Do you want to call Australia home?

From its white sandy beaches to the red earth of its centre, Australia offers a wealth of natural wonders, dynamic urban centres and a warm, enviable climate. It’s always been a popular destination for tourists and working holiday makers, but Australia is now also the home of tens of thousands of skilled migrants who have made the move “down under”.

Due to Australia’s economic growth, the demand for skilled workers is high and the Australian government is offering over 100,000 skilled visas this year alone. From accountants to IT to tradespeople and nurses, the General Skilled Migration program has opened the door to singles, couples and families seeking a different lifestyle in a prosperous and welcoming country.

Migration to Australia under the General Skilled Migration program is points based, taking into account your age, trade or occupation, years of work experience, training or higher education, English competence and if applicable, having a close relative living in Australia. The point score you obtain influences the visa subclass you’ll be eligible for, be it an independent, sponsored or regional visa category.

The Australian government recently announced a number of changes to the way points are allocated to overseas people wishing to migrate to Australia on a skilled migration visa. “It’s a very exciting time for potential migrants” says Maryanne Gruar, Registered Migration Agent and Director of True Blue Migration www.truebluemigration.com “as the points changes make it easier for many people to meet the points score required to migrate”.

RECENT WORK EXPERIENCE

To be eligible to migrate, you must be working in a job on Australia’s Skilled Occupation List (SOL). Each job on the SOL has an attached point score. In the past, people employed in a 40 or 50 point category (such as those working in marketing, human resources, consulting, finance, science, real estate, community services or surveying) needed to work for two of the past three years in their profession to be eligible to commence migration. Now, the applicant is only required to have worked 12 months of the past 24 months in their skilled job, making migration a closer reality for many people, including recent university graduates. Applicants in 60 point jobs (such as tradespeople, teachers, IT professionals, engineers and nurses) also need to show 12 months of 24 months, instead of 12 months of 18 months. This means that if you work in one of these jobs and have recently travelled or taken a break between jobs in the past two years, you may still be able to get started on your migration.

ENGLISH COMPETENCE

The Australian government has also changed the points allocated for English competence. “Labour market studies show that migrants with strong English competence are more likely to find a job quickly and settle comfortably into life in Australia” said Ms Gruar, “so those applicants who achieve a proficient score on their English test gain five additional points”. For many applicants these extra points may be the difference between qualifying and not qualifying to migrate.

RELATIVES LIVING IN AUSTRALIA

If you have a relative living in Australia such as an uncle, aunt, sibling, parent (and in some visa subclasses, even a cousin or grandparent) you gain points towards your score. In the past, applicants with relatives living in Sydney and its surrounds were restricted to the skilled jobs that could be sponsored. This restriction is now lifted so applicants in any job on the SOL may be sponsored by their Australian relative. “Maybe it’s time to send that long lost Aussie aunt a Christmas card!” said Ms Gruar, “as family sponsorship visas have lower pass mark scores and can be the gateway to your new life in Australia”.

WORK EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRALIA

The Australian government also places a high value on skilled work experience an applicant has had in Australia. In the past, five points were scored by working for six months in a skilled job in Australia. Now, ten points are awarded for 12 months of skilled work experience (in the past four years). If you are currently in Australia on an employer sponsored visa, or have been in the past, you may now reach the score for skilled migration.

NEW VISA FOR RECENT GRADUATES

Australia offers many opportunities for international students to undertake courses at all levels, including trades, TAFE and university. Recognising that such students may graduate and not quite meet the requirements for skilled migration (and hence, be able to stay in Australian to use their skills) the Australian government has introduced a new Graduate - Skilled visa. This is an 18 month provisional visa that allows the graduate to gain sufficient recent work experience to qualify. Graduates can also use this time to improve their English or travel. “Should a graduate find an employer to sponsor him or her, the graduate can switch to an employer sponsored visa” said Ms Gruar.

YOUR NEXT STEP

The migration process is complex and can be overwhelming. Recent statistics suggest that almost half of people who apply to migrate without the assistance of a migration agent fail in their application. If you want to know what your options are, it makes sense to get a free visa assessment from a registered agent. He or she will know the ins and outs of the immigration legislation and can advise you of the most attractive visa for you. It is an enormous decision to migrate to another country, so it pays to work with someone you can trust. By teaming with a migration agent who offers a “No visa – no fee” guarantee you can be assured that the agent will work hard to ensure you obtain your visa.

If you would like more about migrating to Australia, please visit True Blue Migration www.truebluemigration.com for a free online assessment or call 08 6461 6051 to speak to Maryanne Gruar or one of her migration team. Maryanne has helped hundreds of people migrate to Australia and teaming with her could be your first step… towards that white sandy beach!

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