Skilled Visas

Australia’s general skilled visa program allows individuals who have a skilled occupation and who are aged under 45 to move to Australia on a permanent basis.

Moving to Australia under the skilled visa program includes the following key steps:

  • Having an occupation that appears on the Australian Department of Immigration’s relevant list of skilled occupations. There are two key lists of skilled occupations: the Skilled Occupations List (the SOL), and the Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List (the CSOL).
  • Obtaining a migration skills assessment from the independent assessing body in Australia that is given the authority by the Department of Immigration to assess your nominated occupation.
  • Demonstrating a minimum level of English language competency. For those with certain passports (notably the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Canada, the US, or New Zealand) there is an assumption that English language is adequate, but for those without a passport from one of these countries an English language test will need to be attended and a satisfactory result achieved. It should be noted that a requirement to have English language competency is applied by certain migration skills assessment bodies as well as by the Department of Immigration to the visa application – and that the assessing body’s competency requirement can be higher than for the visa application.
  • Securing at least 65 points (from the 1st of July, 2018) under the skilled visa points test.
  • Lodging an Expression of Interest with the Department of Immigration in Australia. This is not a visa application, but – as its name implies – is an expression on the part of the intending migrant of a wish to migrate to Australia.
  • Accepting an invitation from the Department of Immigration to lodge a visa application, and lodging documentation to support the details provided in the Expression of Interest.
  • If lodging an application for a Skilled Nominated subclass 190 visa or a Skilled Regional Provisional subclass 489 visa, obtaining sponsorship from a State or Territory Government in Australia.

Visas granted to general skilled migrants are mainly under the following subclasses:

GM Skilled – a division of Go Matilda Visas – is your ideal partner for guidance and advice on a skilled visa strategy.

We work with our clients on the basis of fixed fees, and a wish to have a long term relationship based on our expertise, trust and a quality service.

If you would like help with an Australian skilled visa application please contact your nearest GM Skilled office or complete the form on this page for a no obligation free initial discussion.

We look forward to hearing from you.