The majority of Australians live on the coast and in major cities – around 75% of Australia’s population live in urban areas. It is the driest inhabited continent on Earth. Its interior has one of the lowest rainfalls in the world, and about three-quarters of the land is arid or semi-arid, extending from the large central deserts to the western coast.

To visit, you will need a valid, full ten-year passport that will still be valid for at least six months after your scheduled return. Next, you will need a visa or an electronic travel authority (ETA). If you are planning to do some paid work, you will need a working holiday visa.

Australia is an extremely popular destination for highly skilled young people wishing to start a new life in another country. The economy is strong and Australia is actively encouraging the immigration of skilled migrants. Those skilled migrants wishing to work in Australia will be assessed on a points-based system.

Australia’s permanent immigration programme has two components: migration (for skilled, family and special eligibility stream migrants) and humanitarian (for refugees and others in humanitarian need). The migration level for 2008/2009 is 190,300 places, an increase of 20% on the previous year, and breaks down as follows:

• 56,500 places for family migrants who are sponsored by family members already in Australia 
• 133,500 places for skilled migrants who gain entry essentially because of their work or business skills 
• 300 places for special eligibility migrants and Australian residents under a resolution of status.

Around 70% of places are in the skill stream programme, and this is the area that will be of most interest to Quest readers. Applicants for a general skilled migration (GSM) visa need to:

• Be over 18 and under 45 years of age at the time they apply 
• Have an occupation listed on the skilled occupation list (SOL), which covers

– Managers and administrators 
– Professionals 
– Associate professionals 
– Trades persons and related workers

• Have their skills assessed as being suitable for that occupation by the relevant assessing authority 
• Have a good level of English language ability 
• Have recent skilled work experience or have recently completed an Australian qualification as the result of two years’ full-time study in Australia.

Most visas require applicants to pass the GSM test in which points are awarded for:

• Nominated skilled occupation 
• Age 
• English language ability 
• Specific work experience 
• Australian work experience 
• Australian qualifications 
• Occupation in demand/job offer 
• Regional Australia study 
• Partner skills 
• State/territory nomination 
• Eligible relative sponsorship 
• Designated language. 

Recent changes include more points for very good English skills and reducing the visa structure from fifteen subclasses to nine. The different subclass options available under the GSM programme are organised into onshore and offshore categories, and then into sponsored and independent categories. Onshore visas are meant for individuals already in Australia to apply. Offshore visas are for people who will be granted a permanent immigration visa from abroad, and this is the most common way for people to immigrate to Australia as skilled migrants. Sponsored visas are for applicants who are sponsored by an Australian relative or an Australian state/territory government. Sponsored visas have more requirements placed upon them and, in some cases, a bond must be paid. Independent visas have the fewest restrictions and are preferred for people with the right qualifications who do not have an employer to sponsor them. In some cases, unsuccessful applicants can be placed in a reserve pool.

Principle visa subclasses within the GSM category are as follows:

• Offshore permanent

– Skilled independent (subclass 175) for skilled applicants outside Australia; applicants do not require sponsorship and will be assessed against the GSM test
– Skilled sponsored (subclass 176) for skilled applicants outside Australia; applicants must be sponsored by an eligible Australian relative, or nominated by a state/territory government; they will be assessed against the GSM test

• Offshore provisional

– Skilled regional sponsored (subclass 475) for skilled applicants outside Australia –a three-year provisional visa; applicants must be sponsored by an eligible Australian relative living in a designated area of Australia, or nominated by a state/territory government agency; they will be assessed against the GSM test
– Skilled recognised graduate (subclass 476) for recent graduates in specified disciplines from recognised overseas educational institutions, who have skills in demand in Australia; it is valid for 18 months and has unrestricted work and study rights; it is not points tested and holders can apply for a permanent or provisional GSM or employer-sponsored visa at any time

• Onshore permanent and provisional visas are available for students, graduates and people with skills who are already in Australia, whether independently or under a sponsorship scheme.

The skill-matching database helps match skilled applicants with skilled vacancies or skill shortages in Australia. Applicants may choose to place their details on the database, which can be accessed by state/territory governments, which may then nominate them for migration.

Further information

Offshore visa applications are processed at GPO Box 1638, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia Tel: 0061 1300 364 613 Website:www.immi.gov.au

Or contact the Migration Branch, Australian High Commission, Strand, London WC2B 4LA Tel: 09065 508 900 Website:www.australia.org.uk