Skilled Migration

As part of the Australian government's focus on economic growth, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has created a series of temporary and permanent visa subclasses within the skilled migration program.

There are three classes of visas within this stream:

• General Skilled Visas;
• State Sponsored Visas; and
• Employer Sponsored Visas (these are dealt with in Sponsoring an overseas employee).

To be eligible for a visa in this stream, there needs to be consideration of a combination of factors, including:

• Skills assessment;
• Passing a points test;
• Sponsorship by a State or Territory government of an applicant;
• English language capabilities;
• Work experience;
• Health and character checks; and
• Age restrictions.

As the government changes its priorities, this area of migration constantly evolves too. In the 2011 Budget, the Australian government announced that it will increase its focus on regional migration over the coming years. Reviews have also been announced of the points test and the list of skilled occupations.

To learn how these changes may affect your migration options, contact our expert migration team today.