Australia
Skilled Migration
Visa

The Australian General Skilled Migration Visa is for people looking to migrate permanently to Australia. This Australia Migration Visa is based on a points system which recognises people with good qualifications and work experience in either a trade or a profession that is required in Australia.

You will be awarded points for:

• Skills
• Age
• English language ability
• Specific work experience
• Occupation in demand (and job offer)
• Australian qualifications
• Study and residence in regional Australia/low population growth metropolitan areas
• Spouse skills
• Relationship (for Skilled-Australian sponsored visa applicants only)
• State/territory sponsorship (for Skilled – Independent Regional visa applicants only)

You may also receive bonus points for one of the following:

• Capital investment in Australia or
• Australian work experience or
• Fluency in one of Australia’s community languages (other than English)

If you achieve a score below the pass mark, but above another mark known as the pool mark, you will be held in reserve for up to 2 years after your assessment. If the pass mark is lowered during this period and your score is at, or above, the new pass mark, your application will proceed. If it is not, then your application will be refused.

You will need to provide:

• The correctly completed Australia Visa application form;
• The visa processing fees;
• Full birth certificate or other evidence of age for all applicants included in the application;
• Originals or certified copies of qualification documents;
• Your address while the application is being processed;
• Each dependent of you or your spouse aged 18 years or over (whether migrating or not) must include a completed 47A form provided by Visa First;
• Each dependent of you or your spouse aged 18 years or over (whether migrating or not) must include 4 recent passport photos (45mmx35mm). The name of the person and their date of birth must be printed on the back of each photo;
• All applicants must include certified copies of all the pages in their passport that are not blank. If an applicant obtains a new passport after the application has been lodged, please send certified copies of all the pages of the new passport that are not blank;
• The primary applicant must provide evidence of work experience;
• All applicants must provide proof of English language ability;
• A copy of your CV;
• Employment references;
• Each applicant will need to provide Police certificates to determine whether you are of good character.

Your references should be on the official letterhead of the company providing the reference and must clearly state:

• the contact details of the company (telephone, fax, email and website);
• the name and position of the person authorised to sign the employment reference should be signed and stamped below the person's signature;
• the contact telephone number of the person writing the reference should be included in the letter;
• the period of employment (including whether permanent or temporary, full or part-time), positions held, the 5 main duties undertaken and the salary earned. Positions should be described according to the nature of duties undertaken, not by generic titles;
• a payslip from your current employer should also be included.

Documentary evidence should be included with the letter.

To apply for an Australian Skilled Migrant Visa you and all secondary applicants must have a health examination.

• Applicants/dependants older than 11 years will need to have an x-ray
• Applicants/dependants older than 15 years have need to have a blood test

If an applicant becomes pregnant during the application, we need to be advised. In these circumstances we recommend that all family members delay medicals until the child is born. All medicals should be sent together

You should wait until Visa First contacts you to request them. Medicals have a short life span so it's best to leave them until the last minute. The date of the medicals will also be put down as the start date of your visa application so if you submit them earlier, you will have less time to enter Australia. The same applies for police checks.

Yes. The Australian company that is offering you a job should be running a business that has employed at least 10 people full-time in the 24 months immediately before lodging your application.

Once granted a skilled migrant visa for Australia you will be expected to continue in the career path that you have chosen when you migrate to Australia.

No. The success of your application will depend on how well you meet the criteria for this Australia migration category.

No. Anyone can apply for skilled migration to Australia.

If your nominated occupation is in the MODL list, the guideline from Australian Immigration for visa processing is approximately 6 months, with all documentation supplied.

If your nominated occupation is listed in the SOL list, the guideline from Australian Immigration for processing is approximately 6-11 months, with all documentation supplied.

Please, note that these are guidelines advised by immigration and may fluctuate depending on the volume of applications received by them.

Visa First is the only company with an online visa status engine through which you can check the status of your Australia Visa application 24/7. Check your visa status here.

Yes, you can apply for the Australia skilled migration visa onshore or offshore.

Yes, if your visa application was made offshore you will need to go offshore and re-enter Australia to validate your visa once it is granted.

Yes, provided you meet the eligibility requirements. Visit Am I Eligible for more information.

This will effect your application for an Australia General Skilled Migration Visa. Please advise Visa First of any past visa issues when applying.

If your application is unsuccessful, you can stay in Australia on your WHM visa until it expires.

We advise you to get health insurance when you are planning to migratet to Australia.

Your family members will have the same rights as you do in Australia on the General Skilled Migrant Visa.

A dependant is a member of the family unit of the Australian Visa applicant. This may include the spouse/ partner of the applicant, any dependent children (under 18 years of age) or some other dependent relative.

You may include other relatives in your application if they are wholly or substantially reliant on you for financial support for their basic needs of food, shelter and clothing and they have been reliant on you for that support for a substantial period. They must also be more reliant on you than on any other person or source. A relative may be considered dependent on you if they have a mental or physical disability that prevents them from earning a living to support themselves e.g. an aged unmarried relative.

Once you are a legal resident of Australia you will be entitled to bring your parents to Australia permanently.

Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will not be able to receive a refund of the application charge.

Our partner Traveltowork can open your Australian bank account before you leave home. Traveltowork partners ANZ and will provide you with your account details by email within 4-5 working days of your application. Once you arrive in Oz, you simply present your passport or or driver’s licence at any ANZ branch to access your account. Apply now to get your account set up.

You will need an Australian Tax File Number (TFN) to work and pay tax in Oz. With the Visa First Tax Saver Pack we’ll start organising your TFN before you leave home so you can start working and earning as soon as you arrive in Australia. Apply for your Tax File Number here.

Thousands of customers choose Visa First to organise their migration visas every year because:

• We make getting the visa you need fast and hassle-free.
• We are the only company with an online visa status engine which allows you to check the status of your visa 24/7. Check your status now.
• We're visa experts and have organised over 130,000 visas for people like you.
• Our visa guarantee means no visa - no fee!*
• We don't just do visas, we sort out everything you'll need overseas - from accommodation, bank accounts, airport pick up, jobs and much more.

Apply for your visa for Australia with Visa First today.

Police checks usually take anywhere between 5 to 40 days.

Visa First can help organise shipping for you. Just give us an idea of exactly how much you wish to send ie, total contents for a 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom house.

The cost of schooling for your children and the school they will attend will largely be determined by the area that you live in. In Australia, public schooling is free and private schooling is fee paying.

For a complete list of the 2009 school term dates please click here.

All animals entering Australia require an import permit, issued by AQIS. To obtain an import permit, an application to import your pet must be completed. Your application must include your pet’s microchip number. An import permit will be returned to you. For further information, please contact Visa First at info@visafirst.com

Motor vehicles and motor cycles can be shipped to the following ports: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth/Fremantle, and Adelaide. Prior to shipping a motor vehicle or motor cycle you must obtain "Vehicle Import Approval". Before getting this permit you will need to show 12 months of consecutive use and ownership of the vehicle. This permit is also required for vehicles over 15 years old however, the ownership length of time does not apply. This Import Permit needs to be obtained from the following authority:

Vehicle Safety Standards
GPO Box 594
Canberra ACT 2602
Ph: 0061 2 62747506       
Fax: 0061 2 62746013

For further information, please contact Visa First at info@visafirst.com.

Yes, however in the case of buying a second-hand property you are advised to consult a solicitor to make sure there are no problems with the property. As a first time buyer in Australia you are entitled to a first time buyers’ grant of AU$7000.

Yes but you will need to seek approval from the FIRB. There is no problem buying a house in Australia on the 163 as long as the house is your main residence i.e. not bought for investment or to rent out. The real estate agent generally applies to the FIRB for you and it takes about a week up to a maximum of 30 days to get confirmation.

General skilled visa is an offshore visa. Onshore skilled migration visas may vary:

• Independent (Residence) Visa (Subclass 885)
• Sponsored (Residence) Visa (Subclass 886)
• Regional (Residence) Visa (Subclass 887)
• Regional Sponsored (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 487)
• Graduate (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 485)

Time frame is different for the different subclasses.