Skills are valued
Potential migrants with skills that can benefit the Australian economy are prioritized for visas. What those skills are depends on the skills shortages in the Australian job market, and on the occupations needed for Australia’s long-term growth.Skilled workers are highly valued. In fact, according to the Australian Government, skilled migrants are expected to make up 68% of the total number of migrants to Australia in 2014/15.This is good news for skilled workers looking to migrate to Australia, but there’s still the problem of qualifying for a skilled visa. This is where the Skill Select system comes in.
Expressions of Interest
Before submitting a visa application, applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via Skill Select.
• Personal information
• Occupation and work experience
• Education
• English language ability
• Qualifications
It is essential that all information is truthful, accurate and able to be
Supported by appropriate documents.
The more detailed and targeted the information in the EOI, the better your chances of proceeding to the next stage. A skilled migration agent in
Australia can help you create a compelling EOI.
Once the EOI is submitted, state and territory governments can search the EOI register. They can nominate people with desirable skills to be invited to lodge a visa application. This is known as a State Nomination Visa (subclass 190). Private employers and the Australian Government can also invite people to lodge visa applications.
Invitations to apply for visas are held monthly and the Australian
Government publicizes how many invitations it expects to issue.
An EOI is valid for two years. Applicants are encouraged to update them as necessary. If an applicant is twice invited to apply for a visa and twice fails to lodge the application, the EOI is removed from Skill Select. The EOI is also removed from Skill Select once a visa application is made.
Visa applications must be made within 60 days of the invitation being issued.
Skill Select
Anyone applying for a skilled visa must apply via Skill Select.
Skill Select has a point’s test that applicants must satisfy. The points test will provide a ranking for the applicant. The minimum point’s requirement must be met for a visa application to proceed, even if the applicant has been nominated or invited to apply.
Skill Select also allows applicants to nominate whether they are willing to be located in a regional area, and if they are, their application will be put forward for regional sponsorship. The main use of the Skill Select system however, is with State Sponsorship. The various Australian States are able to select who they would like to sponsor from the Skill Select database.