General Skilled Migration in 2022 - What you need to know

General Skilled Migration program is intended to fill skills gaps in the Australian economy by targeting specific occupations and individuals with relevant skills & experience. This category of visas are points-tested and are either independent, state / territory sponsored or family sponsored. There are both provisional and permanent options depending on your occupation and circumstances, with additional points awarded for designated regional areas.

State sponsorship for offshore applicants
With the upcoming border reopening, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory & South Australia have updated their requirements for offshore applicants. 

To be considered for a New South Wales invitation round, you must:

• Have a valid skills assessment in an occupation that is listed on the NSW occupation list

• Have continuously resided outside of Australia for the past 3 months

To be considered for a Australian Capital Territory invitation round, you must:

• Have a valid skills assessment for an occupation that is listed on the latest ACT Critical Skills List

• Have a full time job offer from an ACT employer (medium to large enterprise) - position must be available for at least 2 years

To be considered for a South Australia invitation round, you must:

• Have a valid skills assessment for an occupation that is listed on the South Australia 

• Occupation must be available to offshore applicant

Current skill shortages that are in demand
COVID-19 has affected many aspects of our lives, businesses and the economy. With immigration and travel heavily impacted, Australia is currently facing labour shortages in the following industries:

• Hospitality 

• Engineering

• Information, communication & technology (ICT)

• Healthcare

Individuals in these industries stand higher chances at gaining an invitation (depending on the state they are applying for).

Why General Skilled Migration?

Freedom to work for any employer
As a permanent resident, you will have full work rights and will not be required to be sponsored by an employer unlike work visas - meaning you will have the freedom to work for any employer you like.

Sponsor your relatives to come to Australia
Permanent residents will be able to sponsor family members to live in Australia through family visas.

Access to government schemes & centrelink
COVID-19 made many people realise the need for proper governmental assistance. Permanent residents will have access to government schemes such as HELP loans for students, healthcare via Medicare & social services through Centrelink.

Eligibility to apply for citizenship
If you have stayed in Australia for 4 years, with at least 1 year as a permanent resident, you might be able to apply for citizenship. As an Australian citizen, you will have benefits such as having voting rights and not having to renew your permanent residency.

Getting started 

Identify suitable occupation
In order to be eligible, you must first have an occupation that is listed on the following occupation lists:

• Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

• State / Territory Skills List

• Regional Occupation Lists

Skills assessment
After identifying a relevant occupation, we will then need to obtain a positive skills assessment with appropriate skill assessing body as proof of you relevant work experience and qualifications.

Submit Expression of Interest (EOI)
After receiving a positive skills assessment, we will then submit Expression of Interest (EOI) based on your circumstances. This will include the points that you wish to claim. 

State nomination (If applicable)
Depending on the occupation, you might be able to claim additional points for state nomination which will further increase your chances of receiving an invitation. 

Visa application
Once you have received an invitation, we will then need to start preparing the documents necessary. The documents will include evidence of the points you have claimed in the EOI. This is a critical step as your visa application has to reflect the points you have claimed or it will result in a refusal on the application.

How to start

The next step is to first identify an occupation that is appropriate based on your qualifications and work experience so we can get the process started. Even if you are unsure if you meet the requirements for certain occupations, we can first look at a skills assessment to identify other options that might be available, such as work visas or business visas.