Visa subclasses for professional immigration to Australia
• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
• Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
• Skilled Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489)
• Skilled Recognised Graduate visa (subclass 476) (Temporary 18 months)
• Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887)
• Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) (Temporary 18-48 months)
• Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 124)
PRIMARY REQUIREMENTS
The program of professional immigration to Australia is specifically designed to select immigrants who have the qualifications and work experiences that will contribute to the Australian economy. To immigrate to Australia under Skilled Migration category, the applicant must meet the following basic requirements:
• Age
You must be less than 45 years old at the time of the invitation.
• English
You must have sufficient level of English knowledge to work in Australia. This level is known as Competent English and corresponds to IELTS evaluation 6 in all categories.
A higher level of English proficiency is required for certain professions, where an English test is part of the skill assessment.
For the Skilled Regional category, your level of English proficiency may be lower than Competent English if you are sponsored by certain regions.
• Qualification
You must have a qualification obtained after high school at a tertiary or professional level, and your experience and qualifications must be evaluated by the appropriate assessing authority as suitable for the chosen occupation. In some cases, significant work experience can be accepted as a substitute for professional education.
• Nominated occupation
When you apply for immigration to Australia, you must nominate an occupation that matches your work experiences and qualifications. Your occupation must be on the official list of professions Combined Skilled Occupations List (STSOL-MLTSSL). If your occupation is not on the appropriate list, do not despair! The nominated occupation is “selected” based on your work experience and job duties and may not be the same as your current position. Please, provide detailed information in the Points test form and we will help you choose the appropriate occupation.
• Work experience
The Australian Migration law does not contain any formal requirement to have work experience in the nominated occupation except for the allocation of points based on the years of work experience. However, organisations that are responsible for skill assessment, may have their own mandatory requirements for work experience.
POINTS-TESTED SYSTEM
If you apply for immigration in the Skilled Independent, Nominated or Regional categories, you will need to meet the Points Test pass mark of 65.
Points can be awarded for education, age, English, work experience in Australia and / or abroad, qualifications of spouse, skills in one of the Australian communities’ languages, training or education in Australia or regional Australia, Professional Year in Australia, state nomination or relative sponsorship for certain types of visas. Points are awarded only if the basic requirements are met.
MINIMUM REQUIRED NUMBER OF POINTS
The minimum required number of points for all visa classes in the General Skilled Migration category is 65.
SKILLED INDEPENDENT VISA (SUBCLASS 189)
You must meet the basic requirements for immigration to Australia and meet the points test mark of 65 points.
Your occupation must be in the appropriate Combined Skilled Occupations List (STSOL-MLTSSL).
A sub-class 189 visa will enable you to:
• live and work in Australia on a permanent basis;
• to study at Australian educational institutions;
• to receive state-subsidised medical assistance through Medicare insurance and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS);
• receive social benefits (waiting periods may apply);
• to apply for the citizenship of Australia in accordance with the established procedure;
• To sponsor persons wishing to apply for an Australian immigration visa.
To be invited to apply for visa the applicant must first lodge an Expression of Interest (EoI) in the SkillSelect system.
Applications for a subclass 189 visa are made online on the website of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) of Australia. It is necessary to attach a number of documents, as proof of meeting visa requirements.
The applicant’s family members can be included in the application: spouse / partner (de facto partner, including same sex), dependent children and single dependent relatives (for the latter, the dependency requirements must be satisfied).
An application fee is charged for processing the application in accordance with the current fees table.
The processing times for subclass 189 is not strictly defined at present, but in practice most cases are decided within 8-12 months.
SKILLED NOMINATED VISA (SUBCLASS 190)
This visa is for applicants who are nominated by the state or territory government of Australia.
You must meet the basic requirements for immigration to Australia and meet the points test mark of 65 points.
Your occupation must be in the appropriate Combined Skilled Occupations List (STSOL-MLTSSL).
A sub-class 190 visa will allow you to:
• live and work in Australia on a permanent basis;
• to study at Australian educational institutions;
• to receive state-subsidised medical assistance through Medicare insurance and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS);
• receive social benefits (waiting periods may apply);
• to apply for the citizenship of Australia in accordance with the established procedure;
• To sponsor persons wishing to apply for an Australian immigration visa.
The State nomination is conditional upon the applicant’s consent to live and work in the nominated area for a minimum of 2 years.
To be invited to apply for this visa the applicant must first lodge an Expression of Interest (EoI) in the SkillSelect system.
Applications for a subclass 190 visa are made online on the website of the Department of Home Affairs of Australia. It is necessary to attach a number of documents, as proof of meeting visa requirements.
The applicant’s family members can be included in the application: spouse / partner (de facto partner, including same sex), dependent children and single dependent relatives (for the latter, the dependency requirements must be satisfied).
An application fee is charged for processing the application in accordance with the current fees table.
The processing times for subclass 190 is about 6 months, but the Department of Home Affairs makes no guarantees regarding processing times.
SKILLED REGIONAL (PROVISIONAL) VISA (SUBCLASS 489)
This subclass is for qualified immigrants willing to settle in certain regions of Australia. You must be nominated by the Australian government state / territory or be sponsored by a relative (from your or your spouse’s side of the family) and have an assurance of financial support by an Australian permanent resident or citizen.
Your relative can provide an assurance of financial support. You must meet the basic requirements for immigration to Australia and meet the points test mark of 65 points.
Your occupation must be in the corresponding Combined Skilled Occupations List (STSOL-MLTSSL) list.
A sub-class 489 visa will enable you to:
• live and work in the territory of the sponsoring region of Australia for a 4-year visa period;
• to study at Australian educational institutions;
• Apply for a permanent visa after 2 years from the date of arrival, provided that you or your spouse worked full-time at least for 12 months out of the two years.
To be invited to apply for visa the applicant must first lodge an Expression of Interest (EoI) in the SkillSelect system.
Applications for a subclass 190 visa are made online on the website of the Department of Home Affairs of Australia. It is necessary to attach a number of documents, as proof of meeting visa requirements.
The applicant’s family members can be included in the application: spouse / partner (de facto partner, including same sex), dependent children and single dependent relatives (for the latter, the dependency requirements must be satisfied).
An application fee is charged for processing the application in accordance with the current fees table.
SKILLED RECOGNISED GRADUATE VISA (SUBCLASS 476) (TEMPORARY 18 MONTHS)
This is a temporary visa for a period of 18 months.
It is for young (not older than 31 years) engineering graduates from recognised institutions. For example, in Russia it is the Moscow State University and St. Petersburg State University.
This visa allows the holder to work and study, as well as apply for a permanent visa or a sponsored work visa.
SKILLED REGIONAL VISA (SUBCLASS 887)
This is a permanent visa for those who have lived in Australia for 2 years and have worked at least for one year in regional Australia.
TEMPORARY GRADUATE VISA (SUBCLASS 485) (TEMPORARY 18-48 MONTHS)
This is a temporary visa for international graduates of Australian educational institutions. The visa is valid for a period of 18 months to 4 years. It gives the right to work and study in Australia, as well as apply for a permanent visa.
DISTINGUISHED TALENT VISA (SUBCLASS 124)
You must have an exceptional and outstanding achievement in your profession, sport, the arts or academia. You must be nominated by an Australian citizen, a permanent resident of Australia or a New Zealand citizen, or an Australian organization with a national level reputation in the profession or activity in which you have recognised talent.
In nominated profession or activity, you must either:
• have an exceptional track record of achievements; and
• be able to show that you will be an asset for the Australian community; and
• have no difficulties in finding employment in Australia;
OR you should have a track record of outstanding achievements in the arts or sport and have distinguished talent.
Achievements at less than international level (or national, where comparable) will not be generally considered exceptional or outstanding.
Fill out the questionnaire below to assess your chances of obtaining a professional visa.