Australia Skilled Visa Pathways and Requirements for Application

Australia welcomes skilled and talented people across the globe seeking to make a contribution to the vibrant workforce of the nation through their expertise. Australia Skilled Visa is an exciting immigration pathway for skilled professionals who wish to Apply for Australia PR Visa from India. Applicants are required to fulfill the diverse eligibility for Australia PR for successful application.

The General Skilled Migration Program of Australia offers diverse pathways to cater to applicants from various backgrounds and skills. The GSM has a dynamic system of points to assess the profiles of candidates. The allocation of points is according to factors like language proficiency, work experience, educational credentials, age, etc.

Australia has emerged as the hub for skilled overseas professionals who arrive in the nation in thousands every year. Many of these choose to resettle in Australia along with their families.

Australian Skilled Occupations List for GSM

GSM Program applicants are required to refer to the Skilled Occupations List of the Department of Home Affairs to confirm if their skills are in demand in Australia. SOL is based on the ANZSCO – Standard Classification of Occupations for Australia and New Zealand. SOL specifies various details of the occupation including:

• ANZSCO Job Title
• Skill level needed for performing the specific job
• The appropriate experience and/or qualifications required for working in the specific occupation

Further, DHA has also included 44 occupations in the PMSOL – Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List. These occupations are deemed crucial and prioritized during processing.

Skills essential for immigration to Australia

Based on your role and application eligibility, diverse occupations have unique skill requirements to be fulfilled for successful immigration to Australia. The skills are inclusive of education levels and the On-the-job-training/experience both onshore and offshore.

The ANZSCO List includes all the skilled occupations and needed skill levels for completing every role and offers the classification of skills into 5 categories:

• I Skill Level – Graduate Degree or higher qualifications
• II Skill Level – AQF – Australian Qualifications Framework Associate Degree, Diploma or Advanced Diploma
• III Skill Level – AQF Certificate III or AQF Certificate IV with a minimum of 2 years of OJT
• IV Skill Level – AQF Certificate III or II
• V Skill Level – AQF Certificate I or mandatory secondary education

To file an application through the GSMP, you will have to mostly undergo an assessment of skills conducted by the authority approved by the DHA. It is to ensure that applicants are capable of offering adequate proof of possessing the necessary skills for their nominated occupation.

Points required for immigration as a skilled professional

GSMP applicants have to secure specific points scores apart from the requirements specified by DHA for the application. Skill Select portal of the DHA assesses the profiles of the applicants and offers them a point score according to their profile details. Candidates are required to secure a minimum of 65 points in order to qualify to file the application.

You must note that securing 65 only makes you eligible to apply for the Skilled Visa and does not assure that your application will be approved.

Australia Skilled Worker Visa Categories

You can file an application for any of the Skilled Worker Visas of Australia subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria. The DHA offers several Skilled Worker Visas such as:

• Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme / ENS Visa 
• Subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme / RSMS Visa
• Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa
• Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated Visa
• Subclass 407 Training Visa
• Subclass 482 Temporary Skill Shortage/TSS Visa
• Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate Work Visa
• Subclass 489 Regional Skilled Provisional Visa
• Subclass 491 Regional Skilled Provisional Work Visa
• Subclass 494 Regional Skilled Provisional Employer Sponsored Visa

Skilled Worker Australia Visa Requirements

To file application under the GSMP, you have to confirm that your occupation chosen is included in the list of occupations in the ANZSCO List. You must also obtain the report for the assessment of skills from the DHA-authorized agency.

Furthermore, you can file an application for the Skilled Australia Visa only if you have received the Invitation to Apply through the Skill Select portal. For this, you will first have to file an EOI – Expression of Interest.

DHA uses the Skill Select portal for assessing the EOI applications filed by interested applicants seeking to get the Skilled Subclass Visas. The requirements of ITA are applicable for specific Skilled Regional and Independent Subclass Visas.

The EOI requires the applicants to provide diverse details of their profile. This included their English language proficiency, educational credentials, age, work experience, etc. The details of the family members are also to be provided.

Age Limit for Skilled Worker Australia Visa

The age limit for GSMP Skilled Worker Visas is 44 years according to the DHA. The ideal age for applicants under GSMP is a minimum of 25 years but less than 33 years.

Applicants who are 45 years of age and above may have to seek alternative Subclass Visas to immigrate to Australia. Some of these include:

•         Subclass 482 Temporary Employer Sponsored Visa
•         Business Visas
•         Global Talent Visa Program

Further, there are some exemptions to the age limit policy. Candidates who fulfill an exemption rule can also file a Visa application after 45 years of age.

Skilled Worker Australia Visa Processing Time

The Australia Skilled Worker Visa processing times are based on the chosen Subclass Visa for filing the application. The processing times are subject to various factors and exact processing times can be known from the DHA website.

DHA offers priority processing of some Skilled Subclass Visa and some of these include:

• Distinguished Talent Subclass 124 Visa 
• Employer Nomination Scheme Subclass 186 Visa 
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme / RSMS Subclass 187 Visa
• Business Innovation and Investment Subclass 188 Visa
• Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa
• Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 Visa

To Apply for Australia PR Visa from India or a Subclass 476 Visa contact Nationwide Visas.