Skilled migration

If you have skills and qualifications that are in high demand, Australia wants you! Skilled occupations that are currently in high demand include positions as diverse as nurses, plumbers, chefs and software engineers.

SkillSelect is an online service where you can enter your details and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to be considered for a visa (the EOI is not a visa application in itself). Employers wishing to sponsor workers can search SkillSelect. After submitting an EOI you may be nominated for a visa by a private employer or a state or territory government or you may be invited to apply for a skilled visa by the Australian government.

There are a number of skilled migration visa categories.

  •         457 Temporary Work (Skilled): This visa can be granted for up to four years and requires sponsorship by an employer. After two years of work, your employer may be able to sponsor you for a permanent 186 or 187 visa (see below).  The occupation must be on the Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List (CSOL), and you must have the necessary work and English skills to fill the position.
  •         186 Employer Nomination Scheme: This is similar to the 457—you must be sponsored by an employer for a CSOL position—but is permanent. It involves a more rigorous test of your work and English skills, and you usually have to be under 50 years old.  
  •         187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme: This is a permanent visa with mostly the same requirements as the 186 visa, but it is for work outside the major urban areas. The position doesn’t have to be on the CSOL, but there are requirements about the level of qualifications and experience you have.  

In addition to these, there are skilled migration “points-tested” visas. These points are based on a range of factors including—among others—your qualifications, experience, English language proficiency and age. Different visas have differing point requirements. Points-tested skilled migration visas include:

  •         189 Skilled Independent: A permanent visa with no sponsorship or nomination required.
  •         190 Skilled Nominated: A permanent visa requiring nomination by a state or territory government
  •         489 Skilled Regional Provisional: A four-year visa for specified regional areas requiring sponsorship by eligible relatives or nomination by a state or territory government.
  •         887 Skilled Regional: A permanent visa that you can apply for after working for a year and living for two years in a specified regional area under a 489 (or similar) visa.
  •         485 Graduate Temporary: A temporary visa for graduates of Australian education institutions. This can be granted for four years for those who graduate with a higher education degree, or 18 months for those who graduate with non-degree qualifications and skills that enable them to work in roles on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). (Note: the CSOL and the SOL are similar, but separate, lists.)