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To be eligible for Skilled Visas in Australia you must have an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List, have the right qualifications and work experience to get a positive skills assessment, and generate a minimum of 65 points.
At Green Wings Migration we work with you from the start of your migration journey, to settling down in Australia. We can assist you at the Skills Assessment stage, working through to the Visa application process, and with our Relocation Service Partner, we help with your relocation in Australia.
The Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa is a points-tested permanent visa for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an Australian employer, family member or nominated by a state or territory. If you are a new Zealand or Hong Kong Citizen, your eligibility requirements could be different. Please get in touch with our agents to discuss it further.
You can be in or outside Australia when you submit your EOI. You can either be in Australia or overseas when you apply for a Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa. To be able to lodge from within Australia, you would need to hold a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C visa. Once you apply from within Australia, you will receive a bridging visa allowing you to remain in Australia during processing of your visa application.
Each State and Territory Government has its own list of occupations in demand in their area, and which are eligible to be sponsored for a 190 Visa. Though multiple governments may welcome applications from the same occupation, the precise eligibility requirements may vary between states or territories, such as with regard to the required amount of work experience or level of English language ability.
The 190 Visa is a points-based visa which allows skilled workers who have received a nomination from an Australian State or Territory to live and work permanently in Australia.
If you wish to apply for this visa, you must first obtain a positive skills assessment for your nominated occupation, and then lodge an Expression of Interest. If this is successful, and you are nominated by a State or Territory, you will then be invited to lodge a 190 Visa application.
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) allows skilled migrants to live and work in designated regional areas (excluding Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane metro area) for up to 5 years, with a pathway to permanent residence after 3 years. You must receive nomination from a state or territory before you can apply for this visa.
After 3 years, subclass 491 visa holders may be eligible to apply for the subclass 191 visa which provides permanent residence.
This visa allows people who have lived and worked in designated regional areas of Australia on an eligible visa (494, 491), to live and work in Australia permanently. Applicants must have complied with the conditions of their eligible visa, but they enjoy some perks: no need to be under 45 to apply for this visa and no need to prove your English proficiency again.
The 485 visa is Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa, allowing international students to temporarily stay, work, and study in Australia after graduating from a CRICOS Registered course that took at least 2 academic years to complete. There are different streams, each with specific eligibility requirements and durations, allowing for stays of 18 months to 5 years, depending on the qualification and stream.
This visa is for international students who have recently graduated with an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list
It allows you to live, study and work in Australia temporarily up to 18 months.
Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for 5 years.
This visa is for international students who have recently graduated with a Bachelor, Master or PhD degree from an Australian higher Education institution. It allows you to live, work and study in Australia temporarily up to 3 years. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for 5 years.
This visa is for Temporary Graduates holding a Post-Higher Education Work, Post-Study Work or Replacement visa with a degree from an Australian institution located in a regional area. It allows you to live, work and study in Australia temporarily.
Between 1 and 2 years depending on:
Nomination from a state or territory does not guarantee an invitation from the Australian Government to apply for the National Innovation Visa.
The 858 National Innovation Visa (NIV) replaces the former Global Talent pathway but maintains the same purpose: to offer a permanent visa to individuals who have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession, sport, the arts, or academia and research. To qualify, the applicant must have their achievements attested by a nominator with a national reputation in the same field, who must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, eligible New Zealand citizen, or an Australian organisation. After securing a suitable nominator, the applicant must lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI), and only if invited can they proceed with the visa application itself.
While 65 points is the minimum to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI), in reality you’ll need a higher score to be competitive. Strong English test results and work experience are often the easiest ways to boost points.
You can only apply if your job is on the relevant Skilled Occupation List (if you are considering 190/491, each state has its own list). Even if you meet the points, if your occupation isn’t listed, you can’t be invited.
Before applying, you need a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for your profession. This step is mandatory and often takes time, so planning ahead is crucial.
Even with high points, you’re not guaranteed an invitation. The government issues invitations based on quotas, demand, and occupation ceilings. Sometimes state nomination gives you a better chance than the independent 189.
