Changes to Australias

Skilled Migration Program

May - June 2012
A long history of successful migration

A long history of successful migration
Composition of the Migration Program
Source: DIAC internal data
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
200,000
Total Skill
Total Family
2012/13 Skilled Migration Program Composition
2012/13 Budget: Highlights & Implications
2011/12 2012/13
Employer
Sponsored
125,850 129,250*
Points
Tested
Business
Skills
Skilled Stream Target
ENS
RSMS

Independent
State Sponsored
SAS
46,000 47,250
72,450 74,400
7,200 7,400
44,350
24,000
4,100
45,550
24,650
4,200
30,000
16,000
31,250
16,000
* Includes 200 places for Distinguished Talent Visa








Have you got the skills?


SkillSelect

www.skillselect.gov.au
SkillSelect is Australias new service for managing its skilled migration
program, incorporating significant visa reform and the deployment of a
new online service.

Intending
Migrant
Australian
Employers
State/Territory
Government
SkillSelect
Accelerated
Visa Processing
EOI
Visa Reforms
SkillSelect
SkillSelect Visa Architecture
Mandatory EOI
Discretionary EOI
Key Policy Changes for all SkillSelect Visas
SkillSelect
Access/Register
Visa
eLodgement & Processing
Australian
Employers
Access SkillSelect
with AUSkey
Search

Employment arrangement
conducted outside
SkillSelect
Intending
Migrant
Complete EOI
Maintain Profile
Invited to
Apply
Complete
Application
Nomination
and Application
Access SkillSelect
with AUSkey
State & Territory
Government
Nominator
Search Nominate
DIAC
Nomination Quota per month
SkillSelect: How does it work?
Intending Migrants: How does it work?
Complete EOI
Maintain Profile
Invited to
Apply
Complete
Application
Employers Search
STOs Nominate
DIAC
Periodic invitation rounds
Visa
Processing

EOI Elements
Personal Details
Skills
Education/Credentials
Experience
Visa Choices
Geographic preferences
Access to assistance and advice

Intending Migrants: How does it work?
State & Territories: How does it work?
Nominator
Search Nominate
State and territory governments
can search in SkillSelect and
select potential applicants for
nomination.

SkillSelect will then generate an
invitation to be issued to the
selected nominees.

State and Territories: How does it work?
Employers: How does it work?
Sponsorship
arrangement
conducted outside
SkillSelect
Access SkillSelect
with AUSkey
Search

Nomination
&
Application
Employers: How does it work?
Employers will be able to
search for clients using a
range of powerful search
tools, to find the clients
they need for the
business:
Qualifications
Experience
Occupation
English language ability
Business experience
Business assets and
investment funds
Employers: How does it work?
AUSkey is a single electronic key to access government online services

It is: Available to all Australian employers with an Australian Business Number
Currently being used by more than 750,000 Australian employers
Secure, and able to be obtained by different employees of a business for
different purposes


It will: Allow employers to access SkillSelect securely to find and contact Intending
Migrants who may have the skills and experience that they require
Allow DIAC to track and record all usage of the system by Employers, to
further refine the SkillSelect system


To get and AUSkey please visit www.abr.gov.au

Changes to Independent Migration
AUSkey: How does it work?
DIAC Program Manager: How does it work?
Occupational Ceilings: How does it work?

Limit on how many EOIs are selected for
skilled migration from occupation groups

Once this limit is reached, no further invitations
for that particular occupation group will be issued
Ceilings set by DIAC
Changes to Independent Migration
Minimum Eligibility Thresholds
Clients that meet specified objective eligibility thresholds can submit a complete EOI

Client selects visa type

SkillSelect asks questions relating
to each subclass of interest
Clients are given feedback whether
their claims are sufficient to meet
the minimum threshold

Points calculation is not a
threshold requirement

Updating Claims
If no threshold is met EOI incomplete
EOI Minimum Claims - GSM

Skilled Independent and
Family Sponsored

Subclass 189


Skilled S/T Nominated


Subclass 489 Subclass 190 Subclass 489
Skills Assessment
IELTS 6
Skilled Occupation
Age < 50
Family Sponsor in
regional area
Willingness to reside
in regional area
Willingness to be nominated by S/T
Willingness to reside
in regional area
EOI Minimum Claims - Employer Nominated
Skills Assessment
Subclass 457
IELTS 6 (waiver available ENS/RSMS)
Age < 50 (potential for exemption)
IELTS 5
CSOL
3 years experience
Willingness to reside
in regional area
Subclass 187
(Direct Entry)
Subclass 186
(Direct Entry)
CSOL ANZSCO Skill Level 1-3
ANZSCO 3 Skill 3
Skill Assessment
EOI Minimum Claims - Business Innovation


Business Innovation and
Investment (Provisional) (188)




Business Innovation

Investor
$2 250 000 PBA
Business Turnover
$500 000
$800 000 Personal
and Business
Assets
Age < 55 (potential for exemption)
$1 500 000 PBA
$400 000 business
component
* Subclass 888 operates outside of SkillSelect



Business Talent 132




Significant Business
History

Venture Capitalist
Willingness to be nominated by S/T
$1 500 000 Personal
and Business Assets
$400 000 business
component
$1 000 000 funding
Australian Venture
Capital Firm
Business Turnover
$3 000 000 p/a
Invitation Criteria

Independent

State and Territory Nominated
Employer Sponsored

Highest score
Occupation on SOL

Over pass mark
Nominated
Within State Migration Plan
Sought after attributes
Sponsored
Email notification and SkillSelect
inbox
Clients claims in SkillSelect are
frozen upon invitation issue
Direct to eLodgement
Some information unable to be
edited once invite issued
If the client changes any
information in eLodgement that
formed the basis of the invitation, a
processing flag will be created.
SkillSelect will record and pass all
relevant nomination details for
State and Territory Nominated
visas via eLodgement.

Visa Application: How does it work?
Timeframes

Age

Two Years
Two Invitations

60 Days

Suspension
Date of Effect



Benefits of SkillSelect
Meet Australias skill
needs
Minimise processing times
Respond quickly to changing economic needs
Allocate independent places to the best and brightest
An additional facility for
employers to search and
contact prospective
skilled workers
Streamline and
optimise State and
Territory migration
plans.
Fair and equitable
Skilled Migration
program
Current 1 July 2012
Temporary Business Long Stay
subclass 457
Employer Nomination Scheme
Regional Sponsored Migration
Scheme
Skilled Independent
Specification of Occupations for
457
Employer Nomination Scheme
Occupation List (ENSOL)
No occupation list

Skilled Occupation List (SOL)

Skilled Sponsored and
Skilled Regional Sponsored
State sponsored- see
relevant State occupation list
Family sponsored- SOL

Consolidated
sponsored
occupation
list (CSOL)
ANZSCO skill
level
1 - 3
Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List
Permanent Employer Sponsored - Reforms
Collapsing existing subclasses from 6 to 2 with 3 streams each
Temporary residence transition; direct entry & agreement streams
Changes to key visa criteria including English language & skills
Raising the upper age limit from 45 to 50 years
Refocussing RCB network on untested direct entry stream - RSMS
Streamlining pathway from 457 to PR (ENS or RSMS)

Introducing one consolidated sponsored occupation list
(457, ENSOL, StatSOL)

Permanent Employer Sponsored Program
Direct Entry Stream
Temporary Residence Transition Stream

Agreement Stream

Exemption categories
Objective Exemption Categories

Age

Skill
English
Regional Sponsorship Migration Scheme
Encourage migration to areas outside of the major metropolitan centres
of Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, and
Melbourne

From 1 July 2012 RCBs will provide advice on positions in the Direct
Entry stream of RSMS providing a local perspective

Government announced:
16 000 places allocated to RSMS in 12-13
Regional Engagement Strategy
Regional Migration Agreements
Top priority in Ministers Priority Processing Direction

Visa cancellation and no training requirement retained
Changes to Independent Migration
Points Based Skilled Migration

6 visas consolidated to 3

Simplified visa requirements
Apply through SkillSelect
From I July 2012: 175, 176, 475 closed to new applications 885, 886 and 487 closed from 1 January 2013
189 Skilled independent (replaces 885 & 175)
190 Skilled nominated (replaces 886 & 176)
489 Skilled regional provisional (replaces 487 & 475)
Simplified requirements


1 July 2012

simplified eligibility

requirements for

points tested

skilled visas

Invitation to apply for a visa
Onshore, no prerequisite visa required.
Inside Australia any substantive visa or
Bridging visa A, B or C
Work experience and Australian Study
no longer threshold eligibility requirement
Can be inside or outside Australia
Points Test factors set to time of invitation
Skilled family sponsored - provisional only
Business Skills Review
Comprehensive
review
Research shows current program settings stifle
innovation and risk taking
Half of all provisional visa businesses are in fast
food, cafes and restaurants
Need to align program to broader strategic
objectives of the skilled migration program
Focus on visa simplification and deregulation
Selecting for and
fostering innovation
Program name will be changed to
Business Innovation and Investment Program
Target migrants with a history of innovation
Facilitate entry of entrepreneurs who have
sourced venture capital funding in Australia
Introduce a points test for provisional visa
applicants, giving weight to innovation
Introduce a new visa stream for Significant
Investors
Incorporate into SkillSelect and entirely state
sponsored
Business Innovation and Investment
Changes to Independent Migration
Business Innovation and Investment

13 visas consolidated to 3

Focus on innovation
Apply through SkillSelect
From 1 July 2012: Subclasses 160-165, 845, 846 closed to new applications.
Subclasses 890-893 still open for current provisional visa holders.
132 Business Talent (Migrant) (Permanent)
188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (replaces 160-165)
888 Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (replaces 845, 846, 890-893)
Application Process from 1 July 2012
Current program visas
No new primary applicants for existing provisional visas.
Existing provisional visas progress to existing permanent visas.
No change in process (ie: paper lodgement, paper sponsorship)
New program visas
New provisional visa progresses to new permanent visa
Visas have streams (eg: business innovation stream, investor stream)
SkillSelect, electronic lodgement, electronic sponsorship
S/Ts may grant access for an applicant to extend the provisional visa

old to old, new to new

AGE
Range (yrs) Points
18-24 20
25-32 30
33-39 25
40-44 20
45-54 15
ENGLISH
Range Vocational
Proficient
Points
Vocational + 5
Proficient + 10
FINANCIAL METRICS
Net Business and Personal
Assets
Points
$800 000 5
$1 300 000 15
$1 800 000 25
$2 250 000 35
QUALIFICATIONS
Level Points
Trade Certificate or higher 5
Bachelor Degree or higher in Business,
Science or Technology
10
OTHER
Points
Business Experience over
four years
10
Investment Experience over
seven years
15
Business Skills Points Test
FINANCIAL METRICS
Business Turnover Points
$500 000 5
$1 000 000 15
$1 500 000 25
$2 000 000 35
INNOVATION
Points
Registered Patents or Designs 15
Evidence of Trademarks 10
Evidence of Joint Venture Agreements 5
Evidence of Export Trade 15
Gazelle Business 10
Evidence of receipt of grants or
venture capital funding
10
STATE/ TERRITORY NOMINATION
Special Endorsement 10
More Information
Online Resources:

Skilled visas
www.immi.gov.au/skilled

Visa wizard www.immi.gov.au/visawizard/

Booklets
www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/

Migration Blog
www.migrationblog.immi.gov.au

SkillSelect
www.skillselect.gov.au

Agent Gateway
www.immi.gov.au/gateways/agents/

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