Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa

The Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa is a permanent General Skilled Migration visa which does not require sponsorship by a State/Territory Government or relative in Australia.

SkillSelect Only Application

In order to apply for a Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa, you must first lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and be invited by the Department of Immigration to apply.

Once you are invited to apply for a skilled visa, you must lodge your application within 60 days, otherwise the invitation lapses. Accordingly, it is very important that you have all required documentation prepared to lodge as soon as possible after receiving the invitation.

Visa Criteria

·         In order to qualify for a Subclass 189 visa, you would need to:

·         Lodge an EOI and be invited to apply

·         Meet the pass mark in the skilled migration points test – currently 65

·         Be aged between 18 and 44 inclusive

·         Pass Skills Assessment in an occupation on the Occupations List for Skilled Independent visas

·         Have Competent English or higher

·         Meet health and character requirements

·         This option does not require sponsorship by a relative or State/Territory Government.

Apply in Australia or Overseas?

You can either be in Australia or overseas when you apply for a Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa. In order to lodge from within Australia, you would need to hold a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C visa. Once you apply from within Australia, you would receive a bridging visa allowing you to remain in Australia during processing of your visa application.

Including Family Members

You can include the following types of family members in your application:

Spouses, defacto partners and same-sex partners

Dependent children

Duration and Conditions

The visa is a permanent visa, allowing applicants to remain in Australia indefinitely with full work rights.

If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, you and your family members will need to enter Australia for the first time prior to expiry of your health and police clearances.

Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 Visa

The Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 visa is a permanent General Skilled Migration visa which requires nomination by a State or Territory Government.

SkillSelect Only Application

In order to apply for a Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 visa, you must first lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and be invited by the Department of Immigration to apply.

Once you are invited to apply for a skilled visa, you must lodge your application within 60 days, otherwise the invitation lapses. Accordingly, it is very important that you have all required documentation prepared to lodge as soon as possible after receiving the invitation.

Visa Criteria

In order to qualify for a Subclass 190 visa, you would need to:

Lodge an EOI and be invited to apply

Be nominated by a State or Territory Government

Meet the pass mark in the skilled migration points test – currently 65.

Be aged between 18 and 44 inclusive

Pass Skills Assessment in an occupation on the State/Territory Nominated Occupations List

Have Competent English or higher

Meet health and character requirements

Nomination by a State or Territory Government

Each State and Territory Government publishes a list of occupations in short supply in their area. There may be specific requirements in terms of work experience, English language ability or specialised skills.

Apply in Australia or Overseas?

You can either be in Australia or overseas when you apply for a Subclass 190 Visa. In order to lodge from within Australia, you would need to hold a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C visa. Once you apply from within Australia, you would receive a bridging visa allowing you to remain in Australia during processing of your visa application.

Including Family Members

You can include the following types of family members in your application:

Spouse or defacto partner (including same-sex spouse/partner)

Dependent children

It is possible to include partners and dependent children after lodgement of the application.

Duration and Conditions

The visa is a permanent visa, allowing applicants to remain in Australia indefinitely with full work rights. You would generally be expected to reside for 2 years in the State or Territory which nominated you for the visa.

If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, you and your family members will need to enter Australia for the first time prior to expiry of your health and police clearances.

Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa

The Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa is a provisional General Skilled Migration visa which requires holders to live, work, and study in a regional area of Australia. Once certain residence requirements have been met, holders can apply for a permanent Regional visa.

Visa Criteria

In order to qualify for a Subclass 491 visa, you would need to:

Be aged between 18 and 44 inclusive

Have Competent English or higher, and their dependent family members over 18 years of age have at least Functional English

Obtain a positive skill assessment in an occupation on the relevant Skilled occupation list

For family sponsored applicants, this is the Medium-Long Term Skills Shortage List (MLTSSL)

For State/Territory nominated applicants, this is the MLTSSL, the Short-Term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) and the Regional Occupation List (ROL) and a State/Territory Occupations List

Meet the pass mark in the skilled migration points test – currently 65.

Lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the SkillSelect system, and be invited to apply

Be nominated by a State or Territory Government, or have sponsorship from an eligible family member

Meet health and character requirements

Once you are invited to apply for a skilled visa, you must lodge your application within 60 days, otherwise the invitation lapses. Accordingly, it is very important that you have all required documentation prepared to lodge as soon as possible after receiving the invitation.

Nomination by a State or Territory Government

Each State and Territory Government publishes a list of occupations in short supply in their area. There may be specific requirements in terms of work experience, English language ability, or specialised skills which differ to the requirements for the Department of Immigration. It is very important to check the State/Territory requirements before commencing with an application.

Sponsorship from an Eligible Family Member

Applicants through the family sponsored pathway can only nominate occupations on the MLTSSL. The sponsor must be usually resident in a designated regional area of Australia, and be:

At least 18 years of age

An Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or an eligible New Zealand citizen

An eligible relative; including parents, children, siblings, aunt/uncle, nephew/niece, grandparent, or first cousin

Where can I be when I apply?

You can either be in Australia or overseas when you apply for a Subclass 491 Visa.

In order to lodge from within Australia (i.e. onshore), you would need to hold a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C visa. Upon lodging an onshore application, you would automatically receive a bridging visa allowing you to remain in Australia during processing of your visa application.

Including Family Members

You can include the following types of family members in your application:

Spouse or de facto partner (including same-sex relationships)

Dependent children

It is possible to include partners and dependent children to a submitted application if for some reason they cannot be included at the time of lodgement.

Duration and Conditions

The visa is a provisional (temporary residence) visa, allowing applicants to remain in Australia for up to 5 years from the date of grant. Visa holders will have access to Medicare, as well as full work rights.

The Subclass 491 visa is subject to a condition requiring all visa holders to live, work, and study in regionalAustralia. Applicants through the State/Territory nominated stream would also be expected to reside in the State or Territory which nominated them for the visa.

If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, you and your family members will need to enter Australia for the first time prior to expiry of your health and police clearances.

Conversion to Permanent Residency

It is possible to apply for a permanent Subclass 191 Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa after living and working in a regional area for at least 3 years. Applicants must meet certain income requirements, and be able to prove their residence in regional Australia for the 3-year period.

Applicants should also note that there are restrictions on applying for other permanent visas, such as the 189, 190, or 820 Partner visa until they have held the 494 for the three year period.

Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 Visas

The Temporary Graduate subclass 485 visa is a work visa for international students who have completed 2 years of study in Australia.

It is a good way to extend your stay in Australia to improve your chances of becoming eligible for a permanent or provisional skilled visa.

Eligibility Streams

There are two eligibility streams for the Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 Visa:

Post Study Work Stream: commonly referred to as the Post Study Work Visa (PSWV). This eligibility stream was introduced in March 2013 for students applying for their first student visa after 5 November 2011

The Graduate Work Stream: criteria are similar to the 485 Graduate Skilled visa as it was prior to March 2013

Common Criteria

There are a number of criteria which are common to both the PSWV (Post Study Work) stream and the Graduate Work Stream:

Age

The main applicant must be under 50 at the date of lodgement.

English:

The main applicant must demonstrate their English language ability, either through holding certain types of passport or by undertaking an English test.

Evidence of threshold English must be provided at date of lodgement

Study in Australia:

You must meet the 2 year study requirement and have completed qualifications within six months of applying for the visa.

Points Test:

The Temporary Graduate subclass 485 visa is not points-tested.

Apply in Australia or Overseas?

The primary applicant must be in Australia when they make their application for a 485 visa, and must have held an eligible student visa within the 6 month period prior to lodgement.

Including Family Members

You can include the following types of family members in your application:

Spouses, defacto partners and same-sex partners

Dependent children

If you already hold a 485 visa, you can apply for family members to join you in Australia on 485 visas.

485 – Graduate Work Stream

The Graduate Work stream of the 485 subclass visa is an temporary visa available to international students who complete studies in Australia taking 2 academic years or more.

It is a great option for students who would like to extend their stay in Australia after their studies. It also helps those who are seeking to stay in Australia permanently – either through General Skilled Migration or employer sponsorship.

485 – PSWV – Post Study Work Stream

The Post Study Work stream of the 485 subclass visa or PSWV is a temporary work visa. Students need to complete studies at the Bachelor, Masters or Doctorate level which take at least 2 academic years.

It is a great option for students who would like to extend their stay in Australia after their studies. It also helps those who are seeking to stay in Australia permanently – either through General Skilled Migration or employer sponsorship.

Skilled Recognised Graduate Subclass 476 Visas

The Skilled – Recognised Graduate subclass 476 visa is an 18-month work visa for recent engineering graduates.

It is a good way to work in Australia to improve your chances of becoming eligible for a permanent or provisional skilled visa.

Criteria

The main criteria are as follows

Age

The main applicant must be under 31 at the date of lodgement.

English

You must provide evidence of your English language ability at date of lodgement by showing one of the following:

Hold a passport from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada or New Zealand; or

IELTS (Academic or General Training): overall average of 6 and at least 5 in each band; or

Occupational English Test (OET): B Pass in each band; or

Pearson (PTE Academic): overall average of 50 with at least 36 in each band; or

TOEFL iBT (Internet Based Test): total score of 64, with at least 4 in Listening and Reading, and at least 14 in Writing and Speaking; or

Cambridge (CAE): 169 overall average with at least 154 in each band.

Qualifications

You must have completed a qualification at most 2 years prior to lodgement. The qualification must be:

In the engineering field

At the bachelor level or higher

Completed at an institution which offers courses accredited through the Washington Accord, or an institution specified by Immigration.

Points Test

The Recognised Graduate subclass 476 visa is not points-tested.

Apply in Australia or Overseas?

Unless the main applicant is an NZ citizen, all applicants must be outside Australia when the visa application is granted.

You can be in Australia when the application is lodged, but must depart Australia for visa grant.

As a result, no bridging visa is issued in general.

Including Family Members

You can include the following types of family members in your application:

Spouses, defacto partners and same-sex partners

Dependent children

If you already hold a 476 visa, you can apply for family members to join you in Australia on 485 visas.

Duration and Conditions

Valid for 18 months from the date of first entry to Australia.

You must maintain private health insurance whilst on a recognised graduate visa.

Skilled Regional (Provisional) Subclass 489 Visa

The Skilled Regional (Provisional) Subclass 489 visa closed to new applicants on 11 September 2019, and will be replaced by the new will be replaced by the new Subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional visa.

Skilled Regional 887 Visas

The Skilled Regional visa – 887 is the second stage visa giving permanent residence to holders of Skilled Regional Provisional visas such as:

·         Skilled Regional (Provisional) Subclass 489

·         Skilled Regional Sponsored Subclasses 475 and 487

·         Skilled Designated Area Sponsored Subclass 496

·         Skilled Independent Regional Subclass 495

It does not require sponsorship by an Australian relative or nomination by a state or territory government.

Visa Criteria

The main criteria for this visa are as follows:

Residence in a Regional Area

You have been in Australia holding a provisional skilled visa for the last 2 years. During this time, you must have lived in a regional or low population growth area of Australia (if sponsored by a State or Territory Government) or a Designated Area if sponsored by an Australian relative.

Work Experience

You have worked for at least 12 months in Australia – this experience need not be in a skilled occupation, but must be full time (at least 35 hours per week) and must be in a regional area.

Duration and Conditions

Results in the grant of a permanent visa with full work and study rights in Australia. Travel facility is valid for 5 years.

SKILLED MIGRATION CRITERIA

Applicants for skilled migration need to meet strict threshold criteria. Note that these must be met at time of invitation – hence it is important to only lodge an Expression of Interest once all criteria have been met.

These criteria include:

Age

You must be aged between 18 and 44 at the time of invitation.

English Language Ability

Most applicants will need to undertake an English language test. Native English speakers have the option of not taking the test, but must do so to obtain points for English.

Skills Assessment

All applicants need to undergo skills assessment in an occupation on the approved list for your application type. Criteria for skills assessment vary by occupation and there are a large number of skills assessing authorities. In most cases, the skills assessment will be based on the applicant’s qualifications and work experience, though in some cases English language ability and registration in Australia is required.

Points Test

Applicants must meet the pass mark in the general skilled migration points test to be eligible.

SkillSelect

All applicants need to go through the SkillSelect system prior to lodging their visa application – this involves first making an Expression of Interest (EOI) and receiving an invitation from the Department of Immigration to apply.