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Looking to migrate to Australia? Speak to our Registered Migration Agent

Need to obtain an Australia visa? Let us provide you with expert immigration advice and help you with your visa application. If you need help getting the process started, fill out the form below and our Registered Migration Agent will contact you shortly

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General Skilled Visa

Skilled Australian Work Visas are for professionals with skills that are in demand in Australia. With a shortage across many occupations, Australia is offering those who have the skills a chance to work in the country.

Currently, there are two types of permanent skilled visa subclasses. This includes the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) and the Temporary Skilled Shortage Visa (482).

To find out more about your work visa options, keep reading below.

General Skill Migration (GSM)

The General Skill Migration scheme (GSM) is for those with qualifications that are in demand in Australia. For this, there are no requirements for a sponsoring employer. To qualify for this subclass, the candidate must:

  • Be 45 or under if and when you are invited to apply for the visa
  • Have functional English (usually an IELTS score of 6 or higher)
  • Have skills or qualifications that match on the list of eligible skilled occupations
  • Obtain a skills assessment by a relevant authority
  • Meet the minimum points test score

For a permanent Australian skilled visa, there are two subclasses that you can apply for: subclasses 189 and 190.

Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)

This independent visa is for points-tested skilled workers who are not sponsored by:
An employer or family member,
OR
Nominated by a state or territory government.
An expression of interest form (EOI) should be submitted to be invited for a 189 Skilled Visa.

With this visa, the candidate will be able to live and work in Australia as a permanent resident.

Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190)

This visa is for points-tested skilled workers nominated by a state or territory government agency. The candidate will need to submit an expression of interest form (EOI). An Australian state or territory government agency then may pick your EOI. If you are selected, you will then be invited to be nominated for this visa. You cannot apply for this visa without an agency nomination.

Once this visa is obtained, the applicant can then live and work in Australia as a permanent resident.

To learn more about the Australian Skilled Visa Migration Points or General Skilled Visa Requirements and how you can apply for the Australia Skilled Migration, give our Registered Migration Agent a call today on +61 468 838 899.

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Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)

The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) visa allows skilled workers to work in regional Australia. For this, the candidate:

  • Must be under 45 years of age, if and when you are invited to apply for the visa
  • Meet the English language criteria
  • Be nominated by an employer to work in Regional Australia

Once you have a valid employer to nominate you and meet the requirements, you can submit your application. When approved, you can live and work in regional Australia under the nominated employer. This is valid for at least two years.

For more information on:

  • Australian Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Points
  • General Regional Visa Requirements
  • Applying for Australian Skilled Migration

We invite you to give our Registered Migration Agent a call today on +61 468 838 899.

Temporary Skilled Shortage (TSS) Visa (482)

This is a three-stage process for individuals sponsored by an employer/business. This three-stage process can lead to permanent residency. The three stages include:

Stage 1

The employer/business applies to become eligible sponsors.

Stage 2

Once the employer/business becomes an approved sponsor, then it can nominate an applicant to sponsor.

Stage 3

Once the applicant is nominated and the criteria is met, they can lodge a valid application.

This visa, referred to as the TSS visa, enables employers to address labour shortages. This is addressed by bringing in genuinely skilled workers where they cannot source an appropriately skilled Australian. This facilitates overseas workers while ensuring Australian workers get priority.

TSS visa holders can work in Australia for the approved sponsor and occupation under one of these streams:

  • The Short-Term Stream
  • The Medium-Term Stream
  • The Labour Agreement Stream

The length of the TSS visa can range from 1-4 years. And your stay depends on your nominated occupation, the visa stream and your circumstances.

If you are working towards the expiry of your visa, your employer can help you get permanent residency. They will need to sponsor you on either a:
Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
OR
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187) visa

Eligibility

The requirements for all visas vary depending on the specific visa and subclass.

For both General Skill Migration subclasses and the Regional Sponsored Migration scheme, the candidate will have to be at least 45 years of age or younger at the time of their application invitation.

To be eligible for a Skilled Visa, general common requirements can include:

  • Having an eligible occupation
  • Submitting an expression of interest form and being invited to apply
  • Being nominated by an eligible employer
  • Having certain score points
  • Having a certain level or fluency in the English language
  • Passing a skills assessment test
  • Having two years of relevant experience in your nominated occupation
  • Having required licensing, registration or membership
  • Meeting the health requirements
  • Meeting the character requirements

To see which requirements are relevant to your visa, contact our Registered Migration Agent.

Skilled Visa Application

There is a process you must follow to obtain a Skilled Visa to work in Australia. Firstly, you need to complete a skill assessment. This way the Department of Immigration can assess whether you have the skills for your chosen occupation.

If you’re successful with your skills assessment, you can submit an Expression of Interest. Once this has been completed, you will receive an invitation to apply for an Australian Skilled Work Visa. Then, you can organise the necessary documents and apply for the visa.

When submitting your application, you can either be in or outside of Australia. If inside the country during submission, you must have either a:
Substantive visa
OR
A certain subclass visa in your possession.
If you don’t have one, your application may be invalid.

Document Checklist

When you apply for a skilled visa, there are multiple documents you must submit. And the requirements may change depending on your visa subclass. Below are the most common documents you may need when applying for a skilled visa:

  • Proof of identity
  • Any previous or current relationship documents
  • Character documents
  • Partner documents
  • Documents for any dependents
  • Expression of Interest documents
  • Skilled assessment documents
    • Proof of qualifications
    • Proof of employment both in and outside of Australia
    • Proof of your skills assessment
    • Proof of English language skills
    • Any registrations for medical and law professions

When presenting your documentation, please translate all non-English documents into English. You must also clearly scan or photograph the document.

If you’re looking to apply for an Australian Skilled Work Visa, talk to Keystone Visa and Migration Services. Our principal migration agent is highly respected in Australia with years of experience. He has also helped a range of skilled clients, from executives to tradespeople, obtain skilled work visas.

We’ll help you every step of the way with the application process. This includes helping you with the skills assessment, submitting an EOI and organising the documentation. If you’d like to learn more, give us a call on +61 468 838 899 today.

Find Out More

To learn more about the Australian Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Points, contact us today. Call our Australian Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa Migration Agent in Sydney on +61 468 838 899. Here we can you understand the General Regional Visa Requirements. Alternatively, you can use this form to enquire about the Australian Skilled Migration application today.

Frequently asked questions

What is a General Skilled Visa?

A General Skilled Visa is a working visa for individuals who are in a skilled profession that is in demand in Australia.

What are the requirements for a Skilled Visa in Australia?

To get a Skilled Visa in Australia, you have to:

  • Have functional English
  • Be under the age of forty-five (45)
  • Have the skills and qualifications that match the list of eligible skilled occupations on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List MLTSSL list.
  • Obtain a skills assessment from a relevant authority
  • Achieve, at the least, the minimum points test score (65)

A Registered Migration Agent can assist you to understand your points test and ascertain your eligability.

What is the average processing time for a Skilled Visa?

The average processing time for a Skilled Visa is different for each person depending on your circumstances. As these are points tested visas, you will be required to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to be invited to apply for the subclass 189 visa or Nominated for the subclass 190 visa. Expressions of Interest can take a significant amount of time depending on your individual points score as invitations are given to applicants with the highest number of points, and whilst the minimum points required are 65, some occupations which are applied for in high numbers the points need to be as high as 80 – 85, hence this can delay or prevent applicants with lower points being invited. It is very important to discuss your points scores, and how to improve upon your score if required, with a Registered Migration Agent.

What are the two types of permanent Skilled Visa subclasses?

There are two types of permanent Skilled Visa subclasses. The first is the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189): this visa doesn’t require the individual to be nominated by an employer or family member. The Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) is a visa suitable for an individual who has been nominated by a state or territory government agency. Both visas allow the individual to live and work permanently in Australia.

What is the length of a Skilled Visa?

There are both Temporary Skilled Shortage Visa’s as well as permanent Skilled visas. The temporary visa may be 2 years duration up to 4 years duration. It is important to understand what the different types of visas are available, given your individual circumstances. Having a discussion with a Migration Agent can assist you in understanding your options.

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