Skilled Visa
- This visa enables skilled applicants to live and work in Australia permanently. This points-based visa is for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, a state or territory, or a family member. With this visa, you can live and work permanently anywhere in Australia and eligible family members can be included in your application. This is a permanent visa and allows visa-holders to remain in Australia indefinitely with full work rights.
- This visa is designed to meet the skills shortage in Australia. Skill select program requires applicants to lodge an EOI and be invited to apply for this visa. This visa is available for both onshore and offshore applicants. This program works on a points basis with threshold points required for the different visa categories
Eligibility requirements:
- Aged between 18 & 44
- meet threshold points score. Points can be claimed in areas related to age, English language ability, specific work experience, spouse skills and other categories.
- have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list (MLTSSL)
- have a skills assessment with the relevant assessing authority for that occupation
- apply for an Expression of Interest EOI
- Meet the points test pass mark of 65 points
- be invited to apply for this visa
- have relevant work experience post qualification
- have an appropriate skill assessment
- Meet English language requirement,
- meet health and character requirement
- meet additional criteria of the stream in which you are applying for
The Process Chart
If you are invited to apply for this visa, you will then have 60 days in which to submit your online application. Your invitation letter will explain the process you should follow. Invitations are based on claims made in your Expression of Interest at the time you are invited to apply. Your application must reflect the information provided in your Expression of Interest, and be supported by relevant evidence.
Family
You can include the following family members in your visa application:
- your partner
- your or your partner’s dependent child
- your or your partner’s dependent relative.
Processing
Priority processing arrangements apply to this visa. They determine the order in which Australian immigration considers applications regardless of when they have been submitted.
Entitlements
This visa allows you and your accompanying family members to:
- live and work permanently in Australia
- study in Australia
- enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses
- access certain social security payments
- apply for Australian citizenship (subject to residency criteria)
- sponsor family members for permanent residence.
Points table Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 189)
Under this category of Visas, there are 3 primary subclass:
- Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189 ( You must have an occupation on the MLTSSL.)
- Skilled Nominated Visa Subclass 190 ( Requires nomination by a State or Territory government.
You must have an occupation on the MLTSSLor STSOL) - Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa Subclass 491 ( Requires nomination by a State or Territory government. You must have an occupation on the MLTSSLor STSOL.)
For the GSM (General Skilled Migration visas). Current entry level mark is 65 points and the points are calculated based on:
- Age
- English Language
- Overseas Work Experience
- Australian Work Experience
- Educational Qualifications
- Australian Educational Qualification
- Specialist Educational Qualification
- Accredited Community Language
- Partner Qualifications
- Professional Year in Australia
| Criteria | Points |
|---|---|
| Age | |
| 18- Less than 25 Yrs | 25 |
| 25- Less than 33 yrs | 30 |
| 33- Less than 40 Yrs | 25 |
| 40- Less than 45 Yrs | 15 |
| English Language Skills | |
| Proficient English ( IELTS overall 7 each) | 10 |
| Superior English ( IELTS overall 8 each) | 20 |
| Skilled Employment Experience | |
| 3-5 Years | 5 |
| 5-8 Yrs | 10 |
| 8 & Above yrs | 15 |
| Skilled Employment Experience – in Australia | |
| 1-3 yrs | 5 |
| 3-5 Years | 10 |
| 5-8 Yrs | 15 |
| 8 & Above yrs | 20 |
| Education | |
| A recognised standard Doctorate | 20 |
| A recognised standard Bachelor degree. | 15 |
| A diploma or trade qualification. | 10 |
| Attained a qualification or award recognised by the relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation as being suitable for that occupation | 10 |
| Australian Study | 5 |
| Professional Year | 5 |
| Community Language National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) | 5 |
| Study in Regional Australia (minimum 92 weeks of registered study) | 5 |
| Partner Skills | |
| Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and meet age, English and skill criteria. | 5 |
| were under 45 years old | |
| had minimum IELTS score of 6 each. | |
| had nominated a skilled occupation that is on the same skilled occupation list as your nominated skilled occupation | |
| had a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated | |
| Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and has minimum IELTS score of 6 each. | |
| You are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident | |
| 5 | |
| 10 |
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
The Skilled Work Regional visa, also known as visa subclass 491, allows the main applicant and members of their family unit to stay in a designated regional area of Australia while they work and study. In order to meet the requirements of this visa, you must be nominated to apply by an Australian state or territory government agency or be sponsored by an eligible relative. The subclass 491 visa is a replacement for the subclass 489 visa. From 16 November 2019, no new application were accepted under subclass 489.
In addition, visa subclass 491 applicants must have a designated occupation on the skilled occupation list and have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation in question. Along with being invited to apply and meeting the occupation requirements, applicants must also satisfy the Skill Select points test.
Visa Benefits & Duration
With this visa, you can stay in Australia for 5 years and travel to and from the country as many times as you wish during this period. You are only allowed to live, work, and study in a designated region of the country. While family members can be included in the visa, they can only stay until the visa held by the main visa holder expires. The Skilled Work Regional visa cannot be extended, although eligible applicants can apply for the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191).
In Addition to the above points for Subclass 189 , the subclass 190 applicant can gain extra points if invited to apply for subclass 190 can claim extra 10 points for state Nomination
| You were invited to apply for a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) because you were nominated and the nominating State or Territory government agency has not withdrawn that nomination or You are being sponsored for a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) by a family member and the Minister has accepted that sponsorship | 15 |
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
Visa Subclass 190, also known as the Skilled Nominated Visa, is for skilled workers who want to live and work in Australia. It is a permanent visa that lets you stay in Australia indefinitely.
The main applicant for the visa must:
- Have an occupation on the relevant skilled list
- Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation in question
- Be invited to apply for the visa
- Satisfy a points test
Visa Benefits & Duration
Visa Subclass 190 is a permanent visa for skilled workers who have been invited to live and work in Australia. It has a travel component that expires five years after the visa is granted. Successful applicants become permanent residents the day the visa is granted. Applicants who attain Visa Subclass 190 can live, work and study in Australia for the duration of the visa. They can also travel to and from the country for five years, enrol in the Medicare public healthcare system and sponsor relatives to join them in Australia.
If eligible, there is an opportunity for applicants to become Australian citizens. For citizenship purposes, permanent residency starts either on the day the visa is granted (for someone in Australia) or on the day the visa holder enters Australia (for someone outside Australia). Like many other visa classes, Visa Subclass 190 holders may have to wait for a period of time before they can access some Australian Government payments and benefits.
Points table
In Addition to the above points for Subclass 189 , the subclass 190 applicant can gain extra points if invited to apply for subclass 190 can claim extra 10 points for state Nomination
| You were invited to apply for a Subclass 190 (Skilled — Nominated) visa and the nominating State or Territory government agency has not withdrawn the nomination | 10 |