Australia’s Migration Program

Overview of Australia’s Migration Program Australia’s Migration Program: Family Stream – close family reunion (partners and children of Australian citizens and residents) Skill Stream – selects people on the basis of their skills to provide a net economic benefit for Australia in the short and long term

2007/8 Migration Program 148,000 to 158,000 Family Stream 56,000 Skilled Stream 108,500 Employer Sponsored General Skilled Migration 81, 300 Business Skills 2008/9 Migration Program 158,000 to 190,300 Skilled Stream 133, ,000 General Skilled Migration 98, 500 Plus uncapped Temporary Skilled Migration of approx 10,000 Migration Program Targets

What is a General Skilled Migration visa? A GSM visa facilitates pathways for people who are not sponsored by an employer but have skills in particular occupations that are required in Australia. A GSM visa provides skilled overseas people with the opportunity to apply for either a 18 month temporary visa, a provisional three year regional visa, or a permanent visa to bring their skills to Australia to live and work. Applicants can apply for a GSM visa onshore in Australia, or overseas in their home country. Applicants for a GSM visa need to meet a range of basic requirements to be eligible to apply.

General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program The GSM Program is for people who are not sponsored by an Australian employer and who have skills in particular occupations required in Australia. Applicants applying for a permanent GSM visa need to meet a passmark nominated by the Minister. All applicants must meet the basic threshold requirements: Age English language Skill Recent work experience or Qualifications

English language skills Threshold English is set to competent English (IELTS 6) Exceptions apply for: applicants with a trade occupation: vocational English; and applicants for a provisional visa who have paid for English language tuition: concessional competent English All offshore applicants and onshore permanent visa applicants must provide evidence that they meet the English language threshold at the time of application Onshore temporary and provisional visa applicants must have either evidence they meet the relevant threshold or evidence they have booked to sit an English language test Specified passport holders will be considered to have met the English language threshold without a test result All applicants seeking to claim maximum English points need to sit a test

GSM Points Test The GSM points test is structured to target the most appropriate skilled migrants Skill points are awarded for: –Skilled occupation –Skills –Work experience –English language proficiency Additional points for: –Occupations on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) –Sponsorship in a rural or regional area of Australia –Sponsorship by a state or territory government

Skilled Occupation List (SOL) Based on the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) groups 1 to 4. The SOL is a list of skilled occupations that are in need in Australia. Each occupation listed on the SOL is allocated a points value for use in the visa assessment process. An applicant’s experience and education relating to a nominated occupation on the SOL must meet Australian standards Confined to Professionals, para-Professionals, Managerial and Trades occupations