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The Australian migration program targets people who are under 45 years old, highly skilled, speak good English and who will quickly make a contribution to the Australian economy. Included in this program are permanent residency (migration) visas with unrestricted work rights.
To make a valid application for any one of the following types of Skilled visas, applicants or their spouses must be able to satisfy the basic requirements.
If you are not able to satisfy these basic requirements, you should not continue with a general skilled migration application as your application will not meet the legal requirements to be granted, however, there may be other options available, such as an employer sponsored visa.
To apply for an Australian Visa, you need to find the appropriate type of visa that will be suitable for your qualifications, skills, experience and family composition. For a free assessment of your eligibility to meet the legal requirements of a skilled migration visa, click here.
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For general skilled migration to Australia, you or your spouse must be able to satisfy all of the following basic requirements:
- Age - You must be under 45 years of age when you apply.
- English language - You must have sufficient ability in the English language for working in Australia. This is known as ‘Competent English’ or ‘Vocational English’ if you have a trade occupation. There are exemptions to this for Skilled – Regional Sponsored applications.
- Qualifications - You must have post-secondary (such as university or trade) qualifications. In a small number of occupations, formal training and relevant work experience may be acceptable. Your skills, qualifications and work experience must have been assessed by the relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation.
- Nominated occupation - When you apply, you must nominate an occupation which fits your skills and qualifications. Your nominated occupation must be on the Skilled Occupations List (SOL).
- Recent work experience - You must have been in paid employment in a skilled occupation (any on the SOL) for at least 12 of the 24 months immediately before applying.
This requirement is separate from the need to have your skills assessed as suitable for your nominated occupation before you apply.
For certain occupations, a longer period of specific work experience is required to obtain a suitable
"skills assessment".
Australian qualification exemption - You will not need to meet the work experience requirement if you meet the 2 years study in Australia requirement and apply within 6 months of receiving your notification of results.
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Please note that from 1st September 2007 a restructured General Skilled Migration (GSM) program came into place and 15 GSM visa subclasses were reduced to 9 visa subclasses.
Please see below for more information on the various skilled
visa subclasses available to onshore applicants:
- Skilled Independent (Subclass 885) - This visa
allows overseas students who completed a degree, diploma or
trade qualification from a minimum of 2 years full time
study in Australia to apply onshore for permanent residency. In
addition to completing an Australian Qualification, the applicant must
also satisfy all basic requirements and meet the pass mark on the Skilled Migration Points Test.
- Skilled Sponsored (Subclass 886) - This visa allows overseas students who have completed their course studies in Australia and holders of certain temporary visas to apply for permanent residency.
You must meet the points test and you must be sponsored by
an eligible relative living in Australia or obtain
nomination from a participating State or Territory
government agency.
- Skilled Graduate (Subclass 485) - This
new 18 months temporary visa allows overseas students who do
not meet the criteria for a permanent General Skilled
Migration visa to remain in Australia for 18 months to gain
skilled work experience or improve their English language
skills. This visa has unrestricted work rights and provides
pathways to permanent residency via the Skilled Independent
Visa Subclass 885 and Skilled Regional Subclass 887.
- Skilled Regional Sponsored (Subclass 487) - This visa
is a three (3) year provisional visa for overseas students
and certain visa holders who are unable to meet the criteria
for a permanent skilled visa. You will have the opportunity
to apply for permanent residency after you have lived for
two (2) years, and worked at least 12 months, in a Specified
Regional Area of Australia. You must meet the points test
and you must be sponsored by an eligible relative living in
Australia or obtain nomination from a participating State or
Territory government agency.
- Skilled Regional (Residence) (Subclass 887)-
A permanent visa for eligible provisional visa holders who have
lived for at least two (2) years and worked for at least one (1)
year in a Specified Regional Area in Australia.
If you are considering applying for a visa to stay in Australia
under one of the following categories (except for subclass 887), you must apply within 6
months of receiving your notification of results.
- Skilled Independent (Subclass 175) - This visa is a
permanent visa for people with skills in demand in the Australian
labour market. Applicants are not sponsored and must pass a points
test. New Zealand citizens applying for General Skilled Migration
can use this visa class regardless of whether they are inside or
outside Australia.
- Skilled Sponsored (Subclass 176) - This visa is a permanent
visa for people unable to meet the Skilled – Independent pass mark.
Applicants must be either sponsored by an eligible relative living
in Australia or nominated by a participating State or Territory
government. Applicants must pass a points test lower than that for
the Skilled – Independent visa. New Zealand citizens
applying for General Skilled Migration can use this visa
class regardless of whether they are inside or outside
Australia.
- Skilled Regional Sponsored (Subclass 475) - This is a three
(3) year provisional visa for people who are unable to meet
the criteria for a permanent skilled visa. Applicants must be either sponsored by an eligible relative living in a
designated area of Australia or nominated by a participating state/territory
government. After living for two (2) years and working for at least one (1)
year in a Specified Regional Area, applicants can apply for a permanent visa.
- Skilled Recognised Graduate (Subclass 476) - This is an 18
month temporary visa for graduates of recognised overseas educational institutions
who have skills in demand in Australia. There is no points test for this visa. This
visa allows recent graduates of selected overseas universities to gain up to 18 months
of skilled work experience in occupations in demand in Australia. As a holder of this
visa, you may apply for permanent residence at any time if you are able to meet the
passmark on the General Skilled Migration points test.
If you are an New Zealand citizen, you should apply for an offshore General Skilled Migration
visa, regardless of whether you are in or outside Australia.
You may apply for the following subclasses:
- Skilled – Independent (Migrant) visa (subclass 175)
- Skilled – Sponsored (Migrant) visa (subclass 176)
- Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclass 475)
- Skilled – Recognised Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 476)
New Zealand citizens who are Special Category Visa (subclass 444) holders and any accompanying
secondary applicants will be eligible to apply for and be granted an offshore General Skilled
Migration visa while they are in Australia.
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