Santa Monica in association with Migration Agents in Australia has assisted a lot of qualified professionals to migrate to Australia, from the initial assessment stage till they reach Australia. Now Australian Government is embarked on liberalizing the entry criteria for the skilled professionals of its demand list. 2011 affords a fantastic opportunity for various skilled professionals from India to migrate to Australia with family.
Australia is experiencing a severe skills shortage due to its ageing population. There is a huge demand of skilled labor from overseas. Australia is a developed country, with a prosperous multicultural society and has excellent health care, life expectancy, quality of life, human development, public education, economic freedom, and the protection of civil liberties and political rights.
Skilled migrants wishing to work in Australia will be assessed on a point based system based on different attributes: work experience, qualifications and language proficiency. One of the basic requirements of Skilled Migration is to choose an occupation from the list determined by the Australian government that best matches either your work experience and/or qualifications. This list is called the Skilled Occupations List (SOL). Although extensive, it does not include every possible occupation, only those which are currently sought-after in Australia. Each occupation, depending on its rating, attracts a certain number of points. Assuming your skills are assessed as suitable for your nominated occupation, these points will be used in calculating your total Points Test Score.
The General Skilled Migration (GSM) program is for people who are not sponsored by an employer and who have skills in occupations that Australia needs to fill labor shortages. Applicants must be over 18 and under 50 years of age and speak good English. They must also have recent skilled work experience or a recently earned and eligible Australian qualification as well as qualifications for an occupation listed on Australia's Skilled Occupation List (SOL). Engineers (in different stream), Accountant, Health Care Professionals, Architects, Teachers, Social Workers, Electricians, Welders etc are in high demand in Australia.
Australian Skilled Independent (Migrant) visa (subclass 175), Skilled Sponsored (Migrant) visa (subclass 176), Skilled Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclass 475), Skilled Recognized Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 476) are the main visa categories which offer by Australian government to aspiring migrants. In order to be eligible for General Skilled Migration you should score minimum 65 points and 60 points for subclass 176 and 475.
Skilled – Independent (Migrant) visa (Sub class 175)
The Skilled Independent visa is a permanent work visa for individuals who have the qualifications and skills required to fill Australia's skill shortages. Applicants are required to obtain a minimum of 65 points on a points assessment. Applicants are required to be under 45 years of age and be able demonstrate that they have a qualification and/or skills in an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). Applicants for the Skilled Independent visa do not require sponsorship. This visa allows you and any secondary applicants included in your visa application to live as permanent residents in Australia.
Skilled – Sponsored (Migrant) visa (Sub class 176)
The Skilled Sponsored visa is a permanent work visa for individuals who have the qualifications or skills that are needed by the Australian economy, but cannot meet the pass mark required to obtain a Skilled Independent visa.
Skilled Sponsored visa applicants are required to obtain a minimum of 60 points on a points assessment and must either obtain sponsorship from an eligible relative living in Australia or nomination from a participating State or Territory government. Applicants are required to be under 45 years of age and be able to demonstrate that they have a qualification or the skills of an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).
Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (Sub class 475)
The Skilled Regional Sponsored visa is a provisional work visa for individuals who have the qualifications and skills required to address Australia's skill shortage, but cannot meet the pass mark required to obtain a Skilled Independent visa. Applicants are required to obtain a minimum of 60 points on a point assessment and must either obtain sponsorship from an eligible relative living in a designated area of Australia or nomination from a participating State or Territory government.
Candidates under 45 years of age and who can able to demonstrate that they possess a qualification or the skills of an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) are eligible to apply for this visa.
Applicants for an Australian Skilled Regional Sponsored visa must be prepared to live for two years and work for at least twelve months in a Specified Regional Area of Australia. A Skilled Regional Sponsored visa is valid for up to three years and provides a pathway to permanent residence.
Skilled – Recognised Graduate (Temporary) visa (Sub class 476)
This visa allows recent graduates of selected overseas universities to gain up to 18 months of skilled work experience in occupations in demand in Australia. As a holder of this visa, you may apply for permanent residence at any time if you are able to meet the required mark on the General Skilled Migration points test. This visa is only for those who have completed an Engineering degree at a recognised overseas institution in the last two years.
The eligibility criteria for applying for this visa are Age, English Language Ability, Eligible Qualification, Recognised overseas institution, Location, Health, Character, And Australian Values Statement.
Temporary Business Visa(457)
The Australian 457 visa (Temporary Business Long Stay) is a temporary work visa that allows employers to sponsor overseas workers to fill nominated skilled positions. The 457 visa is currently the most common pathway of business sponsorship for overseas workers.
457 visa applicants must have an employer willing to sponsor them as part of the visa application process. Employers must meet specific sponsorship and nomination steps before the prospective employee can apply for a 457 visa.
A 457 visa is valid for up to four (4) years and work experience gained in Australia on this visa may lead to permanent residence either through sponsorship by an eligible employer or the skilled migration program.
Point Calculation System:
Immigration points calculator assesses the eligibility of an applicant for Permanent Residency(PR) to Australia under General Skilled Migration Program. Applicants who are not sponsored by an employer must pass points test which calculates number of points an applicant can avail. At present minimum 65 points are required to be eligible for permanent residency. Use the table below to assess your eligibility.
| Criteria | Description | Points |
| Age | 18 to 24 years | 25 |
| 25 to 32 years | 30 | |
| 33 to 39 years | 25 | |
| 40 to 44 years | 15 | |
| 45 to 49 years | 0 | |
| English Language Proficiency | IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) Number to show you have a band score of at least eight on each of the four components – speaking, reading, listening and writing | 20 |
| IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) Number to show you have a band score of at least seven on each of the four components – speaking, reading, listening and writing | 10 | |
| Qualification | Doctorate Degree | 20 |
| Bachelors Degree including Honors or Masters | 15 | |
| Diploma or Trade qualification | 10 | |
| Work Experience | 3 years in relevant field | 5 |
| 5 years | 10 | |
| 8 years and above | 15 | |
| Australian Study | One or more degrees diplomas or trade qualifications attained from Australian educational institutions in a total of atleast 16 months and closely related to your skilled occupation | 5 |
| Australian Work Experience | 1 year | 5 |
| 3 years | 10 | |
| 5 years | 15 | |
| 8 years | 20 | |
| Sponsorship | State/Territory sponsorship | 5 |
| Regional sponsorship | 10 | |
| Partner skills | Primary applicant's partner meets threshold requirements for a skilled migration visa. | 5 |
Points may vary based on many factors. Note: The above mentioned is only an outline on the subject and vary time to time. Therefore, we recommend referring concerned official websites for detailed and updated information. Refer Useful Links
To view SOL Click Here
General Information
Australia is a young, vibrant and friendly country in which students can live, learn and grow. So if you want a quality education and a good lifestyle, Australia’s the place to be.
Australia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. This is due to its small population and its large area of approximately 7.7 million square kilometers. Australians are among the most urbanized people in the world. For example, just over 60% of them live in the capital cities and about 20% live in Sydney. Also, around 80% of the inhabitants of each state and territory live within 100 km of their capital cities. Australia has 3 levels of government: Federal State &Local. Australia has a liberal parliamentary democracy, which is similar to the USA and UK.
Australians pride themselves on their friendliness and multiculturalism. They live in a generally safe, friendly, sophisticated and harmonious society. Many ethnic groups are represented in Australia, making it one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Although English is the official language in Australia, there are more than 200 languages spoken in Australian households. Australia is predominantly a Christian country; however, all religions are represented in Australian society. Australians respect the freedom of people to practice their choice of religion. Churches, mosques, temples and synagogues are located in most major cities.
Australia has a relatively warm climate. Summers tend to be hotter and more humid in the north and winters are usually colder in the south. Australia is an island continent and its landscape consists mainly of low plateaus, which are sectioned off by several rugged mountain ranges. The Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2000 km and covers an area of almost 35 million hectares on the northeast continental shelf of Australia. It runs from north of Fraser Island to the tip of Cape York and provides habitats for many forms of marine life. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park covers 132,566 hectares close to the centre of Australia and is owned by the Anangu Aboriginal people. It contains a range of remarkable geological and landform features including the spectacular monoliths of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). The island state of Tasmania is separated from mainland Australia. The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area is one of the largest conservation reserves in Australia. It covers about 20 per cent of Tasmania (1.38 million hectares), and it is one of only three temperate wilderness areas remaining in the Southern Hemisphere.
The first inhabitants of Australia were the Aborigines, who migrated there at least 40,000 years ago from Southeast Asia. Free settlers and former prisoners established six colonies: New South Wales (1786), Tasmania (then Van Diemen's Land) (1825), Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1834), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859). The six colonies became states and in 1901 federated into the Commonwealth of Australia Australia is divided politically into six States and two Territories namely New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory ( ACT).
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