Australia's General Skilled Migration
Online, September 16, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Skills shortage is a major economic consideration for Australia. It is estimated that NSW will need over 300,000 trade or diploma qualified workers by the year 2015 to avoid economic crisis. Australia has been granting thousands of skilled visas to eligible applicants and judging from the recent forecasts, it doesn't look like the trend will change anytime soon.
To qualify for skilled migration to Australia, visa applicants must earn enough points based on age, work experience, trade or occupation, education, English competency and other considerations including presence of close relatives in Australia and previous work or study in Australia. Additional points may be earned if you will be sponsored by a state that has need for the skills you possess.
Many visa subclasses fall under the General Skilled Migration Program (GSM). Understanding each of the subclasses takes considerable time and effort. We at Globe Migration Australia are here to make sense of it all for you. Our objective is to help you avoid the usual mistakes made by independent visa applicants that result to the lodging of incomplete applications or worse, denied applications.
Is Skilled Migration for You?
You will qualify under the General Skilled Migration Program (GSM) if you are a professional or a skilled worker who satisfies the following conditions:
1. You have particular skills for required occupations in Australia.
2. You do not have employer sponsorship.
If you meet the above qualification requirements, you must then decide if you will apply as either of the following:
* Skilled-Independent
* Skilled-Sponsored
Assessing your eligibility for a skilled visa to Australia is a long and complicated process. You can visit the Australian government's immigration website to complete an Online Self-Assessment. It will help you understand better the kinds of information that will be required should you decide to proceed with your Australian visa application. If you need to discuss the results of your Online Self-Assessment pls. consult a migration in Australia lawyer. A licensed migration agent will be glad to assist you further.
Skilled Migration Visa Options
The requirements and obligations vary depending on the particular visa option. You may seem eligible for a number of them so it is best to read carefully through each of them and decide which Australian visa option best fits your personal circumstances.
Visa Options If You Are in Australia
1. Skilled-Independent Visa (Subclass 885) - to qualify for this visa you must be under 50 years old; competent in the English language; have skills for an occupation in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and be one of the following:
* Current or former overseas student
* holder of a subclass 485 visa or subclass 476 visa
* holder of a subclass 471 visa.
Under Visa subclass 885, you and any secondary applicants will be allowed to remain in Australia as permanent residents.
2. Skilled-Sponsored Visa (Subclass 886) - to qualify for this visa, you must be under 50 years old; competent in the English language; have skills for an occupation in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL); have an eligible relative in Australia who is willing to sponsor you OR nominated by a participating state or territory government agency; and be one of the following:
* Current or former overseas student
* holder of a subclass 485 visa or subclass 476 visa
* holder of a subclass 471 visa.
Under Visa subclass 886, you and any secondary applicants will be allowed to remain in Australia as permanent residents.
3. Skilled-Regional Visa (Subclass 887) - to qualify for this visa you must have lived in a Specified Regional Area for 24 months at least and worked full time in that same area for a minimum of 12 months; and you must be a holder of any of the following:
* Skilled - Designated Area - Sponsored visa (subclass 496)
* Skilled - Independent Regional visa (subclass 495)
* Skilled - Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 487)
* Skilled - Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 475)
Under this visa, you and any secondary applicants will be allowed to remain in Australia as permanent residents.
4. Skilled - Regional Sponsored Visa (Subclass 487) - to qualify for this visa you should either have a nomination from a participating state or territory government agency or be sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area of Australia; you must be under 50 years old; competent in the English language; have skills for an occupation in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL); and you should be any of the following:
* Current or former overseas student
* holder of a Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa (subclass 476) or a visa (subclass 485)
* holder of an Occupational Trainee visa (subclass 442).
* holder of a Trade Skills Training visa (subclass 471)
* holder of a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417)
Under this visa:
* You can live and work in a Specified Regional Area for up to 3 years
* Your secondary applicants are allowed to work and study, but only in the same Specified Regional Area
* You may be able to apply for permanent residency in Australia.
5. Skilled - Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) - to qualify for this visa you must be under 50 years old; have earned an eligible qualification in the last 6 months after at least 24 months of study in Australia and have skills for an occupation in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). Under this visa you and secondary applicants included in your application can remain in Australia for up to 18 months with no restrictions on work or study.
Visa Options for Transitional Applicants
On February 8, 2010 the Australian Government announced some transitional arrangements for student visa holders or former student visa holders. These arrangements will remain in place until December 31, 2012.
You are eligible for transitional arrangements if:
* You are a holder of a Skilled - Graduate (Subclass 485) visa on February 8, 2010
OR
* You have applied for a Skilled - Graduate (Subclass 485) visa on or before February 8, 2010 but your application had not been decided on.
If you are an eligible applicant, you may use the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) that was in effect on February 8, 2010 to apply for any of the following visas:
* Subclass 886 Skilled - Sponsored
* Subclass 487 Skilled Regional - Sponsored
* Subclass 885 Skilled - Independent
Visa Options If You Are Outside Australia
If you are planning to migrate to Australia under any of the following visa options, it will be best if you will be assisted by a registered and experienced migration agent. Being overseas, you may not have fast and easy access to the information that you will need in order to put together a comprehensive personal information package to accompany your application. Globe Migration Australia will walk you and your secondary applicants through each step in the process, ensuring that you don't miss anything that may be critical to your chances of success.
1. Skilled - Independent Visa (Subclass 175) - to qualify for this visa you must be under 50 years old; competent in the English language and have skills for an occupation in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).
Under this visa, you and any secondary applicants included in your application will be allowed to remain in Australia as permanent residents.
2. Skilled - Sponsored Visa (Subclass 176) - to qualify for his visa you must be under 50 years old; competent in the English language; have skills for an occupation in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL); have an eligible relative in Australia who is willing to sponsor you or a nomination from a participating State or Territory government agency.
Under this visa, you and any secondary applicants included in your application will be allowed to remain in Australia as permanent residents.
3. Skilled - Regional Sponsored Visa (Subclass 475) - to qualify for this visa you must have skills for an occupation in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) or be a New Zealand citizen who holds a Special Category visa (subclass 444). You should also be either of the following:
* Nominated by a participating state or territory government agency
* Sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area of Australia
Under this visa you will be allowed to remain in Australia for 3 years and be required to live and work in a Specified Regional Area. Secondary applicants included in your application can also work and study, but only in a Specified Regional Area. This visa will give you a chance of permanent residency in Australia.
4. Skilled-Recognised Graduate Visa (Subclass 476) - to qualify for this visa, you must be a recent graduate of a recognised overseas university and have skills in demand in Australia. There is no points test for this visa but you must meet other requirements.
Under this visa, you and secondary applicants included in your Australian visa application can remain in Australia for 18 months and be allowed to work and study without any restrictions.
Visa Options If You Are a New Zealand Citizen
If you are a citizen of New Zealand, you should apply for an offshore General Skilled Migration visa, whether or not you are in Australia. Following are the Australian visa classes you may choose from:
1. Skilled - Recognised Graduate Visa (Subclass 476)
2. Skilled - Regional Sponsored Visa (Subclass 475)
3. Skilled - Sponsored Visa (Subclass 176)
4. Skilled - Independent Visa (Subclass 175)
You have to do skills assessment before applying for General Skilled Migration. It doesn't matter whether you obtained registration in your nominated occupation in Australia. The assessing body must provide the skills assessment for your nominated skilled occupation.
If you hold a Special Category Visa (subclass 444), you and your secondary applicants may obtain an offshore General Skilled Migration visa even whilst in Australia.
Visa Options for Holders of Visa Subclass 495
If you have been living and working in Australia for 24 months on a provisional visa subclass 495 and if you are sponsored under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme, you have several permanent visa options.
1. Skilled - Regional visa (subclass 887) - this visa allows you and secondary applicants included in your application to live as permanent residents in Australia.
2. Skilled - Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 487) - this visa is your next step after subclass 495 if you need more time to comply with all the residency and employment requirements of a permanent visa. It will extend your provisional visa for another 12 months.
If you are a qualified holder of subclass visa 495 you can have your partner, dependent children and other dependent relatives apply for the same using
Form 47SK, even if they were not included in your original application.
Visa Options for Holders of Visa Subclass 496
If you have been living and working in the same designated area as your sponsor for 24 months (and working for 12 months) on a provisional visa subclass 496 and if you are sponsored under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme, you have several permanent visa options.
1. Skilled - Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 487)
2. Skilled - Regional visa (subclass 887)
If you are a qualified holder of subclass visa 495 you can have your partner, dependent children and other dependent relatives apply for the same using
Form 47ST, even if they were not included in your original application. They have to be sponsored by the same eligible Australian relative who sponsored you.
Working in Australia could be your way to gain entry and possible permanent residency in Australia. If you successfully comply with all requirements of skilled visa, you may be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship. The key is to weigh your options carefully and choose the best Australian visa category under which you should apply. Globe Migration Australia and our team of seasoned migration agents are here to be of assistance to you. Please contact us and we will lead the way towards the fulfillment of your dream of a new life in Australia.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7013586