Summary of general skilled migration information

Summary of general skilled migration information
Australia's general skilled migration program targets people who are highly skilled, are under 45 years of age, have a high level of English language ability and who will quickly make a contribution to the Australian economy.
To make a valid application, applicants or their spouses must be able to satisfy essential criteria. If you are not able to satisfy these basic requirements, you should not continue with a general skilled migration application.
See: Basic Requirements.
See also: Lodging an application
To apply for skilled migration, you need to select the appropriate visa. There are three categories:

Offshore general skilled - for applicants generally outside Australia;
Onshore general skilled - for overseas students currently studying in Australia;
Onshore New Zealand citizen - for NZ citizens currently in Australia.

Within these three categories, there are the following types of visas:

independent - for those who meet the basic requirements and do not have a sponsor, or who choose not to be sponsored or nominated by a State or Territory government;
skill matching - for those wanting to be involved in the skill matching process and who are seeking to be nominated by a State or Territory government or an employer;
designated area sponsored - for those who have a sponsor and an assurer. The sponsor must live in a designated area, and you must be related to your sponsor;
Australian sponsored - for those who have a sponsor and an assurer, but the sponsor either lives outside a designated area or lives in Sydney or a selected area (Gosford, Newcastle or Wollongong). If your sponsor lives in Sydney or a 'selected area,' you must nominate an occupation listed on the Sydney and Selected Areas Skilled Shortage List (SSASSL). You must be related to your sponsor.

The following links will take you to general information about each visa subclass.

Offshore general skilled
- Skilled–Independent
- Skilled–Independent Regional (Provisional) [SIR]
- Skilled–State Territory Nominated Independent
- Skill Matching
- Skilled–Designated Area-Sponsored
- Skilled–Australian-Sponsored

Onshore general skilled

Skilled–Independent Overseas Student
Skilled-Independent Regional (Provisional) [SIR]
Skilled–Designated Area-sponsored Overseas Student
Skilled–Australian-sponsored Overseas Student
Graduate Skilled Temporary

Onshore New Zealand citizen

Skilled–Onshore Independent New Zealand Citizen
Skilled–Onshore Designated Area-sponsored New Zealand Citizen
Skilled–Onshore Australian-sponsored New Zealand Citizen

» Summary of general skilled migration information2014
» 'Special Migration' Program
» About Australia General information
» Introduction The information on this page briefly describes the options available to encourage skilled migrants or temporary entrants to live and work in areas outside of Australia's major cities. To assist regional Australia to gain increased benefits
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