Permanent and Provisional Australian Visas Based on the Points System

All applications for General Skilled Migration will be considered against a points test. In an effort to simplify the visa structure the number of skilled visas have been reduced from 15 – 9 subclasses.

Offshore:

The following pass marks apply:

Applicants will be awarded points for 12 different criteria.

Applicants are required to undertake a skills assessment with the relevant assessing authority of their occupation PRIOR to lodging their visa application with the  Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)

There are NO points awarded for different ccupations. Applicants are required to select an occupation from the current Skilled Occupation List (SOL). An applicant must ensure that they are able to score 65 points prior to entering into a skills assessment.

What is a Skills Assessment?

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Age:

Applicants will be awarded points based on their age which is “frozen” at the time of lodging an application. The main applicant must be under 49 years old at the time of lodgement. There are 0 points awarded between the ages of 45 - 49 so applicants will need to accrue their 65 points from other categories in the point test.

When considering a visa application and the applicant’s age is about to fall into a higher age bracket thereby losing 5 points, they should take into account the time that the assessing authority may take in assessing their Skills assessment application.

While most accommodate and will provide an expedited skills assessment if there is a realistic age change, it is best not to rely on this.
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Australian Work Experience in Nominated Occupation or a closely related occupation

   Five years Australian (of past 7 years)                                                                       15 Points

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English Language:

Applicants with passports from countries where English is the first language such as UK, Ireland, Canada, USA and NZ do not have to sit for an IELTS test except where they wish to score 10 points for Proficient English or 20 Points for Superior English.

All applicants who are NOT from the UK, Ireland, Canada, USA and NZ will need to sit for an IELTS test prior to lodging their visa applications and the results of their IELTS test must be lodged with their visa applications. These results cannot be less then 6/9 in all 4 bands of the test eventhough they score 0 points for English.

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Overseas Work Experience in nominated occupation or a closely related occupation

  Eight years overseas (of past 10 years)                                                                     15 Points

 
To be eligible for work experience points applicants must have been in paid employment and be able to demonstrate this in various ways, such as employment references, salary slips and tax returns.

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Qualifications (Australian or recognised overseas) 

To meet the two year study requirement, applicants will have to complete one or more degrees, diplomas or trade qualifications for award by an Australian educational institute as a result of a course or courses:

• Registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS);
  
• Completed as a result of at least two academic years’ study (fully equivalent) or completed in a total of no less then 16 calendar months that the applicant studied in Australia, while holding a visa that allowed study for which all instruction was conducted in English.
  
• Course duration will be calculated from the date classes begin to the date all academic requirements have been met for that qualification.
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Professional Year

In certain occupations, students can undertake a Professional year of study which is offered by certain occupations groups, such as accountancy. This year is intended to equip the applicant with a higher level of skills to enter the work-force in Australia. - 5 points

Partner Skills:
Applicant’s spouse, de – facto spouse, or interdependent (gay) partner;

• is not an Australian citizen or permanent resident;            5 points
  
• is an applicant for the visa;
  
• meets the threshold criteria for General Skilled Migration

The applicant’s partner will need to be under 49 years old, have a skills assessment in their nominated occupation and meet the English language threshold and work experience

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Designated Language: - 5 points 
              
Accredited as a professional interpreter (level 3) by NAATI in a community language.

NAATI is the National accreditation Authority of Translators and Interpreters

Although an applicant may be extremely fluent in a community language from their upbringing and school and university education unless they pass the required NAATI test they will not be awarded these points. DIAC lists all the community languages on the programme.
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Study in Regional Australia:
Met the two year study requirement while living                         5 points
and studying in Regional Australia.

Department of Immigration and Citizenship have a list of the educational institutions considered regional.
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Relative Sponsorship - only in regional Australia. This applies only for subclass 475 and 487 visas. 10 points are awarded for this category.

A sponsor for a permanent Skilled – Sponsored visa(subclass 475 or 487) must be at least 18 years of age and be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen who usually resides in Australia.

An eligible Australian relative must be related to you, your spouse or interdependent partner as one of the following:

• non - dependent child (including an adopted or step sibling)
  
• parent (including an adoptive or step parent)
  
• sibling (including an adopted or step sibling)
  
• niece/nephew (including an adopted or step child)
  
• aunt or uncle (including an adopted or step aunt or uncle)

 Regional Area includes the whole of Victoria (including Melbourne) South Australia (including Adelaide), Gold Coast, Northern Territory (including Darwin), Tasmania (including Hobart) and many other smaller towns in Regional Australia

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State/Territory Nomination (Sponsorship):
Applicants who have been nominated by a State /Territory government and apply for a:

• Skilled Sponsored - Permanent Residence Visa, subclass 176 and 886 -> 5 points
  
• Skilled – Regional Sponsored – Provisional Residence (3 year) Visa , subclass 487, 475 and 886 - 10 points

Each State/Territory has its own criteria for sponsorship. An application has to be made to the state in which the applicant intends settling once the visa is approved.

The difference between the Skilled Sponsored Permanent Residence and Skilled Regional Sponsored Provisional Residence visas are the following:

• Skilled Sponsored – Permanent Residence – the applicant has been nominated by the state/territory as they have a Specific Skill required in that state as listed on that state/territory Skill Shortage List. Each state/territory have their own skill shortage list;
  
• Skilled – Regional Sponsored – Provisional Residence - the applicant has been sponsored by a State/Territory and their skill is on the State/Territory Skills List. This list may be different list then the list for the Skills Shortage List for Permanent Residence. Each State/Territory have their own Skill Occupation List for Regional Sponsorship. The visa is issued for three years and the applicant is required to live in the sponsoring state/territory for at least 2 out of the 3 years and work in any position (does not have to be in their usual occupation) for at least 35 hours a week for 12 months out of the 3 years. They are then eligible to apply for Permanent Residence.

Contact us if you have any questions about General Skilled Migration.