Two New Visas for Skilled Workers Immigrating to Australia
The new year is a great time to review your career development and decide if your current country of residence can still meet your expectations for professional fulfilment. If you have already made the decision to look offshore for new career opportunities, you will be pleased to know that immigrating to Australia has recently gotten a lot easier for skilled professionals.
The government of Australia has finally approved the much-awaited visas for skilled immigrants looking to move down under for work. The two visas, the Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional Visa and the Skilled Work Regional Visa, are temporary and will expire after 5 years.
The Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional Visa
This visa allows businesses that are lawfully and actively operating in Regional Australia to nominate and sponsor skilled immigrants for provisional visas. To qualify for this visa the person immigrating to Australia must obviously be able to prove they are highly skilled in a specific trade.
The employer sponsoring the provisional visa on behalf of the prospective immigrant must follow the following steps:
- First, apply to the federal government for approval of their proposed sponsorship.
- After their approval, the sponsoring employer must formally nominate you for the position, specify the position’s requirements and justify your suitability for it.
- You will then lodge your application for a Subclass 494 visa under this stream.
People immigrating to Australia under the Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional Visa can stay for 5 years, but they will be eligible for permanent residence after three years. As well as live and work in Regional Australia, this visa also allows you to study.
Skilled Work Regional Visa
This visa is similar to the Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional Visa, except for the fact that the person looking to immigrate to Australia must be nominated by a state or territory government. Or you must have an eligible relative, like a spouse, sign up to sponsor your visa.
Under this visa, you must qualify for an occupation that is on the skilled occupation list. You should then be successfully assessed and invited to apply. Again, the length of this visa is 5 years, but you may apply for permanent residence after three years. You are also allowed to study and can travel to and outside Australia as many times as you wish while the visa is valid.
However, under both visas you may not move to work and settle outside the region you were granted a visa for. You may only do so after you have been granted permanent residence status. Either way, the two visas offer excellent options for people considering immigrating to Australia, as well as some of the easiest pathways to permanent residence should that appeal to you.
Tri-Nations has been advising immigrants to Australia and New Zealand since 1987. We advise people looking to immigrate to the two countries for work or study purposes. Contact us for more information on our services here.
