional visa allows you to operate a new or existing business in Australia. It would be best to be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
  2. Investor stream- For this, you will require at least AUD 1.5 million in an Australian state or territory and maintain your business and investment activity in Australia.
  3. Significant investor stream- People willing to invest at least AUD 5 million in Australian investments can apply for this visa. They must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
  4. Business innovation extension stream- With this visa, holders of the Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa can extend their stay in Australia for two more years. For this extension, applicants must have had a Business Innovation stream visa for at least three years and be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
  5. Significant investor extension stream- With this visa, holders of the Significant Investor stream can extend their stay in Australia for up to 4 more years. For this extension, applicants must have had a Significant Investor stream for at least three years and must be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or Austrade.
  6. Premium Investor stream-This visa requires nomination by Austrade and an investment of at least AUD 15 million in Australian enterprises or philanthropic contribution.
  7. Entrepreneur stream-With this visa, you can carry out entrepreneurial activities in Australia.

All these visa subcategories have a validity of four years and three months.

What are the steps to apply for a provincial business visa?

  1. You must submit an expression of interest through the Department of home affairs.
  2. You will have to wait for a nomination from a state or territory or Austrade by waiting for an intimation from them, or you can contact them directly.
  3. Once you receive an invitation, you can apply for a visa.

Does this visa provide a path to permanent residency?

The Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa can be your pathway to permanent residency. You can apply for your PR visa if you have stayed on the Subclass 188 visa for at least one year and meet the financial requirements. You will also have to give evidence of your enduring business interest by making regular investments and recruiting local workers for your business.

How do you apply for Australian citizenship?

Australian citizenship is the dream of many migrants who have managed to get a permanent residency in Australia. With Australian citizenship, you get numerous rights and privileges, including the right to entry into Australia, the right to vote in elections, and eligibility to apply for government services. Before you start applying for citizenship, check if you are eligible for citizenship. The general eligibility requirements include:

  • Applicants must have a PR visa
  • They must be above 18 years
  • They must satisfy the residence requirement
  • They are most likely to reside or continue to live in Australia
  • They should have a good character

Residence requirement

This is based on the period you have lived in Australia and your time outside the country. The residence requirements include:

  • Must have been living in Australia on a valid visa for four years before the date of application
  • Must have lived the last 12 months as a permanent resident
  • Must not have been away from Australia for more than one year in these four years
  • Must not have been away from the country for more than 90 days in the year you are applying for the PR visa

 Citizenship test or interview

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will be called for a citizenship test or an interview. The test or interview will test your understanding of the Australian traditions, values, history, and national symbols. This test is required to ensure you can participate in the community and, in turn, integrate into society successfully.

To take the test, you must be a permanent resident of the country and prove your identity when registering for the test.

Applicants below 18 years or above 60 years are exempt from giving the test. Those who have an impairment related to hearing, speech, or vision are exempted from passing the test.

Australia citizenship step-by-step process

  • Provide the original documents
  • Complete your application form
  • Submit your application form
  • Attend your citizenship appointment and take the test
  • Get a notification on the Department’s decision on your application
  • Attend the citizenship ceremony

What are the three ways by which one can get Australian citizenship?

Citizenship through residency

Citizenship through residency is possible if the individual stays continuously in Australia for four years on a qualifying visa that includes living in the country for one year as a permanent resident.

Qualifying visas that will help you stay continuously in the country for four years are:

  • Skilled migration– There are various visa categories under skilled migration. Eligibility for these visas is based on a points-based system. Points are based on age, educational qualification, and English language skills. You must score a minimum of 65 points to be eligible for this visa. You will have more visa options if your occupation is in demand and appears on the Skilled Occupation List.
  • Employer-sponsored visa- You can move to Australia on this visa if you can find an Australian employee who is ready to sponsor you.
  • Business visas- You can apply for these visas if you want to start a business or invest in Australia. The visa can give you permanent residency and, subsequently, Australian citizenship.

Citizenship by birth

Individuals born in Australia between January 26th, 1949, and August 20th, 1986 can apply for Australian citizenship. On August 20th, 1986, those born hereafter cannot automatically claim citizenship. Their application will not be considered if they are born to foreign diplomats living in the country. Similarly, children born to individuals on a temporary visa are not qualified for citizenship. They will need to get a separate visa to reside in the country.

Citizenship by descent

If either parent of an individual is an Australian citizen at the time of his birth, he is entitled to citizenship. This is irrespective of country of birth or if the parents have lost their citizenship.

What are the details of the Australia child visa?

Australia offers various child visa categories to help immigrants bring their biological child, adopted child or stepchild to the country. The sponsor must be either a citizen of the country, or a PR visa holder.

A child that is born in Australia automatically receives Australian citizenship if one of the parents is an Australian citizen or holds an Australian PR.

However, a child born outside Australia requires:

  • A permanent visa, if neither of the parents is an Australian citizen
  • Australian citizenship if one of the parents is an Australian citizen.

The Dependent Child Visa in Australia consists of four subclasses, they are:

  • Child Visa 101
  • Child Visa 102
  • Child Visa 802
  • Child Visa 445

Your child will be eligible for a dependent visa, under the following conditions:

  • You are an Australian citizen
  • You hold a permanent resident visa for Australia
  • You are a citizen of New Zealand

Features of various child visa categories

Child Visa 101

Children with one or both biological parents residing in Australia are eligible for this visa. A child can live with the parents in the country on this visa.

Eligibility requirements

  • The child must be under 18 years of age
  • He must be born outside Australia
  • Visa application must be initiated in the home country
  • The child must be residing outside Australia at the time of application

Child Visa 102

This visa is for children who have been adopted outside Australia by Australian parents.

Eligibility requirements

  • The child must be under 18 years of age and born outside Australia
  • Visa application must be initiated in the home country
  • The adoption process should either be in- process or completed, at the time of application.
  • The foster parents or prospective foster parents must submit proof that they can support the child’s sponsorship.

Child Visa 802

This visa is for children currently residing in Australia, who require an extension on their existing visa.

Eligibility requirements

  • Parents are eligible to stay in Australia, at the time of application
  • They must prove that they have the funds to sponsor the child during his or her period of stay
  • Parents can apply for this visa, on behalf of a child who is younger than 18 years of age

Child Visa 445

Parents on a temporary partner visa can include their children under this visa category if accompanied by their children. It is a temporary multiple-entry visa that allows the child to visit Australia until the parent’s permanent partner visa is approved. A parent can add the child’s name in the permanent partner visa application after the approval of a temporary Partner visa.

Eligibility requirements

  • The child must be less than 18 years of age
  • The child must be financially dependent on the parent with the Partner Visa if he is above 18 years of age
  • The child must fulfill the criteria for physical or mental disability and financial dependency; in order to be eligible for this visa

Benefits of the child visa

  • The child can travel indefinitely to Australia
  • The child earns the right to study and complete his education in Australia
  • Child is eligible for an Australian citizenship

Why is a positive skill assessment necessary to migrate to Australia?

Skill assessment is an integral part of the General Skilled Migration program, which helps choose immigrants with the right qualities to come to Australia. Without a skill assessment, the applicant will not be able to apply for a permanent residency in the country.

Positive skill assessment

Under point-based immigration, the immigrant must select an occupation listed in Australia’s Occupational Demand List. This list will mention occupations that face a skill shortage in the country. Every profession on the list has its skill of assessing authority. The ACS (Australian Computer Society) estimates occupations under IT and computers. Trade occupations are evaluated by the TRA (Trade Recognition Australia) or the VETASSESS (Vocational Educational and Training Assessment Services).

If an applicant must move to the next stage of the visa application process, he must get a positive skill assessment.

To get their skill assessment done, candidates must meet the required conditions outlined by the assessing authority, evaluating their occupation. The candidate should have the related qualifications and experience to get a positive assessment.

The first requirement for a positive skill assessment is that your occupation must be related to your work experience. If there is a mismatch, you will not get the required points.

Apart from this, you must submit all the required documents. The documents should support your qualifications and experience claims. They must be authentic and complete, and any slight discrepancy in your records can lead to a negative assessment. You will have to submit every additional detail requested by the assessing authority.

Factors considered by the assessing authority:

  • Occupation in which you nominated yourself
  • Your qualifications
  • Your work experience
  • Relevance of your work to your occupation
  • Visa category under which you are applying

Apart from this, the skill assessment bodies require proof of undergoing a language assessment test such as IELTS or PTE.

You must also submit proof of your work experience; these can include:

  • Payslips
  • Employer reference letters
  • Recent bank statements that show salary credits

Skill Assessment is an essential factor in the General Skilled Migration program. Getting a positive skill assessment report is the crucial first step in getting a PR visa to Australia.

What is the Distinguished Talent visa?

The Distinguished Talent visa is designed for individuals who have achieved something exceptional in a profession, arts or sports, or research or academic fields. The visa has two subclasses- subclass 858 for onshore and Subclass 124 for offshore. We will look at Subclass 124 in this blog.

To apply for Subclass 124, the applicant must be outside Australia when the visa is issued.

Apart from this, the visa applicant must be nominated by an Australian citizen, an eligible New Zealand citizen, a PR holder, or an Australian organization connected to your area of talent.

Applicants can include family members in their visa applications.

Eligibility conditions

  • You can be of any age when you apply for this visa; however, if you are below 18 and above 55, you must prove an immense benefit to Australian society.
  • You must have a record of having exceptional achievement and must have international recognition in any profession, art, sport, research field, or academic.
  • Your contribution, either economic, social, cultural, etc., should contribute to the country or benefit the Australian community.
  • You must demonstrate that you are competent to establish yourself in Australia or can find work related to your field in Australia. However, income from a source outside your domain will not be considered even if it is part of your overall income.
  • You must have the qualifications or awards from internationally recognized institutions and prove that you are still prominent in your field.
  • You must have skills in functional English.
  • You must meet the health and character requirements.

Application steps for Distinguished Talent visa

Step 1: Before you submit your application, you will have to secure a nomination from an individual or organization.

Step 2: The next step is to gather the documents that will support the claims you have made in your application and evidence that you meet the criteria. It would be best if you also gave proof of your achievements in your field.

Step 3: Apply for the visa online.

Step 4: The authorities will notify you that they have received your visa application.

Step 5: You will be notified of the outcome of your visa application. If your application is rejected, the authorities will give you the reasons and tell you whether you can apply for a review of the decision. You must be outside Australia when you receive the visa decision.

With the Distinguished Talent visa, you can:

  • Live and work permanently in Australia
  • Study in the country
  • Get access to Medicare, the country’s scheme to provide healthcare to its residents
  • Sponsor your relatives to come to the country
  • Apply for citizenship

Travel to and from Australia for five years

What is the Australia working holiday visa?

The working holiday visa was introduced to allow foreigners between 18 to 30 to visit the country for 12 months and be involved in casual and short-term work so that the travelers have enough money to continue their holiday.

The visa holders can also study for up to four months and move in and out of the country till the visa is valid. Another facility in this visa is if the visa-holder is young enough and not near 31 years, they can complete three months of specified work such as hospitality and tourism jobs and agricultural work and use the option to extend the visa for another 12 months. A new option was introduced in 2018 that would allow applicants to extend the visa for another year if they have completed six months of the specified work in the second year and meet the age requirements.

With these additional features, the working holiday visa is an excellent option to explore Australia and meet the local people while earning money to meet their travel expenses.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants will have to adhere to a specific character and health requirements and not have any dependents with them while on their holiday. They must have a passport from an eligible country or jurisdiction which cannot bring any dependent children with them and must not have entered Australia previously on Subclass 417 or 462 visa.

 Specified work

Under the new ruling, working holiday visa holders can now work for the same employers for one year instead of six months. The specified work needed to extend the visa includes any construction work, including rebuilding houses in the affected areas. Land clearing and other demolition work and involvement in any paid or voluntary recovery work in these areas will count as specified work.

Can you move to Australia without a job?

The Australian government has the SkillSelect program to help individuals move to Australia without a job offer. Under this program, you can move to Australia to find a job there. The program helps you to prove that you have the required skills and qualifications required to work in Australia.

To give opportunities to job seekers with specialized skills, the Australian government created the General Skilled Migration (SkillSelect) program in 2013. There are five visa subclasses under this program.

SkillSelect Program

 The SkillSelect program was devised to assess applicants with skills under a point-based system so that migrants with the right skills can be selected. The applicants are given points under the following criteria:

Age– Scores are given based on the age group the applicant belongs to.  Those between the ages of 25 and 32 score the most points while those above 45 do not gain any points.

English language proficiency- Applicants are required to take the IELTS test.  If you score 8 bands or more, you get 20 points.

Skilled employment-If you have experience in a skilled occupation that is listed in the Skilled Occupations List you will get points based on the years of experience. 20 is the maximum points you can gain in this criterion.

Educational qualification-Points are given based on your highest educational qualification. To get points, your qualification must be related to your nominated occupation. The highest is 20 points if you have a doctorate while a bachelor’s or master’s degree will give you 15 points.

Australian qualifications– You can get five points if you have an Australian qualification from an Australian educational institute.  You should have done the course from an Australian institute while you were in Australia. And you should have studied for at least two years.

Regional study- You can gain an additional 5 points if you have lived and studied in regional Australia in a place with a low population.

Community language skills– You will gain another 5 points if you have translator/ interpreter level skills in one of the country’s communities languages. These language skills must be recognized by Australia’s National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

Spouse/partner skills and qualifications- If you have included your spouse/partner in the application and he/she is not an Australian resident/citizen, then their skills are eligible to be counted towards your total points. You will gain an additional five points if your spouse/partner must meet the basic requirements of the Australian General Skilled Migration like age, English language proficiency and nominated occupation.

Professional year- You will stand to gain another 5 points if you have completed a Professional Year in Australia in the last five years. In a professional year, you will undergo a structured professional development program that will combine formal training with on-the-job experience.

What are the visa options for those who want to move to Australia without a job offer?

To give opportunities to job seekers with specialized skills, the Australian government created the General Skilled Migration (SkillSelect) program in 2013. There are three main important subclasses under this program.

  1. Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189): Before submitting your application under this category, you must give an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. This can be done within or outside of Australia.

 The applications are by invitation only, for this you should:

Have Experience in a nominated occupation on Australia’s Skilled Occupations List

Get a skill assessment report by a designated authority for that occupation

  • Submit an Expression of Interest
  • Age must be under 45 years
  • Must pass the Skilled assessment test
  • Score at least 65 on the points test
  • Meet health and character requirements

Once you receive an invitation to apply for this visa, you must do so within 60 days.

The processing time for this visa takes around 4 to 7 months provided you follow proper filing and documentation procedures.

  1. Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

You qualify for this visa if you are nominated by an Australian state or territory. The privileges in this visa are the same as the Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189)

The application requirements are similar except that you should have experience in a nominated occupation on the Skilled Occupations List.

The candidate must choose an occupation from CSOL i.e. Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List and submit their profiles accordingly with the key documents. The candidate’s skills must be relevant with the eligible skilled occupations that are in demand in that part of Australia.  The other eligibility requirements include:

  • A score of at least 60 points in the points test
  • Have a score of at least 6 in the IELTS language test
  • Submit an Expression of Interest or EOI to the Australian immigration authority
  • Get the health and police clearance certificates

The processing time for this visa usually takes 7 to 13 months

  1. Family Sponsorship program

You can move to Australia without a job under this program provided you have a family member in Australia who is a Permanent Resident or is a citizen of Australia. If your spouse, parent, sibling or any other close relative is willing to sponsor your PR visa, then you can use this option. Under this program, it is not mandatory to have a job offer prior to your moving to the country.

What are the requirements to get a student visa to Australia?

Students wanting to study in Australia must meet certain requirements to qualify for a visa. Once you are enrolled in a full-time study course you can apply for a visa under Subclass 500. Here is a list of compulsory requirements that must be submitted along with his visa application.

1. Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) certificate

You must submit a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) which is usually in the electronic format. This CoE  is mandatory for processing your visa application.

To get your CoE you must first be enrolled in an Australian college/university. Once you receive an offer letter from a college, you must accept the offer and pay the tuition fee deposit after which the college will send you the CoE.

2.Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) Statement

This document is required to prove that you are a Genuine Temporary Entrant. This is required to prove that your intention to come to Australia is to study and you would go back to your home country once you complete your studies or after a few years of work experience.

3.Financial requirements

To get your student visa you must prove that you have the funds to cover your course fees, travel and living costs. If you have dependents you should prove that you have the funds to cover their living costs including school fees for your children. The other option is to provide evidence that you will get financial support from your spouse or parents for your study and stay in Australia and that they earn at least AU$60,000 per annum.

4. English proficiency

If you don’t belong to an English-speaking country or have not done at least five years of study in an English-speaking country, you will need to give proof that you can speak the language at the required level. You will need to provide results of tests in the English language like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE.

5. Health requirements

For this, you will have to provide a certificate after a health checkup. You can get your health checkup done before your visa application.

6. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

The Australian government requires students from abroad to have health insurance- Overseas Health Insurance Cover or the OSHC. This provides basic medical and hospital cover.

7.Character requirements

You should have no criminal record and for this you may need to get a police certificate. You will need to fill a form called the Character Statutory Declaration Form when submitting your visa application.

What is the professional year program offered by Australia for international students?

Australia has a professional year program (PYP) designed for overseas students who have graduated from an Australian university and wish to apply for permanent residence.

The PYP helps these students to explore a career path by providing the relevant practical training. This internship program is approved by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).

The PYP was developed to promote the supply of skilled workers in sectors such as engineering, IT, and accounting.

 The PYP is open to students who have completed a degree in an Australian university, but the degree must not be more than two years old. The program has a duration of 44 weeks. It combines 32 weeks of course work and 12 weeks of internship.

The internship should be in the field of the applicant’s nominated skilled occupation or an occupation that is closely related to it.

The professional year program is designed to help international students gain valuable work experience and develop skills specific to their field of study. The program helps them to prepare for a career in Australia.

Benefits of the professional year program

Valuable work experience in an Australian company: The internship opportunities provided by the PYP helps international students find rewarding jobs in Australia. Many reputed universities in Australia provide internships to their students under the PYP. Candidates can hope to get a permanent position in these companies once they complete the program.

Expand network of professional contacts: The PYP provides an opportunity for students to expand their list of professional contacts. It provides an opportunity to meet professionals in their field and network with people who have similar career goals and interests.

Familiarize with Australian work culture: Students will be able to understand the workplace culture in Australia. It helps them to infer the Code of Conduct in Australian workplace. This will be of value once they get into a full-time job.

Eligible for extra points: They will be eligible to receive five extra points from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) in the ‘points test’ when they apply for a Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa.

 Eligibility requirements for a professional year program:

Applicants should have completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree from an Australian university

They should have a Skilled Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485), which allows them to remain in Australia for 18 months after the completion of their degree

They must have a minimum score of 6.0 in all the bands of IELTS

They must have completed a valid skills assessment from an assessing authority

 Documents required to apply for the program:

  • Completed application form
  • Copy of passport
  • Resume of the candidate
  • IELTS certificate to prove English language proficiency
  • Proof of current visa status
  • Attested copies of academic documents

Skill assessment certificate from the relevant assessing bodies

What happens in the citizenship test and interview?

Applicants who are to give the citizenship test must give an interview first. Some applicants might be required to give an interview even if they do not sit for the test.

In case you have to attend the citizenship interview, you will receive an appointment letter with the details prior to the interview date.

The test will basically test your understanding of the Australian traditions, values, history, and national symbols. It will also assess your English language skills. This test is required to ensure you can participate in the community and in turn integrate into society successfully.

In order to take the test, you must be a permanent resident of the country and prove your identity when registering for the test. Before you sit for the test, your original documents will be checked and your eligibility will be confirmed.

Applicants who are below 18 years or above 60 years are exempt from giving the test. Those who have an impairment related to hearing, speech or vision are also exempted from giving the test.

Changes in the citizenship test

In September 2020 Australia introduced changes to the citizenship test which included more questions on Australian values.

These are some of the questions introduced in the new version of the Australian Citizenship test:

  • Why is it necessary that all Australian people vote to elect the state and federal parliament?
  • Should people in Australia make an effort to learn English?
  • In Australia, if you have been insulted, can you promote violence against an individual or group of people?
  • If they find that they disagree, do people in Australia accept each other?
  • Are people free in Australia to choose who to marry or not to marry?
  • In Australia, is it appropriate for a husband to be aggressive towards his wife if she has disobeyed or disrespected him?
  • Do you believe that equality of opportunity should be granted to men and women while following their priorities and interests?

What is the processing time for Australian citizenship?

The processing time for citizenship applications generally varies between 19-25 months. A citizenship application under the general category takes about 19 months to two years. This includes the period from the date of application to decision and the date of approval to the citizenship ceremony.

What are State nominated visas?

Australia provides various visa options to help skilled immigrants get to settle in the country. Although many of these visa options allow the applicant to apply independently or on their own, there are some visa options that are nominated by the state. These visas include the Subclass 189, Subclass 190 and the Subclass 491 visa.

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189): This visa option is suitable for skilled workers. However, this visa cannot receive sponsorship.

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190): This visa is applicable to skilled workers who have a nomination from an Australian state/Territory.

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 Visa: This visa has replaced the Subclass 489 Visa as a pathway to a PR visa. Under this visa skilled workers and their families must live, work and study in designated regional areas for 5 years.

Benefits of a state nomination

You can obtain a suitable visa to move to Australia with a State nomination. To obtain a state nomination, the position must be listed on the State Nominated Occupation list and fulfill both state and federal government eligibility requirements.

  • You get priority visa processing with the department of home affairs
  • For the Subclass 190 visa you will earn 5 points in your eligibility test
  • You’ll get a chance to live and work in Australian cities
  • You will have access to a more comprehensive occupation list, where you will find your match

Eligibility requirements for State nominated visas

  • Nomination or sponsorship from an Australian state or territory after submitting the EOI
  • Experience in a nominated occupation on Australia’s Skilled Occupations List
  • Completed skills assessment with a relevant assessing authority for the occupation you have selected
  • Age between 18 and 50 years
  • Meet the basic requirements for Skilled Migration which include English language, health, and character checks
  • Minimum score of 65 on the points test
  • Meet health and character requirements

These visas give immigrants the following benefits:

  • Work and study in Australia without restrictions
  • Stay in Australia for an unlimited period
  • Subscribe for Australia’s universal healthcare scheme
  • Apply for Australian citizenship
  • Sponsor eligible relatives for temporary or permanent visas

What is employer nomination scheme?

Australia offers many options to immigrants to come and work in the country. One of them is the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186).  Under this scheme Australian employers can sponsor overseas workers who have the required skills to work in the country.

Visa process

The visa process involves two steps, the first step is nomination by an approved Australian employer and the second step is the visa application that must be made by a qualified overseas worker.

Applicants can be in or outside Australia when they apply for this visa.

What can one do with this visa?

The Employee Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa is a permanent residency visa.  The holder of this visa can:

  • Work and study in Australia without restrictions
  • Travel in and out of Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted
  • Stay in Australia for an indefinite period
  • Sign up for Australia’s universal healthcare scheme
  • Apply for Australian citizenship if he is eligible
  • Sponsor relatives for temporary or permanent visas if they are eligible

 Visa streams

The Subclass 186 visa has three streams:

  • Direct Entry stream
  • Labor Agreement stream
  • Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream

Individuals applying for this visa must be:

  • Under 45 years
  • Having competent English skills
  • Have a successful skills assessment for their nominated occupation from the relevant assessing authority which is not less than three years old
  • Having a minimum of three years of work experience
  • Compliant with the health and character requirements

What are the features of Australia’s Temporary Parent Visa?

To help migrants to bring their parents to Australia, the immigration department has introduced the Temporary Parent visa. The other option of bringing parents through the Permanent Parent visas only make up 1 percent of the total permanent migration program in the country but can take a long time to process. The other option of the Contributory Parent visa has a shorter processing time but costs more than AUD 45,000 for every applicant.

Features of the Temporary Parent visa

The number of places under this visa will be limited to 15,000 every financial year

Parents can get this visa for either three or five years in Australia. The three-year visa will cost AUD 5,000, while the five-year visa will cost AUD 10,000.

Parents who come to Australia under this visa will be eligible to re-apply for a Subclass 870 visa, and if it is approved, can stay in Australia for a cumulative period of 10 years. But they cannot work under this visa.

Conditions of the visa

The Temporary Parent visa was introduced as a more viable option to these two visas. Before a parent can apply for this visa, the child must get approval from the government as a parent sponsor. The conditions to get an approval include:

· Must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia

· Have a taxable income or a combined income with your spouse or de facto partner of AUD 83, 454 for the recent financial year

· Must have completed the relevant police checks

· Not have any debts to pay for public health or Commonwealth

· Must be ready to provide your parent with financial support and accommodation in Australia

· Must not have a partner who is a parent sponsor

· Once you gain approval as a parent sponsor your parent or parents can apply for a Temporary Parent visa

Eligibility requirements for a Temporary Parent visa

· Applicant should be the biological parent, adoptive parent, stepparent or parent-in-law of their child living in Australia

· Must have enough funds to meet their expenses during the duration of their stay in the country

· Plan for health insurance for the duration of their stay

· Must have complied with the conditions of any previous Australian visas they have had

· Must have an intention to stay in Australia only temporarily

· Must satisfy the health and character requirements

Advantages of the visa

The new temporary parent visa offers the option for Australian permanent residents and citizens to bring their parents to Australia on a temporary basis.

If the parents succeed in getting a Subclass 870 visa, they will be able to stay in the country for a longer period compared to staying on a visitor visa which is valid for a stay between 12 to 18 months.

The Temporary Parent visa of Australia seeks to reunite family members of permanent migrants and citizens. The visa fulfills a primary objective of the country’s migration program.

What are the requirements for Skilled migration?

If you are a skilled foreign worker looking to work and live anywhere in Australia, getting to know the eligibility requirements for an Australia Skilled visa can be quite useful.

The most popular visas under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) category are:

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)

 Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

Eligibility criteria for Skilled migration

Receive an invitation: First and foremost, you cannot apply for subclass 189 and 190 unless you have been invited.

If you are interested in moving to Australia permanently on a subclass 189 or 190 visa, you will have to begin the process by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) on SkillSelect.

Skill assessment: Skills assessment must have been done within the 3 years prior to the invitation being sent.

Meet the age criterion: As per the age criterion, you must be under 45 when you receive the invitation to apply for the visa.

Score 65 and above in the points test: As these visas are points-tested visas, you will have to score a minimum of 65 points to be eligible.

Competency in the English language is required. The applicant must also be able to provide evidence for the same.

Meet the health requirement

Meet character requirement

What are the work visa options in Australia?

There are various work visa options, three work visa options can lead to permanent residency while two of them are temporary and lets you stay in the country for a limited time.

Permanent work visa options

1.Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186): Employers can nominate you for this visa. The requirement is that your occupation must be on the list of eligible skilled occupations and the list must be applicable to your skills. This visa lets you stay and work permanently in Australia.

Employers may also sponsor individuals who are on a 457, TSS or working holiday visa. This visa can result in permanent residency.

Skill Select program: When an employer doesn’t want to appoint you, then you can apply your application through the Skill Select program. Through this program, your information will be made available to employers and governments of the states and territories and they can decide to nominate you. When you send an Expression of Interest (EOI) via the Skill Select program, you let the government know you ‘re interested in working in Australia.

To submit an EOI your occupation must be on the List of Skilled Occupations. After getting your EOI, you’ll be ranked based on a points test. If you have the required points, you qualify for the Skill Select program.

2.Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189)

Before submitting your application under this category, you must give an Expression of Interest through Skill Select and have the required points. You can apply for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) even though you may not be nominated by an employer.

Eligibility requirements

•Experience in a nominated occupation on Australia’s Skilled Occupations List

• Get a skill assessment report by a designated authority for that occupation

3.Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

If you are nominated by an Australian state or territory you qualify for this visa. This visa has the same privileges as the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189).

The eligibility requirements are also the same.

Temporary work visa options

1.TSS visa (Temporary Skill Shortage):Individuals can work between two to four years under this visa, depending on the requirement of the employee. To obtain this visa for hiring employees, Australian businesses would have to show they are facing a shortage of skills.

Applicants should have previous work experience of at least two years and should be under 45 years. Organizations that hire workers on this visa have to pay them the market salary.

2.Working holiday visa:This visa is available to people in the 18-30 age group to enable them to take up short-term jobs in Australia while on a holiday there. The period is twelve months. You will have to stick to the mandatory health and character requirements while on a holiday and not have any dependents with you.

With the working holiday visa, you can:

• Enter and stay in the country for six months

• Leave and re-enter the country multiple times

• Work for up to six months with an employee

• Choose to study for four months during the visa duration

What are the visa options to bring dependents to Australia?

For Student Dependents:

If you are coming to Australia to study, you are eligible to bring your family members with you. You can either include them on your original student visa application or you can apply for their visas once you have started your course in Australia so that they can join you. Spouses, partners and unmarried children under the age of 18 are eligible for dependent visas.

If you are including your dependent family members in your original student visa application, then you must include their details on your original Form 157A. The main student visa holder must have a minimum of 12 months validity on the visa and necessary funds and insurance to cover all expenses for this period.

If you are applying for the visa after you have started your course, then you must submit the following documents:

• Form 919, Nomination of student dependents

• Form 157A, Application for a student visa

• A letter from one your teachers stating:

• Name of your course

• Length of the course and your expected completion date

• If you are satisfying all the course requirements;

• Proof that you can financially support your dependent family members

• Proof of family ties such as marriage certificate or birth certificate

• Proof of school enrolment of school-aged children

• Proof of health insurance for dependents

For Post Study Work Dependents:

The Post Study Work visa holder must show proof of employment and necessary funds along with other documents like relationship proof and Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).

The Post Study Work visa holder must show proof of employment and necessary funds along with other documents like relationship proof and Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).

For Work Visa Dependents:

If you are coming to Australia on a work visa, your dependent family members are eligible to join you on dependent visas.

If you are coming to Australia on temporary worker visa, only your spouse or de facto partner and any unmarried children under the age of 18 are eligible for dependent family visas.

If you are coming to Australia on a migrant worker or business visa, any dependent family members are eligible to join you including:

• Spouse or de facto partner

• Any children under the age of 25

• Aged dependent relatives such as parents or grandparents.

The employer of the Work Visa holder must sponsor the dependents along with fulfilling health insurance and Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) requirements.

How can you bring your family members to Australia?

Subclass 309 visa

This visa enables an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or qualified New Zealand citizen to temporarily stay in Australia as a de facto partner or spouse. The first step towards a permanent Partner Visa (subclass 100) is to get this visa.

Features of the Subclass 309 visa

• This is a temporary visa

• Getting this visa will lead to the permanent partner visa

• Applicant must be outside Australia at the time of application

Advantages of Subclass 309 visa

The Subclass 309 visa holder can:

• Work in Australia

• Study in Australia

• Travel to and from Australia as many times as needed

• Attend up to 510 hours of free English language classes provided by the Adult Migrant English Program

• Make use of Australia’s public health care scheme, Medicare

• Family members including dependent children can be included in the application and their visa will be approved provided they meet health and character requirements.

Duration of stay: The duration of stay will be temporary till a decision is arrived on the permanent Partner (Migrant) visa (subclass 100) application or if the application is withdrawn. The duration of stay is generally between 15 to 24 months.

For Work Visa holders

If you are coming to Australia on a work visa, your dependent family members are eligible to join you on dependent visas.

If you are coming to Australia on temporary worker visa, only your spouse or de facto partner and any unmarried children under the age of 18 are eligible for dependent family visas.

If you are coming to Australia on a migrant worker or business visa, any dependent family members are eligible to join you including:

• Spouse or de facto partner

• Any children under the age of 25

• Aged dependent relatives such as parents or grandparents.

The employer of the Work Visa holder must sponsor the dependents along with fulfilling health insurance and Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) requirements.

For Student Visa holders

If you are coming to Australia to study, you are eligible to bring your family members with you. You can either include them on your original student visa application or you can apply for their visas once you have started your course in Australia so that they can join you. Spouses, partners and unmarried children under the age of 18 are eligible for dependent visas.

If you are including your dependent family members in your original student visa application, then you must have a minimum of 12 months validity on the visa and necessary funds and insurance to cover all expenses for this period.

What are the benefits of working in Australia?

Australian employers recognize education and work experience from abroad and accept numerous technical qualifications. If you have these credentials, the chances of applying for the Skill Select system are greater.

Across Australia, workers who work and stay here are entitled to pension benefits. When you want to get these incentives, you have to fulfill the requirements of age and residency. Those who work in Australia benefit from a retirement savings account called the Superannuation fund.

The country offers an accessible health care program and a network of social assistance. Aside from that, even in the major cities the population density is much smaller.

Australia has a multicultural culture that has people coming and moving here from various parts of the world. In fact, 43 per cent of Australians have overseas parents or were born overseas.

In case you want to improve your educational qualifications, the country offers more than 20,00 courses of study and has over 1,200 educational institutions.

Social security benefits

Many of the benefits provided by Centrelink (Department of Human Services branch) under Australia’s Social Security Act include

. Age pension — for individuals (65 years and older) who expect to retire or retire

• Payment and carer compensation — for people who care for those with a disability

• Disability support pension — for individuals who are unable to work for two years because of disability, accident or illness

• Sickness allowance — for workers with accident, disability or sickness (under two years of age) who do not have access to or using any of their leave

• New start allowance — for job-seekers

• Special benefit — for persons enduring financial distress and unable to maintain themselves;

• Income support— cash contribution to cover the cost of living (can include pension program, veteran contribution, rent assistance

• Pharmaceutical allowance — helps people receiving Centrelink benefits to offset the expense of prescription medicines

Other benefits

• Group Insurance – Big, multi-national corporations in a variety of industries are increasingly providing personal insurance plans for their employees, which also provide Salary Continuance coverage as well as lump-sum Death and Disability insurance.

• Health insurance – This has historically been a lower priority, but as the government has raised taxes and decreased rebates for high-income earners over the past 5+ years, large corporations are increasingly providing fully paid or subsidized plans (although mostly in IT and professional sectors where salary levels are high and competition for talent)

• Childcare facilities – A growing number of big, professional firms are looking to provide childcare and/or daycare services.

• Flexible working conditions – For families, this includes more time off, different working hours, and working from home options.

Minimum wage

For a full-time worker in Australia, the average weekly wage is about 1,605 AUD (1,087 USD). The country’s national minimum wage is just under 19 Australian dollars (13 US dollars) per hour, or 720 Australian dollars (490 US dollars) per week.

The average annual wage in Australia is about 91,550 AUD, including benefits (62,000 USD).

Work hours and work flexibility

The number of work hours per week can be as low as 38.5 hours. The length of work week could be even shorter in some of the other firms. Apart from this, some employers offer flexible working hours.

What is Skill select invitation?

Australia provides various visa options to help skilled immigrants get to settle in the country. Although many of these visa options allow the applicant to apply independently or on their own, there are some visa options that are nominated by the state. These visas include the Subclass 189, Subclass 190 and the Subclass 491 visa.

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189): This visa option is suitable for skilled workers. However, this visa cannot receive sponsorship.

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190):This visa is applicable to skilled workers who have a nomination from an Australian state/Territory.

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 Visa:This visa has replaced the Subclass 489 Visa as a pathway to a PR visa. Under this visa skilled workers and their families must live, work and study in designated regional areas for 5 years.

Among these visas the Subclass 189 and the Subclass 491 visa are the most popular visa options to move to Australia.

Among these visas the Subclass 189 and the Subclass 491 visa are the most popular visa options to move to Australia.

Invitation process and cut offs.

The highest ranked applicants by points score are invited to apply for the relevant visa by the State and Territory governments.For applicants who have equal points for that subclass, invitations are issued based on the order of invitation. Expressions of Interest with earlier dates are first to be issued invites.

Strict criteria have been placed on the occupations that the State and Territory Governments will authorize for Subclass 491/190, after the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. These can be used only for professions that are vital to the economic recovery from COVID.

These critical occupations include those connected with medical services, including air ambulance and delivering critical medical supplies; and those with critical skills required to maintain the supply of essential goods and services.

The occupation ceilings and the new invitation rounds are focused primarily on the need to tackle the pandemic of COVID-19 and the economic recovery of Australia. As a consequence, professionals such as registered nurses, general practitioners, civil engineers, electrical engineers, telecommunications engineers,occupational therapists , physiotherapists, were issued invitations.

Can I move to Australia without a job?

The answer to this question is yes, you can immigrate to Australia without a job. But moving to Australia with a job in hand gives you extra points and will help to give your profile a good score. It will add points to the point-based Australian immigration system where a higher number of points will mean better chances of getting an Australian PR visa.

Australia offers several immigration pathways for individuals who are well-educated and highly skilled and can contribute to the Australian economy. Australia requires skilled workers who can contribute to the country’s development.

1.SkillSelect Program

The Australian government has the SkillSelect program to help individuals move to Australia without a job offer. Under this program you can move to Australia to find a job there. The program helps you to prove that you have the required skills and qualifications required to work in Australia.

Through this program, your information will be made available to employers and governments of the states and territories and they can decide to nominate you. When you send an Expression of Interest (EOI) via the Skill Select program, you let the government know you ‘re interested in working in Australia.

To submit an EOI your occupation must be on the List of Skilled Occupations. After getting your EOI, you’ll be ranked based on a points test. If you have the required points, you qualify for the Skill Select program.

You are given points under the following criteria:

Age

English language proficiency

Skilled employment

Educational qualification

Australian qualifications

Regional study

Community language skills

Spouse/partner skills and qualifications

Professional year

What are the details of the Skilled Regional visa (Subclass 191)?

In order to encourage immigrants to settle down in regional areas, the Skilled regional visa has been introduced. The Australian government introduced these visas to encourage immigrants to settle in regional areas and reduce their concentration in the three major cities of Australia. These visas are expected to provide incentives to migrants to settle in regional Australia and consequently help to improve the economy in these regions.

Australia has introduced this visa for immigrants who have lived, worked and studied in a designated regional area in the country earlier under an eligible visa. The applications for this visa will open from November 2022.

Eligibility conditions for the visa

You must:

• Have an eligible visa

• Have lived for at least 3 years in Australia and have a taxable income equal to or above a specific income threshold for at least three years

• Comply with the conditions of the eligible visa that you hold

With this visa you can

• Stay permanently in Australia

• Work and study in Australia

• Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence

• Make an application for Australian citizenship, if eligible

Features of the visa

You can stay indefinitely in Australia on this visa.

You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want for five years after the date of the visa grant.

Citizenship application for this visa is counted from the day your permanent residence starts which is the date you are granted the visa if you are in the country.

If members of your family currently hold an eligible visa, you can include them in your application. At the time of application, you must include each family member who is qualified to apply for this visa. Once you’ve submitted your application, you will not be able to add family members.

You must be in Australia when you apply for this visa.


What is occupation ceiling? Which visas are dependent on them?

There are two visa that are subject to ‘Occupation ceiling. The Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) is a points-based visa for skilled workers who cannot be sponsored by an employer or a state or territory or a family member. With this visa you can live permanently in Australia and include family members in your application. Once the visa is granted, visa-holders can stay indefinitely with full work rights.

The application requirements for this visa include having your occupation listed in the relevant Skilled Occupation list and having a suitable skill assessment for your occupation.

You must receive an invitation to apply for this visa and score the required points in the points test.

Another visa is the Subclass 491 visa, it is a provisional visa for skilled workers who want to live and work in a regional area of Australia.

To be eligible, the applicant must be nominated to apply by a state or territory government or be sponsored by an eligible relative. He must have an occupation in the relevant skilled occupation list and must get a skill assessment for the occupation before getting an invitation to apply.

Occupation ceiling

The invitation rounds for the Skilled independent and the Skilled regional (provisional) visas are subject to occupation ceilings.

An ‘occupation ceiling’ means a limit on the total number of Expression of Interests (EOIs) that can be selected for skilled migration from any particular occupation group.

Once the occupation limit is reached for any specific occupation, no further invitations will be received for the same for that program year.

In such a scenario of the occupation ceiling being reached, invitations will then be alternatively issued to those interested in migrating to Australia from other occupations groups even if they have a low ranking on the score calculator.

The occupation ceiling is introduced to ensure that a limited number of occupations do not make up the biggest percentage of the skilled migration program. The ceiling ensures that more invites are not issued to these professionals once the limit is reached and professionals from lower ranking occupations in the list also get a chance to work in Australia.

The occupation ceiling numbers are based on the percentage of the employment figures for each occupation. The figures are given by the Australia Bureau of Statistics and indicates the number of people who are in Australia and are employed in that particular occupation.

Invitation rounds for these visas

The invitation rounds for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) are expected to be conducted every month. The number of invitations for each round will differ based on the number of applications that is being processed by the immigration department.

What are the eligibility requirements for the Temporary graduate visa?

You must meet the Australian study requirement for both the graduate and post-study work streams. If you hold at least one degree, diploma, or trade certificate and the following criteria apply, you will meet this requirement:

You completed a single eligible qualification that took at least two academic years to complete, or eligible qualifications that took at least two academic years to complete.

It was a CRICOS-registered course that you took.

You completed all course requirements successfully.

Your study was conducted in English.

You finished your course after studying for at least two academic years (92 weeks).

To complete the course, you were physically present in Australia for at least 16 calendar months.

You did your course under an Australian student visa.

Applicants for the graduate work stream must meet the following criteria:

They must choose one employment from the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and submit it for consideration.

Have a degree, diploma, or trade qualification in a field that is closely linked to that occupation.

Be certified by an appropriate assessing authority as possessing the necessary competencies for the selected occupation.

Applicants must choose a shortage employment that matches their degree (or higher qualification) and be approved by a relevant assessing authority.

Applicants for the post-study work stream must have an eligible degree, such as a bachelor’s degree, a bachelor’s degree (honors), a master’s degree by coursework, a master’s degree (extended), a master’s degree by research, or a master’s degree by research.

Applicants must meet the English language requirement

What are the documents required to apply for the Temporary graduate visa?

Documents required for application

  • A letter from your education provider detailing the commencement date of the course, the end date of the course, and the CRICOS code of your education provider.
  • Evidence that the relevant assessment authority has deemed your abilities adequate for your specified occupation.
  • Health insurance policy
  • Police certificate
  • Documentation pertaining to your partner and/or children who are financially dependent on you

How can I get Australian PR in 2022?

These are the steps you need to follow to get the Australia PR in 2022

Step 1:  Evaluate the requirements for eligibility

  • Verify if you are meet the eligibility requirements
  • Check if the occupation you are employed in is listed in the occupations in demand list.
  • You need to score the required points given in the points table.

Step 2: English proficiency Test

Assess if you meet the proficiency standards in the language of English by writing the required English language test. The immigration authorities of Australia accept scores from multiple English language tests like PTE, IELTS, TOEFL, and the like. You can write any of these language tests to obtain the required score.

Step 3: Select your occupation from the SOL or Skilled Occupation List

Your occupation will be listed under these three skills list:

  • SOL or Short-term Skilled Occupation List
  • CSOL or Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List
  • MTSSL or Medium and long-term Strategic Skills List

Step 4: Registration of your Expression of Interest

You need to register an EOI or Expression of Interest on the Skill Select website in Australia. You will have to submit all the information asked for in the online application.

Step 5: Be issued an ITA

You will be issued an ITA or Invitation To Apply for the Australian PR after the submission of the application and if you meet the set requirements.

The Australian government conducts rounds of invitations for the PR applicants every month.

The number of ITAs issued varies due to the volume of applications submitted by the candidates, the nominated occupation, the ceiling of current occupation, and the time of the year.

The ITA numbers also vary on the volume of applications processed by the immigration department of Australia at that time.

The candidates with the maximum score in the points list qualify for the PR visa subclass. For the candidates with equal scores, preference is given to those applicants who scored first in the subclass under which they had applied.

The EOI submitted earlier is given more preference than those submitted on a later date.

Step 6: Submission of PR application

You need to submit your application for PR. The application needs to be submitted within 60 days. You should submit all the other documents required to process your PR visa. The documents include your personal, immigration, and work experience documents.

Step 7: Get your clearance certificates

You are required to submit police clearance certificates. You also need to submit your medical certificate after clearance in the medical examination.

Step 8:  Get your visa grant

After meeting all the requirements, you will be issued a visa grant and eventually get your PR visa for Australia.

How will the Subclass 190 visa or Skilled Nominated visa aid in migrating to Australia?

The Skilled Nominated visa has been designed to facilitate migrants employed in occupations with high demand in the labor market of Australia and migrate to the country. Here, are some of the benefits of the visa:

  • The visa permits you to work or study anywhere in Australia.
  • The visa holders can sponsor their relatives for permanent residency if they meet the eligibility requirements. They can also apply for citizenship in Australia.

Requirements for eligibility for the Skilled Nominated Visa

The requirement of the Skilled nominated visa are given below.

  • You need to have work experience in the occupation listed in Australia’s Skilled Occupations List
  • You need to take a skills assessment with an authorized assessing body for the vocation you have opted for
  • You must be above 18 and below 50 years of age
  • You should meet the requirements set by the Australian government for Skilled Migration, which includes proficiency in English, health, and character certificates.
  • You must score at least 65 on the points test.

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