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Migration to Australia under the Skilled Migration class, also known as General Skilled Migration or Skilled Independent Migration, is operated on a points based system (PBS).
The applicant must first meet the basic criteria and then meet the points test minimum pass mark to qualify for skilled permanent residence. General Skilled Migration to Australia offers applicants the opportunity to migrate to Australia on the basis of their skills and/or educational background.
It targets people who are highly skilled and who will quickly make a contribution to the economy. The majority of points are awarded on criteria including age, occupation, experience and English language ability.
The current pass mark for a General Skilled Migration visa is 120 points, however a Global Visas consultant will advise you of any changes to this during an initial consultation.
Duration
Permanent residency entitles people to remain in Australia indefinitely. Initially you will receive a 5 year permanent residence travel visa. After a 4 year period, providing relevant criteria have been met, Australian citizenship may be applied for.
Eligibility Criteria
Age
The applicants must be under 45 years old.
English Language
The applicants must have sufficient English language ability.
Skills & Qualifications
The main applicant:
Recent Work Experience
Additional Information
The following factors may help to provide additional support to a marginal Australian Skilled Independent Visa application.
Applicants who have family connections within Australia may be able to use this to strengthen their application.
High Demand Occupation/Job Offer
An Australia Skilled Migration Visa applicant will receive additional points if their skills are listed as in demand. Additional points are also awarded if you have a job offer from a qualifying Australian employer.
Australian Study
Applicants who have undertaken successful study within Australia may be able to use these qualifications to support their application and obtain additional points.
You may claim additional points if your spouse also meets the basic requirements, which include - being less than 45 years of age, having English language ability, having a skilled occupation and also having 12 out of 24 months recent work experience.
Health & Character
Australia has strict health and character requirements that must be met before any permanent visa of more than 12 months will be granted. People attempting skilled migration to Australia on a Skilled Independent Visa will be required to:
Processing Times
The current processing time for General Skilled Independent Migration to Australia is approximately 12 months from the date your application is lodged. An applicant who has nominated an occupation in demand will receive priority processing and the approximate time is 6 months. We will be able to advise you on the latest processing times.
New Zealand
Skilled Migrant Visa
This New Zealand visa category offers people with the relevant qualifications and work experience the opportunity to immigrate to New Zealand to fill specific roles identified by the New Zealand government.
The New Zealand skilled migrant visa class operates on a points system and it may be necessary for the applicant to obtain a job offer from a New Zealand employer in order to be successful.
There are two ways that a successful applicant can be eligible for migration to New Zealand. The first is via a residence visa or permit and the second is via a work to residence visa or permit which will enable a successful applicant to establish themselves in skilled employment in New Zealand and gain residence.
Points will be allocated based on the criteria outlined below. If the required points level is achieved, applicants will be eligible to apply.
This New Zealand visa class is designed to attract people considering migration to New Zealand and who are willing to make a long-term contribution to New Zealand. Consequently more points are allocated for younger people, and people 56 years or older are not eligible to apply. However people over 56 years of age may be eligible for migration to New Zealand as an investor, or to establish a business, or as a key employee of a relocating business.
The qualifications of New Zealand skilled migrant visa applicants will be judged on their standard of qualification in comparison to New Zealand qualifications. Additional points may be allocated for study undertaken in New Zealand and also for study in a shortage area.
Employment is a critical part of any New Zealand skilled migrant visa application. Applicants will have a better chance of qualifying for this category if they have a relevant job offer from a New Zealand employer. Skilled employment includes jobs ranging from professional positions to people working in trades. Please note that relevant qualifications or relevant work experience may also be required.
Points will be allocated to skilled migrant visa applicants who have work experience that is relevant to their qualification or a job offer in New Zealand. The greater the amount of work experience the greater the weighting of points that will be allocated to an application. Additional points may also be gained for having work experience in New Zealand.
Bonus points may be allocated to applicants who have either a job offer in New Zealand in one of these areas and/or work experience in one of these fields.
Points may be allocated for an applicant whose partner has either an offer of employment in New Zealand and/or a relevant qualification.
Additional points may be allocated to an applicant who has a New Zealand job offer outside of Auckland.
Applicants can also be awarded points for having a close family member who is a permanent resident or citizen of New Zealand.
Sponsored / Family
The sponsored visa operates on a points based system that focuses predominantly on the skills, qualifications and work experience of the Australian skilled migration applicant.
The total point’s requirement is open to change and is dependent on decisions made by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA).
The current pass mark for a Skilled-Australian Sponsored visa for migration to Australia is 100 points, however a World Visas migration consultant will advise of any changes to this upon initial consultation. This application is supported by a sponsor to ensure that the applicant meets the necessary point’s requirement.
This type of visa entitles people immigrating to Australia to gain permanent residency status. After a two-year period, providing relevant criteria have been met, the visa holder may apply for Australian citizenship.
An Australian visa application for Skilled Sponsored Migration must be lodged before the applicant reaches the age of 45.
The main applicant:
The visa applicant must:
To migrate under this category, the applicant must have an assurer. The assurer must also meet several requirements, including having a certain income level.
There are strict health and character requirements that must be met before any permanent visa of more than 12 months will be granted. Those people attempting to migrate will be required to:
Spouse Visas
The initial spouse visa is granted for two years, after which time the applicant is required to show the relationship is still a genuine one. The Australian spouse visa can lead to Australian permanent residence.
The main applicant must:
Australia has strict health and character requirements that must be met before any permanent visa of more than 12 months will be granted. People attempting to migrate to Australia on an Australian spouse visa will be required to:
Additional Information: An Australian spouse visa application will need to be supported by documentary evidence of the spousal relationship.
State/Territory sponsor
Migration to Australia under the Skilled Sponsored class requires state nomination and sponsorship.
Sponsored permanent residence offers applicants the opportunity to migrate to Australia on the basis of their skills and/or educational background. Australia attempts to target people who are highly skilled and who will quickly make a contribution to the Australian economy.
There are currently eight states and territories participating in the skilled sponsored programme. These are South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Each state has its own 'Occupation in Demand' list which applicants must be able to suitably match their profession with.
The Australian Skilled Sponsored visa entitles people immigrating to Australia to gain permanent residency status. After a four year period, providing relevant criteria have been met, Australian citizenship may be applied for. A successful applicant has an obligation to remain in the nominating state for a period of two years.
The applicants must be under 45 years old.
The applicants must have sufficient English language ability.
The main Skilled Independent Visa applicant:
Australia has strict health and character requirements that must be met before any permanent visa of more than 12 months will be granted. Also there are some more requirements:
Business Visas
New Zealand is an uncomplicated place to do business. It has an efficient, market-oriented economy, an established and secure business environment and no corruption. New Zealand has a deregulated, decentralised economy directly exposed to international competition.
New Zealand is a country with an economic outlook, free market philosophy and political stability that is highly geared for success. New Zealand is a sophisticated, highly technologically aware nation and its people are proven early adopters of a whole range of technologies.
There are three main business structures in New Zealand
An individual owns all the assets of the business and is responsible for all of the risk associated with the business.
Partnerships governed by the Partnership Act 1908;
Companies governed by the Companies Act 1993. A company may be incorporated in New Zealand by registering certain documents with the Registrar of Companies and paying a prescribed fee.
Business in New Zealand is controlled by three government agencies:
The Commerce Commission is responsible for making sure businesses adhere to the rules and regulations of the Fair Trading Act 1986, the Commerce Act 1986 and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
The tax year for most businesses is April 1 to March 31. An income tax return must be completed each tax year.There are a number of taxes that New Zealand businesses will or may be involved with.
For all of these taxes your business will need to:
Income tax is payable on the net profit from your business, which is the income earned less any business expenses. The resident business tax rate is flat 33%.
Note that income of husbands/wives/partners is treated separately for tax purposes. Goods and services tax (a consumption based tax known as GST) is charged at the rate of 12.5% on all goods and services in New Zealand with a few exceptions including financial services and domestic rents. Fringe benefit tax is payable on certain items people may receive as part of an employment package (such as subsidised transport, low interest loans). There are also gift and stamp duties, minimal import tariffs and miscellaneous excise duties (for instance on alcohol and tobacco).
There are no capital gains taxes in New Zealand except for some classes of transaction. If your business operates as an employer, you will need to register with the Inland Revenue as an employer and make pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) and other deductions (such as student loan repayments) from your employee's wages each pay day. Your business will also need to keep wages records, such as a wage book. On a monthly basis your business must notify Inland Revenue of who its employees are, how much they earned and what deductions were made from their wages.
If you already have an IRD number for non-business income and you are a sole trader, you will use the same number for your business.If you are going to operate your business as a company, partnership or trust, you will need to get a separate IRD number.
Employing staff for your small business carries certain legal responsibilities with respect to your employees. The Employment Relations Act 2000 is the principal statute regulating employment in New Zealand. There are also a number of other statutes regulating holidays, minimum wages and minimum working conditions for factories. New Zealand law aims to prevent harm to workers and others in places of work. It does this by setting out the responsibilities of all people involved in the workplace to make sure it is safe.
Employers are responsible for:
Some businesses require licenses or permits in order to operate. It is important to have the correct business licences and permits required to legally operate your business.
New Zealand’s business immigration policy aims to attract migrants who will contribute to New Zealand’s economic growth through:
Currently the following business categories are available:
Student Visas
An Australian Student Visa allows people who are not Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents, to study in Australia and undertake a registered course.
Australia is a consistently popular destination for students who want to study overseas and the Australian Government welcomes foreign nationals to the country under a variety of student visa subclasses.
In Australia, visas for study are divided into several divisions based on their specific purpose and the types of study they cover. Some of the key sub-categories are set out below.
Independent ELICOS Visa - Subclass 570
This visa category is specifically for students who will be studying the ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) programme. Students in this class will be undertaking the programme in its own right, not as a precursor to further study.
Schools Visa - Subclass 571
The Australian schools visa class applies to all those attending a primary, junior secondary or senior secondary school and applies to approved exchange programmes.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) - Subclass 572
This study visa service applies to Certificates I, II, III and IV, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas.
Higher Education Visa - Subclass 573
The higher education visa applies to those studying for a Bachelor degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Associate Degree.
Postgraduate Research - Subclass 574
Postgraduate research visas apply to Masters degrees and PhDs
Non-award - Subclass 575
This visa class specifically covers bridging or foundation courses which do not involve an award of any kind.
Successful Australian Student Visa applicants may work full-time during vacations or when semester is not in session. During term time student visa holders can work up to 20 hours a week. Family members of Masters and PhD students may apply for unrestricted work rights once the primary student has commenced his or her Masters or PhD course. This also applies to AusAid dependants of Masters and PhD students. The student visa can be granted a maximum of 12 weeks (2 months and 3 weeks) before your course commencement date allowing you to travel and explore the country and travel to Australia on a one-way ticket.
You may remain in Australia until your visa expires or is cancelled. However, if you plan to remain in Australia you must apply for another course, another visa, or depart Australia after your graduation. Foreign nationals studying in Australia can apply for subsidised student health cover and may be able to work in Australia subject to obtaining permission.
Visitors to Australia may study in the country without the need to apply for an Australian student visa for up to three months; however courses with a duration beyond this will require a visa application to be submitted. Involved with the granting of student visas, international students must provide evidence that satisfies the assessment factors applicable to your country of origin. Assessment factors include English proficiency levels and financial requirements amongst other matters.
Candidates who apply under the student visa category must be in good health and of good character and must not have any debts. Candidates must ensure that they fulfil the requirements of their course, including attendance and must only work in Australia where express permission is granted.
Australian study visas oblige the holder to remain with the sponsoring institution for a minimum of 12 months, or the entire course in circumstances where the course duration is less than 12 months. Applicants must also advise the educational institution of their address within seven days of arrival. Students must be able to support themselves and any dependents financially during their time in Australia and must have a sufficient level of proficiency in the English language to successfully complete their course.
In Australia, candidates are assessed at one of 5 levels depending upon the country whose passport they hold. Levels are based upon previous conduct of students from these countries and the perceived likelihood of the student undertaking and completing the proposed studies. The process seeks to determine that a student is genuinely entering the country in order to study. The higher the number of the assessment level, the more evidence it will be necessary to submit in order to secure a successful application.
A World Visas immigration consultant will be able to advise you of the likely assessment level of your country of residence.
Employer Nominee
Migration to Australia under the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) has been developed for Australian employers to recruit permanent and highly skilled staff from overseas (or temporary residents currently in Australia).
This occurs when they have been unable to fill a vacancy from within the Australian labour market or through their own training programs. See if your occupation is on the latest Employer Nomination Scheme list. Ask us for a list.
This is a permanent Australian visa.
The ENS applicant considering immigrating to Australia must be less than 45 years of age* at the time of an application being lodged.
*Exceptions on age might be considered where:
In brief, an employer wanting to recruit via the Employer Nomination Scheme must be able to demonstrate that:
In general terms, the applicant must:
- Provide a positive skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority and have 3 years experience in the occupation for which they have been nominated; or;
- Be nominated for a highly paid position (the minimum salary in this regard is currently $AUD 167,000 plus compulsory superannuation of 9%; or
- Have worked in Australia for at least the last 2 years on an eligible temporary visa in the occupation for which they have been nominated, including at least the last year for the nominating employer.
- Be able to satisfy any mandatory licensing, registration or professional membership requirements;
- Have vocational English language ability.
Australia has strict health and character requirements for any Australian visa application that must be met before any permanent Australian visa will be granted. People attempting to migrate to Australia on the Employer Nomination Visa Scheme will be required to:
