Australia, a safe and modern country to live, is a popular immigration destination. The cities in Australia are ranked among the most livable, which are also known for their vibrancy, cultural diversity and fast-paced lifestyle. The regional areas have a more laid-back environment, where the residents can enjoy a diverse range of outdoor activities and natural landscapes. Being one of the reliable Australia immigration consultants in Kochi, ImmiLaw Global provides all assistance for your Australia immigration program.
This visa category exclusively targets people who have one or more skills listed in the Skilled Occupation List of Australia. However, the candidates have to meet certain eligibility criteria to apply for visas under this category.
These include:
The GSM program comprises several subclasses of visas. These visas are divided into two major categories-permanent and provisional. A candidate can apply for any of these visas either onshore(inside Australia) or offshore.
Skilled visas allow the holder to live and work in Australia as a permanent resident. To be eligible for a skilled visa, a candidate must have:
The occupation nominated by the candidate must be featured on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
Skilled workers nominated by an Australian state or authority are eligible to apply for this visa. With a Subclass 190 visa, a skilled worker can live and work in Australia as a permanent resident.
To be eligible for this visa, a candidate must have:
Nomination by an Australian state or territory adds 5 points to the total score of the candidate
This visa is issued to skilled workers nominated by a state or territory to live in a region of a low population growth area in Australia. Skilled workers sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area in Australia can also apply for this visa.
Requirements
The subclass 489 visa has three pathways:
The Extended Stay pathway: This pathway is for applicants who currently hold any of the following provisional visas:475, 487, 495 or 496.
The Invited pathway: This pathway is for those candidates who do not meet the criteria for the extended pathway. They must either be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government agency or sponsored by an eligible relative residing in the designated area.
The Subsequent Entry pathway: This pathway is for those applicants who are a family member of someone who holds a Skilled Regional Visa 489 or a subclass 475, 487, 495 or 496 visa. The validity of this visa is up to four years, and the holder is supposed to live and work in a specified regional area of Australia, to become eligible for a permanent visa.
This visa may help you obtain permanent Skilled Regional Visa(Subclass 887), with which you can live and work in Australia as a permanent resident. If the candidate has a nomination or sponsorship, they get an additional 10 points.
This visa, which is not based on a point system, grants full permanent residence to the holder.
To be eligible, the candidate must:
Have a subclass 489, 495, 496, 475 or 487, or a Bridging visa A (BVA) or B after applying for a subclass 489, 495 or 487 visas.
Have lived in a specified regional area of Australia for a minimum of two years or worked full time in a specified regional area for a minimum of one year.
The Australian government introduced a Temporary Skill Shortage(TSS) visa replacing the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457 visa). This visa allows Australian businesses to fill temporary skills gaps. However, an applicant must have an Australian employer willing to sponsor them to be eligible for this visa.
TSS comprises two streams:
Short-Term Skilled Occupations List (STSOL): This is a visa with a validity of two years and an option to re-apply for another two years. This visa does not have a pathway to Permanent Residence(PR).
Medium-Term Skilled Occupations List (MLTSSL): The visa under this category with a validity of four years can be renewed as long as the occupation is still on the list. The holder can also apply for PR after three years. To apply for this visa, the candidate must be sponsored by their current Australian employer, who must nominate them for a specific job.
Depending on which TSS stream you are applying for, you have to demonstrate adequate English language skills-IELTS 5 or 6.
A number of business and investment visas are available for those who plan to set up a new business in Australia or purchase an existing one. The Australian business visas which are presently available are:
To get a Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188), a candidate has to be nominated by a state or territory or Australian agency. Further, the candidate also needs to be invited by the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.
The visa comprises four streams:
Business Innovation Stream:
Businesspersons who want to set up and manage a new or existing business in Australia can apply through this stream. The applicant has to be nominated by a state or territorial government.
Investor stream:
Persons who can make a designated investment of at least AUD 1.5 million in an Australian state or territory and maintain business and investment activity in Australia can apply through this stream. Under this stream, too, the applicant has to be nominated by a state or territory government.
Significant Investor Stream: People who are willing to invest at least AUD 5 million into complying with significant investments and want to maintain business and investment activity in Australia can apply under this stream. To be eligible, the candidate has to be nominated by a state or territory government or Austrade on behalf of the Australian government.
Premium Investor Stream:
People who are willing to invest at least AUD 15 million into complying premium investments in Australia and maintain business and investment activity in Australia may apply under this stream. To be eligible, candidates have to be nominated by Austrade on behalf of the Australian government. This is a provisional visa and the holder, if eligible, can apply for a Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (Subclass 888).
This is a permanent residence visa that allows a candidate to set up or develop an existing business in Australia. The visa has two streams: Significant Business History Stream and Venture Capital Entrepreneur Stream.
To be eligible for visas under these streams, a candidate has to be nominated by a state or territorial government agency and invited to apply by the Minister.
If the candidate intends to apply for a visa through the Significant Business History Stream, they must have a net business and personal assets worth at least AUD 1.5million and annual business turnover of at least AUD 3 million.
If the candidate is planning to apply through the Venture Capital Entrepreneur Stream, they must have obtained at least AUD 1 million in venture capital development of a high-value business idea in Australia.
International students who enroll for a course that lasts more than four months in Australia require an Australian student visa.
Before applying for the Australian student visa, the candidate must have obtained an unconditional offer of a place at the Australian university, have accepted that place in writing and paid the tuition fee deposit.
An international student has to apply for a Subclass 500 student visa to pursue all programs of study in Australia. In order to apply for his visa, the student must have received a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from their chosen university. A CoE is issued to a student when they accept in writing a formal letter from university offering admission to a course and make the required deposit towards the tuition fees.
No age limit:
There is no age limit to apply for an Australian student visa.
Cost of application:
Currently, the application fee for an Australian student visa is AU$75, which has to be paid along with the application. The application charges for Australian student visas are reviewed annually on July 1. If you have dependents who will be joining you on your visa, an additional fee has to be paid along with the application.
The validity of the visa:
The validity of the student visa will last for the duration of the study program. It will also allow the student to spend some more time in Australia even after the completion of the course. This extra time can range from one to three months, depending on the length of the course and the month in which it ends. For example, if the duration of your course is more than ten months and ends in November or December, the student visa will usually expire on March 15 of the following year.
A candidate can arrive in Australia on a student visa up to 90 days before the commencing date of their study program.
How long will it take to obtain a student visa?
The processing time of student visa may vary, and it may take up to four weeks. So it is recommended to apply for a student visa as soon as the student receives the CoE.
Working while on a student visa
A student visa holder can work up to 40 hours a fortnight during the term and full time during the holidays. However, a candidate will be able to start working only after the study program commences. Work to be done as part of the study program will not be included in the limit. But you need a work permit even if you are doing unpaid or voluntary work, which will come under the 40-hour limit.
Taking partner along
It is possible to take your partner along to Australia as dependent on a student visa. However, the candidate needs to prove that they have been in a genuine and exclusive relationship for at least 12 months. It means the couple must be living together for at least 12 months.
Health requirements
In order to be eligible for an Australian student visa, a candidate has to meet certain health requirements and undergo a health examination. The requirements vary depending on:
You can undergo health examinations before lodging the visa application. But it must not be more than six months before the course starts.
In certain circumstances, you can apply for another visa at the end of your course. If the student has completed a study program with a duration of at least two years towards a university bachelor, master’s or research degree, they can apply for a post-study work visa. This visa allows the holder to stay in Australia from two to four years, depending on the level of study.
The obligations for Australia student visa include:
If you need any assistance for Australia immigration, you can contact ImmiLaw Global’s expert Australia immigration consultants in Kochi by dialling 9072 322 322, 0484-4876164. Queries and feedback can be sent to the email-id info@immilawglobal.com.
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