Australia Skilled Migration

Australia is an incredibly popular destination for skilled migrants, with over 128,500 places available in 2015-2016 under the country’s General Skilled Migration (Skillselect) program. Under the Skill select program skilled worker applicants can gain a permanent Australia visa; using their qualifications, work experience and language ability to meet the Australian immigration requirements.

The General Skilled Migration (Skill select) program replaced all other Australian skilled worker visas in 2012-2013. The system has 5 visa subclasses, and is points based; applicants must meet at least 60 points from the General Skilled Migration (Skill select) points tables to be considered.

Skilled Migration basic requirements

There are a number of basic requirements that applicants must meet in order to be considered for the GSM program. While this is not a comprehensive list of all eligibility criteria, it does give a good idea of the minimum standards applicants must meet:

  • Age – you must be under 50 years of age when you apply.
  • English language – you should have sufficient ability in the English language to work in Australia (at least at competent level). This is measured through the International English Language Testing System 
  • Qualifications – you must have your skills and qualifications assessed by the relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation. 
  • Nominated occupation – when you apply you nominate a skilled occupation, which fits your skills and qualifications. Your nominated occupation must be found on the Skilled Occupations List. 
  • Skills assessment – before you apply, you must have your skills assessed by the Australian assessing authority designated to assess your nominated occupation. 
  • Health assessment – you must undergo a medical assessment, and show that you are in reasonably good health. 
  • Character assessment – you must be of good character, usually this means a criminal record check.

If you are unable to meet these basic requirements, then you should NOT continue with a General Skilled Migration application.

Try our free online Australian general Skilled Migration points test to see if you score enough points for you visa.

Further Information, help, and advice Fill out our form and one of our representatives will contact you shortly

Age (Max 30)

Age Points
at least 18 but less than 25 years 25
at least  25 but less than 33 years 30
at least  33 but less than 40 years 25
at least  40 but less than 45 years 15

 

English language skills (Max 20)

English Points
Competent English 0
Proficient English 10
Superior English 20

Skilled employment experience

Overseas skilled employment – (outside Australia) (Max 15)

Number of years Points
Less than 3 years 0
At least 3 but less than 5 years 5
At least 5 but less than 8 years 10
At least 8 years 15

Australian skilled employment – (in Australia) (Max 20)

Number of years Points
Less than 1 year 0
At least 1 but less than 3 years 5
At least 3 but less than 5 years 10
At least 5 but less than 8 years 15
At least 8 years 20

Educational qualifications (Max 20)

Requirement Points
A Doctorate from an Australian educational institution or a Doctorate from another educational institution, that is of a recognized standard. 20
At least a Bachelor degree from an Australian educational institution or at least a Bachelor qualification, from another educational institution, that is of a recognized standard.
15
A diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution. 10
Attained a qualification or award recognized by the relevant assessing authority for your nominated skilled occupation as being suitable for that occupation 10

For points based migration you will receive points for your highest qualification only. 

Recognition of your qualifications

The authority undertaking your skills assessment may determine if your qualifications are comparable to the relevant Australian qualification. Assessing authorities are listed against your occupation in the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations. You must have obtained this recognition at the time you are invited to apply for a visa.

If you hold an overseas qualification at bachelor level or above and your skills assessing authority did not offer an opinion on that qualification then it is open to you to contact Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services (VETASSESS) for advice.

VETASSESS can provide an assessment of the comparative educational level of these qualifications against the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Advice from VETASSESS should be provided with your application to support your claim for these points.

To obtain an assessment  contact Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services.

Doctoral requirements (PhD)

You can only be awarded points for a doctoral degree if you have completed a qualification at the relevant level, that is,  a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). You cannot claim these points for the award of other qualifications that give you the right to use to the title of Doctor (that is, general practitioner, dentist, vet).

Specialist education qualification

Requirement Points
A Masters degree by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution that included at least 2 academic years study  in a relevant field. 10

The postgraduate degree by research (doctorate or masters) must be awarded from an Australian education institution after at least 2 academic years of study in the following science, technology, engineering, mathematics or specified information and communication technology (ICT) fields:

Natural and physical sciences

  • biological sciences
  • chemical sciences
  • earth sciences
  • mathematical sciences
  • natural and physical sciences
  • other natural and physical sciences
  • physics and astronomy

Information technology

  • computer science
  • information systems
  • information technology
  • other information technology

Engineering and related technologies

  • aerospace engineering and technology
  • civil engineering
  • electrical and electronic engineering and technology
  • engineering and related technologies
  • geometrics engineering
  • manufacturing engineering and technology
  • maritime engineering and technology
  • mechanical and industrial engineering and technology
  • other engineering and related technologies
  • process and resources engineering.

To determine whether your qualification is eligible, see the CRICOS website.

 

Australian study requirement

Requirement Points
Meet the Australian study requirement 5

You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that meets the Australian study requirement.

Professional Year in Australia

Requirement Points
Completion of a Professional Year in Australia 5

At the time of invitation to apply, you had completed a Professional Year. To be eligible for the award of these points your Professional Year must have been in Accounting, ICT/Computing or Engineering, and:

Credentialed community language

Requirement Points
Hold a recognized qualification in a credentialed community language 5

To be credentialled in a community language and eligible for the award of points you must have been accredited at the paraprofessional level or above, certified at the certified provisional level or above, or have a community language credential for interpreting or translating by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Study in regional Australia

Requirement Points
You must have at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that satisfies the Australian study requirement obtained while living and studying in an eligible area of regional Australia 5

To be eligible for the award of points your educational qualification:

  • must meet the Australian study requirement
  • have been obtained while you lived in, and studied at a campus in, a designated regional area
  • not include study undertaken by distance education

Partner skills

Requirement Points
Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and meet age, English and skill criteria

For you to be eligible for the award of these points your partner must be an applicant for the same visa subclass and must not be an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen.  Additionally, you will need to provide evidence that when you were invited to apply for this visa that they: were under 45 years old had competent English had nominated a skilled occupation that is on the same skilled occupation list as your nominated skilled occupation had a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for their nominated skilled occupation, and the assessment wasn’t for a Subclass 485 visa. 		10
Your spouse or de facto partner must also be an applicant for this visa and has competent English

For you to be eligible for the award of these points your partner must be an applicant for the same visa subclass and must not be an Australian permanent resident or an Australian citizen. 		5
You are single or your partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident 10
  • Skilled Migration points calculator 
  • General Skilled Migration (Skill select) visa subclasses 
    • Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189) 
    • Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) 
    • Graduate Temporary visa (Subclass 485) 
    • Skilled Nominated or Sponsored visa (Provisional) (Subclass 489) 
    • Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887)

Further Information, help, and advice

Workpermit.com has over twenty years of experience helping people immigrate to countries all over the World. If you feel that you can pass the points test and wish to immigrate to Australia, fill out our free assessment form and one of our representatives will contact you shortly.

For more information and advice on Australian immigration law and Australian visa applications please contact us on +880 1736488871 or at info@sme-bd.com