Skilled Visa

Independent migrants

Independent migrants are selected on the basis of their education, skills and work experience, and their potential to contribute quickly to the Australian economy. They are not sponsored by an employer or relative in Australia. This group forms the largest contingent of skilled migrants each year.

Skilled - Australian sponsored

Skilled - Australian Sponsored category migrants are selected on the basis of their skills, age, English-language ability and family relationship. They must be sponsored by a relative already living in Australia.

Employer nomination

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) allows Australian employers to recruit, on a permanent basis, 'highly skilled' positions with non-Australian citizens, where they have been unable to fill a vacancy from the Australian labour market or through their own training programs.

These visas are available for those who have:

• professional backgrounds
• semi-professional backgrounds
• trade backgrounds

The applicant's occupation must be listed on the Occupations for Migration List and their qualifications must be assessed by the relevant body as being equivalent to the Australian entry requirements for the occupation

The visas are available in two main categories:

• Skilled Independent
• Skilled Australian Linked

The Skilled Australia Linked is for those who have family relatives in Australia who wish to sponsor them for entry.

Both visas are subject to a points test in which points are awarded for Skills, Age, English Language Ability and Specific Work experience in their occupation.

Skilled Regional Visas

The Skilled–Independent Regional (Provisional) (SIR) visa is for skilled people who wish to live and work in a regional or low population growth area in Australia.

The visa was developed in consultation with state and territory governments and is designed to assist regional areas attract, and retain, skilled migrants to fill skill shortages, boost development in regional communities, and counter the population decline in rural areas.

The SIR (Provisional) visa is a temporary visa valid for a period of 3 years.

See more information on the next page...