There are 2 Types of General Skilled Migration:
Skilled Independent subclass 189 Visa - for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer or family member or nominated by a state or territory government
- State/ Territory Skilled Nominated subclass 190 Visa - for skilled workers who are nominated by a state or territory government agency
- This is a permanent residence visa. It lets you and any family members who have also been granted this visa:
a. stay in Australia indefinitely
b. work and study in Australia
c. enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses
d. apply for Australian citizenship (if you are eligible)
e. sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence
f. 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)To apply for a subclass 189 visa you must comply with the (3) stage process of SkillSelect:
1. Lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI)
2. Receiving an invitation by the Minister to apply for a visa
3. Lodging a visa application
Visa applications can be made by invitation only. To be invited to apply, a person must submit an expression of interest (EOI). All EOIs are evaluated by the Department and only the highest calibre of prospective applicants will be issued with an invitation.
At the time of EOI submission, persons should meet the following requirements:
- have an occupation that is on the relevant skilled occupation list, the Skilled Occupation List (see at the end of page)
- have a positive skills assessment for that occupation
- be less than 50 years of age
- have Competent English (at least 6 on each component of an IELTS test taken not more than 3 years before the date of visa application)
- be able to score at least 60 on the points test (see at the end of page)
An EOI submission is valid for two years. Applicants can and should update details contained within the EOI to reflect any relevant changes in their circumstances. You must be able to support all claims you make in your EOI with documentation and have this documentation ready to provide as once an invitation to make an visa application is issued you will only have a short time to submit your application.
Invitations for visa subclasses 189 are issued regularly, such as every month. There is no guarantee of an invitation. Some occupations are subject to an ‘occupational ceiling’ which limits the number of EOIs that can be selected for skilled migration.
Once you have received your invitation you can loge a visa application. If you receive two invitations and you do not lodge a visa application in response to either of these invitations, your EOI will be removed from SkillSelect.
Once you have been invited to apply you will have 60 days to lodge your visa application. You should apply early to ensure successful lodgement.
Invitations are based on claims that you make in your expression of interest, so your application must include evidence to support your claims. All information claimed in your EOI should now be substantiated by evidence, including your occupation, skills assessment, age, English competency and the points you claimed to achieve. New information can also be submitted and evidenced to satisfy further requirements.
Further requirements can include:
- holding a valid passport or travel document
- meeting health requirements (will depend upon your personal circumstances)
- satisfying character requirements (police checks)
- having no outstanding debts to the Australia government
- if aged 18 or older, signing the Australian Values Statement
- providing biometrics
You can include the following people in your visa application at the time of lodgement:
- your partner (married or de facto)
- your or your partner’s dependent children
- other dependent relatives
The application must include documentary evidence of their relationship to you and your family members must be able to show that they meet health and character requirements.
You can add your partner and dependent children to your application at any time until your visa is decided.
This is a permanent residence visa. It lets you and any family members who have also been granted this visa:
- stay in Australia indefinitely
- work and study in Australia
- enrol in Medicare, Australia's scheme 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)
To apply for a subclass 190 visa you must comply with the (3) stage process of SkillSelect:
1. Lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI)
2. Receiving an invitation by the Minister to apply for a visa
3. Lodging a visa application
Expression of Interest
Visa applications can be made by invitation only. To be invited to apply, a person must submit an expression of interest (EOI). All EOIs are evaluated by the Department and only the highest calibre of prospective applicants will be issued with an invitation.
At the time of EOI submission, persons should meet the following requirements:
- have an occupation that is on the relevant skilled occupation list, the Skilled Occupation List and the Consolidated Skilled Occupation List (see at the end of page)
- have a positive skills assessment for that occupation
- be less than 50 years of age
- have Competent English (at least 6 on each component of an IELTS test taken not more than 3 years before the date of visa application)
- be able to score at least 60 on the points test (see at the end of page)
An EOI submission is valid for two years. Applicants can and should update details contained within the EOI to reflect any relevant changes in their circumstances. You must be able to support all claims you make in your EOI with documentation and have this documentation ready to provide as once an invitation to make an visa application is issued you will only have a short time to submit your application.
When submitting an EOI you will be asked which state or territory you wish to seek nomination from. You will be able to select one state or territory, any states or territories, or all states and territories. To apply for a particular State or Territory sponsorship, your occupation should be on that particular State or Territory’s demand list of occupations; if your occupation is not on their demand list, you will not be offered and invitation from that State or Territory. Each State/Territory has their own requirements that need to be met to receive an invitation, you must meet their requirements. Please refer to the Dept website for the latest information.
Invitations for visa subclasses 190 are assessed by staff from the state and territory governments you have selected to seek nomination from. State and territory governments might assess people before they nominate them. There is no guarantee of an invitation. Occupational ceilings do not apply to EOIs that are nominated for state or territory sponsorship.
Once you have received your invitation you can loge a visa application. If you receive two invitations and you do not lodge a visa application in response to either of these invitations, your EOI will be removed from SkillSelect.
Once you have been invited to apply you will have 60 days to lodge your visa application. You should apply early to ensure successful lodgement.
Invitations are based on claims that you make in your expression of interest, so your application must include evidence to support your claims. All information claimed in your EOI should now be substantiated by evidence, including your occupation, skills assessment, age, English competency and the points you claimed to achieve. New information can also be submitted and evidenced to satisfy further requirements.
Further requirements can include:
- holding a valid passport or travel document
- meeting health requirements (will depend upon your personal circumstances)
- satisfying character requirements (police checks)
- having no outstanding debts to the Australia government
- if aged 18 or older, signing the Australian Values Statement
- providing biometrics
You can include the following people in your visa application at the time of lodgement:
- your partner (married or de facto)
- your or your partner’s dependent children
- other dependent relatives
The application must include documentary evidence of their relationship to you and your family members must be able to show that they meet health and character requirements.
You can add your partner and dependent children to your application at any time until your visa is decided.
$ 3,600 for the primary applicant
$ 1,800 for secondary applicants over age 18
$ 900 for secondary applicants under age 18
Additional government fees may apply for applicants over 18 who do not have functional English.
State/Territory nomination may incur additional fees, you must contact them directly for their fees.
Skill assessment of your occupation will incur an additional fee, to be paid to the relevant assessing body.
Our processing fees vary case to case and are subject to the complexity of the case and amount of work involved. We also offer initial consultations for those who want to better understand the visa process and their options and after we will advise of our charges if you wish to proceed with us. Consultations cost from $100-$200 or more depending on the complexity of the case.