Department of Immigration and

Citizenship
Skilled visas for Australia
1. Australias skilled migration program
2. Temporary skilled visa options
3. Permanent skilled visa options
4. Introducing SkillSelect
3. Questions
Agenda for todays presentation
Australias skilled migration program is:
Responsive to economic
conditions and the labour market
Targeted to meet skill needs, not
a first-in-first-granted approach
Focussed on highly skilled and
high value occupations
Complementary to domestic
training and employment
programs
Demand driven rather than supply
driven
Australias skilled visa options
1. Temporary Business (Long Stay)
visa (subclass 457)
2. Employer Nomination Scheme
(ENS)
3. Regional Sponsored Migration
Scheme (RSMS)
1. Skilled Independent
2. State/Territory Sponsored
3. Family Sponsored
Employer
sponsored visas
Points tested
visas
Priority processing direction and indicative visa
processing times
Regional skilled visas
Visas with nominated occupation on the SOL
State or territory sponsored visas
All other points tested visas
1
2
3
4
Employer Sponsored visas
5
5-8
months
5-8
months
12-24
months
18
months
Occupation lists for skilled visas
Temporary Business Long Stay
subclass 457
Employer Nomination Scheme
Regional Sponsored Migration
Scheme
Skilled Independent
Specification of Occupations for 457
Employer Nomination Skilled Occupation
List (ENSOL)
No occupation list, but applicant should
hold diploma or higher qualification
Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
Skilled Sponsored and
Skilled Regional Sponsored
State sponsored- see relevant State
occupation list
Family sponsored- SOL
1. Australias skilled migration program
2. Temporary skilled visa options
3. Permanent skilled visa options
4. Introducing SkillSelect
3. Questions
Agenda for todays presentation
Temporary Business Long Stay
Subclass 457
Must be sponsored by an employer
Occupation on 457 specified occupations list
No age limit
Able to add dependents
Minimum IELTS 5 in each of the four test components
Must be paid at Australian market salary rates
Booklet 9: Temporary Business (Subclass 457) visa
Skilled - Regional Sponsored (provisional)
Subclass 475
Provisional visa with a pathway to permanence
Sponsored by state government or family in Australia
Points tested
Encourages migration to regional areas
1. Australias skilled migration program
2. Temporary skilled visa options
3. Permanent skilled visa options
4. Introducing SkillSelect
3. Questions
Agenda for todays presentation
Permanent Skilled Migration general requirements
Recent work experience in a nominated occupation in
demand in Australia
Skills assessment to demonstrate you have the skills
required for a nominated occupation in demand in Australia
English language skills
Good health
Good character
Permanent employer sponsored visa options
Employer Nomination
Scheme
Regional Sponsored
Migration Scheme
Booklet 5: Employer Sponsored Migration
Permanent visa
Nominated occupation on the ENSOL
Under 45 years of age
Vocational English (eg. minimum IELTS 5)
Permanent visa
Under 45 years of age
Functional English (eg. minimum IELTS 4.5)
Encourages migration to regional areas
Covers all of Australia except: Sydney,
Wollongong, Newcastle, Melbourne,
Brisbane and the Gold Coast
Permanent points tested visa options
Skilled Independent
Permanent visa
Applicants must pass the points test
Under 50 years of age
Skilled - Sponsored
(state/territory or
family sponsored)
Permanent visa
Applicants must pass the points test
Under 50 years of age
Extra points for state sponsored application
Booklet 6: General Skilled Migration, www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/
1. Australias skilled migration program
2. Temporary skilled visa options
3. Permanent skilled visa options
4. Introducing SkillSelect
3. Questions
Agenda for todays presentation
SkillSelect
Will better match skills with those in
demand in Australia and reduce
processing times
applies to most skilled visa subclasses
from 1 July 2012
requires prospective applicants to register
an Expression of Interest (EOI)
Invitations to lodge a visa application
based on EOI
registered employers and state/territory
governments can search and contact
prospective skilled workers
SkillSelect is a new way to apply for skilled visas
Overview of SkillSelect
EOI
Register Rank Invitation
Application
Assessment of application
as per existing process
When is an EOI required?
Visa Category
Independent/
Family
Sponsored
Temp Employer
Sponsored
(Subclass 457)
Permanent
Employer
sponsored
(including
RSMS)
State/Territory
and Regional
sponsored
(including
Business Skills)
Yes
Must lodge an EOI
No
EOI optional
No
EOI optional
Yes
Must lodge an EOI
1. Australias skilled migration program
2. Temporary skilled visa options
3. Permanent skilled visa options
4. Introducing SkillSelect
3. Questions
Agenda for todays presentation
Need more information?
Website: Embassy www.greece.embassy.gov.au/
Skilled visas www.immi.gov.au/skilled
Visa wizard www.immi.gov.au/visawizard/
Booklets www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/
Phone: +30 210 870 4127 (Visa Office, including booking appointments)
+30 210 870 4000 (Embassy)
Email: www.immi.gov.au/contacts/forms/europe/
Facebook: Department of Immigration and Citizenship