Australian Visa Types

Australia's migration legislation is complex and subject to frequent amendment.
Please note as from 1 January 2009, the new Ministerial Direction gives priority processing to applications strictly in the following order:
 
1.  Employer sponsorship; then
2.  State or Territory Sponsorship; then
3.  An occupation on the Critical Skill List (CSL); then
4.  Business Skills; then
5.  An occupation on the MODL: and then
6.  All other applications
 
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is currently in the process of identifying and allocating all State or Territory Sponsored applications. Once these are all completely allocated, only then will cases with occupations on the CSL commence allocation and not until after all CSL applications are allocated will we be able to look at the remaining application priorities.
 
The Minister further advised for 2009/10, only 108,100 places for Skilled visas will be granted. The processing time of the Skilled Migration applications have not been advised. 


Visa Types are too numerous and complex to discuss in detail but we will now briefly refer to the 4 areas of migration to Australia:

Skilled

People with recognised skills and/or experience in particular occupations may either obtain Sponsorship by an Australian or overseas employer to work in Australia or may independently, without Sponsorship, obtain Permanent Residency Skilled migration if able to satisfy criteria inclusive of:

  • Less than 45 years at date of application
  • English language ability
  • Australian studies or recent work experience
  • Favourable Skills Assessment may be necessary
  • Health and character criteria
  • Sponsorship by Australian relatives, employers or State or Territory Governments may also assist

 

Business

Business people may visit Australia for short-term stays or longer periods to enable establishment, partnership or purchase of business in Australia. Business investment visas enable temporary entry with the possibility for permanent residence provided they satisfy a required level of business or investment in Australia. The relevant criteria may be eased if one obtains State or Territory Government Sponsorship.

Applicants' recent business and/or investment history will be assessed together with asset ownership, English ability, age and various other criteria including satisfaction of health and character.
 
Family Reunion

There are a number of migration options for fiancés, spouses, defacto spouses, interdependent partners, dependent children, parents, carer and other family reunion categories. These options require Sponsorship by their Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or eligible New Zealand Citizen family members. All must satisfy certain criteria however English is not always required.
 
Humanitarian

This program provides protection to asylum seekers and resettlement for people in humanitarian need overseas.
 

Other Temporary Visa Options
 
Include Student, Working Holiday, Occupational Trainee, Visitor, Investor Retirement, Religious Worker - all of which have their own specific criteria.
 
To provide Immigration advice or assistance in Australia, one must be registered with the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) as a registered Migration Agent.
 
Many RMAs are also members of the peak professional body known as the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA). Please note that if you deal with an Immigration Advisor outside of Australia, you may assume substantial risks as such persons need not be registered with MARA and therefore will not be regulated by MARA.
 
Please refer to MARAs website at www.mara.com.au to view the list of RMAs both in Australia and overseas. The MIA website is www.mia.org.au
 


The above options are certainly not exhaustive of the manner in which a person may gain Temporary or Permanent Residency of Australia whereby it is recommended you seek professional advice to determine any Migration option.

 

 

Click here for the Australian Assessment Form