Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) (Point-tested) Stream

This visa is suitable for people who are well qualified with work experience in their field. It aims to meet Australia’s skills shortages and gives successful applicants permanent residence. This visa is appropriate for applicants who have a university qualification or trade qualifications.

The Skilled Independent visa subclass 189 is a permanent residence visa for skilled workers who want to work and live in Australia, in an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).

Visa applicants can be in or outside of Australia upon application, and when the visa is granted. This visa is only open to applicants upon receiving an invitation by the Department of Home Affairs once an Expression of Interest has been lodged.

This Skilled visa stream is for Points-tested skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer or family member or nominated by a state or territory government.

It allows you to live and work in Australia as a permanent resident. For the Skilled Independent (Pointed-tested) stream, you need to submit an expression of interest. If you are a New Zealand citizen, you may also be eligible to apply for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) (New Zealand) stream.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Skilled Independent visa subclass 189, you must:

• Have a relevant occupation

• Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation

• Meet the points test pass mark of 60 points

• Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation

• Have Competent English

• Be invited by the government to apply

• Meet the health and character requirements

Points are awarded in the following categories:

• Age

• English language ability

• Previous Australian and overseas skilled work experience

• International qualifications

• Australian study requirements and awards

• Credentialed community language qualifications

• Regional Australian Study

• Spouse Skill qualifications

• Professional year in Australia

This permanent visa allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely; work and study in Australia; enroll in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health-related care and expenses; sponsor an eligible relative for permanent residence; travel to and from Australia for five years; and apply for Australian Citizenship, if eligible.

Sponsored Skilled Visa

This visa allows skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian state or territory government to live and work in Australia as permanent residents. This sponsored skilled visa allows skilled workers who do not meet the point test for the Skilled – Independent Visa to apply for permanent residency through state and territory nomination. The permanent sponsored skilled visa category is assessed against the applicant’s skills and requires a nomination from a state or territory.

Eligibility

• Meet the points test pass of 60 points

• Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation

• Have Competent English

• Be invited by the Department of Home Affairs to apply

• Meet the health and character requirements

To be eligible for this via, you must:

• Have a relevant occupation

• Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation

Points are awarded in the following categories:

• Age

• English

• Australia and Overseas Work Experience

• Australia study

• Qualifications

• Community Language

• Regional Australian Study

• Spouse Skills

• State Sponsorship Points

• Professional Year

This visa allows you to stay in Australia indefinitely; work and study in Australia; enrol in Medicare, Australia’s scheme for health–related care and expenses; sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence; travel to and from Australia for five years; and apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

Post-Study or Graduate Visa

Temporary Graduate Visa allows international students who have recently gradated from an Australian education institution to live, work and study in Australia temporarily after completing their studies.
Students are to access the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) once as a primary applicant.

This visa has two streams:

1. Graduate Work Stream

The Graduate Work stream of the Temporary Graduate visa is for international students who have recently graduated with skills and qualifications that relate to an occupation identified as being in need in the medium to long term in the Australian labour market.

2. Post-Study Work Stream

The Post-Study Work stream is for international students who have recently graduated with an eligible qualification from an Australian educational institution, regardless of their field of study.
If you are applying as the main applicant, you and any dependent person by the application must be in Australia when you apply for this visa and when your visa is decided.

This visa allows you and your family to stay in Australia temporarily after you have finished your studies. While in Australia, you can:

• Travel

• Work

• Study

Eligibility

To be eligible for this visa, you must meet the following:

• Be under 50 years of age

• Hold an eligible visa

• Have recently qualified in a CRICOS-registered course

• Meet additional requirements of the relevant stream

• Meet the health and character requirements

• Have Australian health insurance such as Medicare

The qualification must either:

• Relate to an occupation on the skilled occupation list (Graduate Work Stream)

• Be a higher education degree (Post-Study Work stream)

It is imperative to note that it if your responsibility to seek your own employment. The Australian government is not responsible for arranging employment.

Regional Skilled Visa

The Skilled Regional visa is a temporary visa that provides three pathways for skilled workers who want to work and live in regional or low population growth metropolitan areas of Australia for up to four years.

There are three pathways to this visa:

1. The extended stay pathway

2. The invited pathway

3. The Subsequent entry pathway

This visa might lead to the permanent skilled regional visa (subclass 887)

Eligibility

• To be eligible for this visa category, you must:

• Hold a subclass 475, 487, 495 or 496 visa (Extended Stay pathway)

• Be nominated by a state or territory government agency or be sponsored by an eligible relative (invited pathway)

• Be invited to apply (invited Pathway)

• Have a relevant occupation

• Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation

• Meet the points test pass mark of 60 points

• Be under 45 years of age at the time of invitation

• Have Competent English

Points are awarded in the following categories:

• Age

• English Language

• Australian Overseas Work Experience

• Australian Study

• Qualifications

• Community Language

• Regional Australian Study

• Spouse Skills

• State or Family Sponsorship

• Professional Year