Migration Agent Sydney – Move Migration

A Basic Overview of Skilled Migration to Australia

Relocating to a foreign country is a huge decision to make, and there’s a lot to consider. And that’s especially true of skilled migration to Australia. Which visa? How to apply? What information is needed? There are a number of steps involved in the process, so it helps to have a solid understanding of how the skilled migration scheme works before jumping in. Here’s an overview of the basics.

Skills are valued
Potential migrants with skills that can benefit the Australian economy are prioritised for visas. What those skills are depends on the skills shortages in the Australian job market, and on the occupations needed for Australia’s long-term growth.

Skilled workers are highly valued. In fact, according to the Australian Government, skilled migrants are expected to make up 68% of the total number of migrants to Australia in 2014/15.

This is good news for skilled workers looking to migrate to Australia, but there’s still the problem of qualifying for a skilled visa. This is where the SkillSelect system comes in.

Expressions of Interest
Before submitting a visa application, applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect.

  • Personal information
  • Occupation and work experience
  • Education
  • English language ability
  • Qualifications

It is essential that all information is truthful, accurate and able to be
supported by appropriate documents.

The more detailed and targeted the information in the EOI, the better your chances of proceeding to the next stage. A skilled migration agent in
Australia can help you create a compelling EOI.

Once the EOI is submitted, state and territory governments can search the EOI register. They can nominate people with desirable skills to be invited to lodge a visa application. This is known as a State Nomination Visa (subclass 190). Private employers and the Australian Government can also invite people to lodge visa applications.

Invitations to apply for visas are held monthly and the Australian
Government publicises how many invitations it expects to issue.

An EOI is valid for two years. Applicants are encouraged to update them as necessary. If an applicant is twice invited to apply for a visa and twice fails to lodge the application, the EOI is removed from SkillSelect. The EOI is also removed from SkillSelect once a visa application is made.

Visa applications must be made within 60 days of the invitation being issued.

SkillSelect
Anyone applying for a skilled visa must apply via SkillSelect.

SkillSelect has a points test that applicants must satisfy. The points test will provide a ranking for the applicant. The minimum points requirement must be met for a visa application to proceed, even if the applicant has been nominated or invited to apply.

SkillSelect also allows applicants to nominate whether they are willing to be located in a regional area, and if they are, their application will be put forward for regional sponsorship. The main use of the SkillSelect system however, is with State Sponsorship. The various Australian States are able to select who they would like to sponsor from the SkillSelect database.

Occupation ceilings
The Australian Government imposes occupation ceilings on invitations to apply for visas. These ceilings limit the numbers of invitations issued to applicants of particular occupations. The aim of the ceilings is to avoid a small number of occupations snaring the greatest portion of invitations.

As well as publishing the overall number of invitations currently issued, the government also publishes the ceiling numbers for each occupation.

Although the SkillSelect system aims to make the process of applying for a skilled worker visa more efficient, the visa process can still be complex. Using a migration agent in Australia can help. If you need assistance, Move Migration can help you navigate the requirements, and put forward the best possible application.

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