The roads to PR for skilled immigrants in Australia

Australia needs best-talented workers with skills and qualifications essential in its labor market. The country offers many pathways for migrants to arrive and work in Australia and settle in the country as a resident. The most important qualities Australia looks for in its migrants are:

• Education, skills, and qualifications relevant to the Australian labor market
• Work experience in relevant fields
• Language skills in English

The path to Australia PR depends on individual qualities, skills, and eligibility rankings. A PR in Australia appeals to millions across the world for its various factors that offer optimum conditions to live, study, and work. The significance of Australia is also high considering its success in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The visas offered by Australia to live and work in the country are of temporary and permanent nature. Let’s look into the different Australia work visa types that can help you find a footing in Australia.

PR visas that have no employer sponsorship

Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189)

• The visa is a points-tested one.
• No sponsorship from an Australian state/territory, an Australian employer, or family member to reside and work in the country.
• The eligible candidate will be under 45 years of age.
• The eligible candidate will have a job that’s listed on the MLTSSL.
• A positive skills assessment for the nominated occupation necessary to apply for this visa.
• After getting assessed successfully, the candidate must submit an EOI.
• Upon successful EOI submission, the candidate will receive an invitation to submit a visa application.

The COVID-19 situation has reduced the chances of securing PR with this visa. Just 6500 spots have been allocated to this visa stream in the 2020-21 period. The scenario will improve once the country gets over the pandemic situation.

Nominated visa (Subclass 190)

• Holders of this visa are highly-skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or territory to live and work in Australia permanently.
• A positive skills assessment for the nominated occupation necessary to apply for this visa.
• After getting assessed successfully, the candidate must submit an EOI.
• Upon successful EOI submission, the candidate will receive an invitation to submit a visa application.
• The candidate must show commitment to working in a specific region where he/she is willing to work. This is the only difference this visa has with Subclass 189.

Skilled Work Regional (Subclass 491)

• Holders of this visa can live and work in a specific region of Australia for up to 5 years.
• A positive skills assessment for the nominated occupation necessary to apply for this visa.
• After getting assessed successfully, the candidate must submit an EOI.
• Upon successful EOI submission, the candidate will receive an invitation to submit a visa application.
• The visa holder must work with an Australian employer in a regional area for 3 years.
• The visa holder must meet the minimum income requirement each year to be eligible for Subclass 191 (which means PR).

The visa is chosen for its comparatively lower requirements for eligibility.

PR visas based on employer sponsorship

Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186)

• Holders of this visa are Australian employers skilled enough to fill job positions that need high skills with relevant qualifications.
• The candidate for this visa must have 3 years of work experience after getting the relevant qualification.
• The employer sponsoring the candidate must have the ability to retain the candidate in a full-time job available for at least 2 years from the date when the visa is granted.
• The MLTSSL requirement is mandatory for the holders of this visa.
• The candidate must have a minimum annual salary of $53,900.

Temporary Skill Shortage visa (Subclass 482)

• The holders of this visa are overseas workers sponsored by Australian employers to live and work in the country temporarily.
• This visa assists employers who can’t meet their labor needs through a skilled Australian workforce from the local labor market.
• The visa is available with a validity of 2 or 4 years.
• The PR pathway for this visa is via the Subclass 186 visa after working with the designated employer for 3 years.
• The sponsor must give evidence that the job position was advertised within the last 4 months for a minimum period of 4 weeks. This is necessary under the LMT and relevant Australian conditions for employers to establish that the sponsor had made attempts to recruit suitable and qualified Australians to work in the job position nominated.

Skilled Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 494)

• This visa lets employers sponsor foreign workers to live and work in Australia’s regional areas on a temporary basis.
• The PR route for holders of this visa is via Subclass 191. For this, the visa holder has to work for 3 years with the designated employer in one of Australia’s regional areas.
• The job position filled must be listed on either the MLTSSL or ROL.
• The job must be full-time in nature and must be offered in a designated regional area.
• The job must be likely to exist for the next 5 years.

The GTI program

• It’s a visa pathway for PR that’s streamlined to attract the brightest migrants and candidates earning high income at the top of their field of occupation.
• The 7 designated sectors focused on under this visa program are space, med-tech, ag-tech, fin-tech, mining tech, data science, energy, and cybersecurity.
• For eligibility, the candidates must demonstrate that they have the potential to earn a salary at or above the annual income threshold of $153,600.
• The candidate’s application must be supported by a nationally reputed nominator in the same field.

So, there it is! These pathways to PR via temporary and permanent visas offered under Australia immigration are for you to try and earn the chance to a great future.

If you found this blog engaging, you may also like…

Australia’s Value Statement made mandatory for visa applicants

Note:

PR – Permanent Residence

EOI – Expression of Interest

MLTSSL - Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List

ROL – Regional Occupation List