If you have skills or qualifications that Australia needs, you may be sponsored by an employer to gain a visa or you may be invited to apply for an Australian Skilled visa. We refer to these two pathways as Employer Sponsored Migration and Independent Skilled Migration.
Australia Offers A Range Of Temporary And Permanent Visas
To Match Each Skilled Individual:
Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (TSS)– 482 visa
The TSS visa allows Australian employers to sponsor overseas workers to live and work in Australia on a temporary basis. The visa is designed to allow skilled workers to be employed in Australia by businesses that cannot find the right candidate in the Australian labour market.
In order to be eligible for this visa, you must be able to evidence skills or outstanding abilities that will contribute to the sponsoring business and Australia economy as a whole and you must be able to demonstrate adequate knowledge of English language. Your occupation must appear on the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or the Short-Term Skilled Occupation (STSOL) Lists.
This visa allows you to:
Migrate to Australia with any eligible secondary applicants (who will be permitted to work and study)
Live and work in Australia for up to four years, leaving and re-entering the country on an unlimited basis
Be employed in your area of specialisation
Apply for a permanent skilled visa if you wish to remain in Australia indefinitely
Temporary Work (Short Stay)-400 Visa
This visa allows skilled workers to come to Australia for up to 3 months. The process of application is simpler and less demanding than the 457 visa application process (e.g. there is no language requirement). This means that the 400 visa can be considered and granted relatively quickly.
This visa allows you to:
Stay in Australia while your visa is valid (generally three but may be six months in limited circumstances) to carry out short-term, highly specialised, non-ongoing work.
Bring your family with you.
Permanent Working Visa – 186 visa
The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) allows Australian employers to sponsor skilled workers for a permanent visa to work in their business on a more permanent basis. The employee can be either a highly skilled worker from overseas or a highly skilled temporary resident currently in Australia. The occupation must be on the current Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
This visa allows you to:
Stay in Australia indefinitely
Work and study in Australia
Enrol in Medicare, Australia’s system for health-related care and expenses
Apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
Sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
Travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that time, you will need a resident return visa or another visa to return to Australia).
Please note that significant changes to this visa were announced in April and will be implemented by March 2018
Permanent Working Visa – 187
The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa is for skilled workers who want to work in regional Australia – this means an area that is not in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong and Melbourne precincts
The purpose of the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) is to promote the economic development of regional Australia by encouraging skilled migrants to settle in these areas. The scheme is designed to assist employers in regional Australia who are unable to meet their skilled workforce needs from the local labour market.
This visa gives you the same rights as the 186 visa (see above).
NB. This permanent visa is due to end on the 16th November 2019 to be replaced by a new PROVISIONAL visa (Sub class 494)
Independent Skilled Migration- 189 / 190 Visa
If you have a skill that appears on the MLTSSL and you score at least 60 points in the Skilled Migration Points assessment, you are able to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) in migrating to Australia on the bases of your skills. Your EOI will stay in the Skill Select pool for up to two years. At any time during that period, the Australian government may invite you to apply for a Skilled Migration visa (189 or 190). Think of it as huge market place where employers can find suitable skilled workers and where workers can advertise their skills across Australia. Australian employers can access the Skill Select talent pool and invite participants to work on the full range of employer sponsored visas.