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.

This visa:

• allows you to remain in Australia for up to three (3) years and requires you to live and work in a Specified Regional Area in Australia;
• allows accompanying secondary applicants to work and study, but only in a Specified Regional Area of Australia;
• provides a pathway to permanent residence.

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.