How do I know if I’m eligible to apply for Permanent Residency through General Skilled Migration (GSM)?
General skilled migration (GSM) visa is an umbrella term used to define a range of skilled working visa subclasses. In general there three popular Australian skilled permanent visas, Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190), Skilled Independent (subclass 189), and Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887).
There are also other visas within the category with provisional status such as the Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489), but this article will only focus on the three skilled visas allowing permanent residence in the country.
Requirement for General Skilled Migration
Subclasses 189 (Points-tested stream) and 190 are similar as they are both points tested visas. As an applicant, you are required to fulfill the eligibility of general skilled migration including:
1. You must have an occupation that is relevant to the skills needed
Your occupation must be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations, this includes the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL), or Regional Occupation List (ROL).
Not all occupations are relevant to both visas, the visas relevant to you occupation can be seen in each list.
You must determine which occupation is the most relevant to your employment history.
While this seem easy, you need to pay special attention to the qualification and/or whether registration is required as these conditions may be imposed.
2. You must have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
After determining occupation is the most relevant to your experience, you need go through the next step which is skills assessment. Skills assessments are done by the assessing authority relevant to the occupations.
Assessing authorities will assess the suitability of your qualification as well as work experience.
Your work experience must have been in your nominated skilled occupation or a closely related skilled occupation, and undergo skills assessment before it can be claimed.
Some assessing authorities also issue a provisional skills assessment for recent graduates of Australian educational institutions applying for a subclass 485 visa.
Be mindful that provisional assessment outcomes cannot be used for general skilled visa, so you need ensure you are applying for the correct assessment.
3. You must meet the points test pass mark of 65 points
You must be able to meet the points score on your invitation letter. As of July 2018, the score is 65 or more. The score on your invitation letter is based on the information you have provided in your EOI.
The higher your points are, the better you would rank against other intending migrants. The highest ranked applicant by points score will be invited to apply for the relevant visa.
You can claim points from your age, English proficiency, skilled employment in the last 10 years, qualifications, etc.
You can check how much point you are able to earn in our point test simulation.
4. You must be under 45 years of age at time of invitation
5. You must have at least Competent English
You must have achieved a score of at least 6 in each of the four test components , speaking, reading, listening and writing in an IELTS test (or equivalent) that has been undertaken in the three years immediately prior to lodging the visa application.
6. You must be nominated by a state or territory government agency (Subclass 190 only)
For subclass 190, you must be invited by a state or territory government agency to apply for the visa. State or territory government are responsible to create and update the list of occupations needed within their jurisdiction.
Not all occupation listed in the MLTSSL and STSOL are needed in every state or territory.
There may also be additional requirements you must fulfill before you are eligible for state sponsorship, and this can be in the form of financial evidence, employment offer letter, statement and essays, etc.
7. You must be invited by the government (state or territory government for subclass 190) to apply
Once you are nominated by the government (state or territory government for subclass 190), you will receive an invitation to apply for the visa and given a limited amount of time to lodge the visa application.
After your visa is granted you may be given a due date for the first entry to Australia.
Additional Information
Other than point-tested, subclass 189 visa also has another stream, namely New Zealand. Eligible New Zealand citizens holding the New Zealand Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV) who have shown a commitment and contribution to Australia continuously for five years and have started residency in Australia on or before 19 February 2016, amongst other requirements, must be met before you are eligible.
For the Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887), the rules are a bit different.
This visa is a permanent visa for people who have already lived and worked in regional, low-population growth or designated area of Australia for a certain amount of time. You must hold a skilled visa, subclass 489 being one of them, at some time for at least two years before you are eligible to apply for the visa.
The eligibility factors and process may look easy, but in real life, it is a lot more complicated than that. It is certainly possible for you to do this all by yourself, but it is very difficult and time consuming.
We know exactly what to put into an application and what to keep out of it. Your future plan is not worth the risk.
When you hire a migration agent to assist with your visa applications, like ONEderland Consulting, you can rest assured that we are a registered migration agent, and we can help you with determining your eligibility and give you professional and legal advice regarding a permanent skilled visa as well as helping you throughout the whole process.
By hiring us you will be giving yourself the best possible chance of a successful and stress free application.
Got Any Question?
If you have any questions or doubts in determining your occupation, skills assessment process, as well as permanent GSM visa application, and want to discuss with a professional, please contact ONEderland Consulting on (08) 9477 5831.
Let us help you in any way we can. Do not compromise your future and waste you money and time on applying by yourself and ended up with a negative outcome.
ONEderland Consulting is a Migration Agency completely dedicated to helping people migrate through general skilled migration pathway the right way.
We simplify the whole process to make it easier for you to understand the intricacies of general skilled migration, and by working with us, you will get access to our extensive Australian migration knowledge base.
Our Principal Migration Agent, Indah Melindasari, is a registered agent with Australian Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA), MARN: 0961448, who has been in this profession since 2009 and will be able to help tailor your general skilled migration plan to Australia based on your background and current and future circumstances.
Give us a call on (08) 9477 5831 and we’ll take care of your skilled working visa application!
