This visa is for you if you are in Australia and you are one of the following:
- an overseas student or former overseas student;
- a holder of a Skilled – Graduate visa or a Skilled – Recognized Graduate visa;
- a holder of a Trade Skills Training visa;
- a holder of a Working Holiday Maker visa;
- a holder of an Occupational Trainee visa;
This visa is also for existing holders of a provisional skilled visa who have abided by the conditions on their visa and who need further time to meet the residence and/or employment criteria to apply for a permanent visa.
You must be under 45 years of age when you apply.
This visa requires you to be sponsored by an eligible relative living in Australia or nominated by a participating State or Territory government.
To sponsor a skilled worker a person must be at least 18 years of age and usually resident in Australia as one of the following:
- an Australian citizen
- an Australian permanent resident
- an Eligible New Zealand citizen.
To be a sponsor, a person must provide evidence that, at the time the sponsorship application is lodged, you have been living in a designated area for one (1) year or longer. Additionally, that person must be able to demonstrate that he continues to live in a designated area until a decision is made on the visa application.
As a general guide, Australia's designated areas include:
- ACT
- South Australia
- Northern Territory
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Queensland – except Brisbane
- New South Wales – except Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong
- Western Australia – except Perth.
Nomination from a State or Territory government does not automatically result in the grant of a visa. Your application must also be assessed against a number of visa-specific requirements. You will only be granted a visa if all requirements are met.
For complete list of the 2008 School term dates, please,
click here.
