Changes to Australia’s
Skilled Migration Program
May - June 2012
A long history of successful migration
A long history of successful migration
Composition of the Migration Program
200,000
180,000
160,000
140,000
120,000
100,000
Total Skill
80,000
Total Family
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
Source: DIAC internal data
2012/13 Budget: Highlights & Implications
2012/13 Skilled Migration Program Composition
2011/12
2012/13
ENS
RSMS
30,000
16,000
46,000
31,250
16,000
47,250
Independent
State Sponsored
SAS
44,350
24,000
4,100
72,450
45,550
24,650
4,200
74,400
Business
Skills
7,200
7,400
Skilled Stream Target
125,850
129,250*
Employer
Sponsored
Points
Tested
* Includes 200 places for Distinguished Talent Visa
SkillSelect
Have you got the skills?
www.skillselect.gov.au
SkillSelect
SkillSelect is Australia’s new service for managing its skilled migration
program, incorporating significant visa reform and the deployment of a
new online service.
Visa Reforms
State/Territory
Government
SkillSelect
Intending
Migrant
EOI
Accelerated
Visa Processing
Australian
Employers
SkillSelect Visa Architecture
Mandatory EOI
Discretionary EOI
Key Policy Changes for all SkillSelect Visas
SkillSelect: How does it work?
Access SkillSelect
with AUSkey
Search
Nominate
Nominator
State & Territory
Government
Maintain Profile
Access/Register
Complete EOI
SkillSelect
Intending
Migrant
Australian
Employers
Invited to
Apply
Complete
Application
Visa
eLodgement & Processing
Access SkillSelect
with AUSkey
Search
DIAC
Employment arrangement
conducted outside
SkillSelect
Nomination Quota per month
Nomination
and Application
Intending Migrants: How does it work?
Employers Search
Maintain Profile
Invited to
Apply
Complete EOI
DIAC
STO’s Nominate
Complete
Visa
Application Processing
Periodic invitation rounds
Intending Migrants: How does it work?
EOI Elements
• Personal Details
• Skills
• Education/Credentials
• Experience
• Visa Choices
• Geographic preferences
• Access to assistance and advice
State & Territories: How does it work?
Search
Nominate
Nominator
State and Territories: How does it work?
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.
Employers: How does it work?
Employers: How does it work?
Access SkillSelect
with AUSkey
Search
Sponsorship
arrangement
conducted outside
SkillSelect
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
Changes to Independent Migration
AUSkey: 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
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
Points calculation is not a
threshold requirement
SkillSelect asks questions relating
to each subclass of interest
Updating Claims
If no threshold is met EOI incomplete
Clients are given feedback whether
their claims are sufficient to meet
the minimum threshold
EOI Minimum Claims - GSM
Skilled Independent and
Family Sponsored
Subclass 189
Skilled S/T Nominated
Subclass 489
Subclass 190
Subclass 489
Age < 50
Skilled Occupation
IELTS ≥ 6
Skills Assessment
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
Subclass 186
(Direct Entry)
Subclass 187
(Direct Entry)
Subclass 457
Age < 50 (potential for exemption)
CSOL
ANZSCO Skill Level 1-3
IELTS ≥ 6 (waiver available ENS/RSMS)
Skills Assessment
3 years experience
ANZSCO 3 Skill 3
Skill Assessment
Willingness to reside
in regional area
CSOL
IELTS ≥ 5
EOI Minimum Claims - Business Innovation
Business Innovation and
Investment (Provisional) (188)
Business Innovation
Investor
Business Talent 132
Significant Business
History
Venture Capitalist
Age < 55 (potential for exemption)
Willingness to be nominated by S/T
$800 000 Personal
and Business
Assets
Business Turnover
$2 250 000 PBA
$1 500 000 PBA
$400 000 business
$1 500 000 Personal
and Business Assets
$400 000 business
component
component
$500 000
Business Turnover
$3 000 000 p/a
* Subclass 888 operates outside of SkillSelect
$1 000 000 funding
Australian Venture
Capital Firm
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
Visa Application: How does it work?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Email notification and SkillSelect
inbox
Client’s 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.
Timeframes
Age
60 Days
Two Years
Suspension
Two Invitations
Date of Effect
Benefits of SkillSelect
Respond quickly to changing economic needs
An additional facility for
employers to search and
contact prospective
skilled workers
Meet Australia’s skill
needs
Fair and equitable
Skilled Migration
program
Minimise processing times
Streamline and
optimise State and
Territory migration
plans.
Allocate independent places to the best and brightest
Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List
Current
Temporary Business Long Stay
subclass 457
Specification of Occupations for
457
Employer Nomination Scheme
Employer Nomination Scheme
Occupation List (ENSOL)
Skilled – Sponsored and
Skilled – Regional Sponsored
State sponsored- see
relevant State occupation list
Family sponsored- SOL
Skilled Independent
1 July 2012
Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
Consolidated
sponsored
occupation
list (CSOL)
ANZSCO skill
level
1-3
Regional Sponsored Migration
Scheme
No occupation list
Permanent Employer Sponsored - Reforms
Collapsing existing subclasses from 6 to 2 with 3 streams each
Temporary residence transition; direct entry & agreement streams
Streamlining pathway from 457 to PR (ENS or RSMS)
Raising the upper age limit from 45 to 50 years
Changes to key visa criteria including English language & skills
Refocussing RCB network on untested direct entry stream - 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 Minister’s Priority Processing Direction
• Visa cancellation and no training requirement retained
Changes to Independent Migration
Points Based Skilled Migration
6 visas consolidated to 3
• 189 Skilled independent (replaces 885 & 175)
• 190 Skilled nominated (replaces 886 & 176)
• 489 Skilled regional provisional (replaces 487 & 475)
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
Simplified requirements
Invitation to apply for a visa
1 July 2012
simplified eligibility
requirements for
points tested
skilled visas
Can be inside or outside Australia
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
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
Business Innovation and Investment
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
Changes to Independent Migration
Business Innovation and Investment
13 visas consolidated to 3
• 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)
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.
Application Process from 1 July 2012
Current program visas
“old to old, new to new”
•
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
OTHER
Points
Business Skills Points Test
AGE
Range (yrs)
Points
Level
Points
20
Trade Certificate or higher
5
25-32
30
10
33-39
25
Bachelor Degree or higher in Business,
Science or Technology
40-44
20
INNOVATION
15
ENGLISH
Range Vocational –
Proficient
10
Investment Experience over
seven years
15
QUALIFICATIONS
18-24
45-54
Business Experience over
four years
Points
FINANCIAL METRICS
Business Turnover
Points
$500 000
5
$1 000 000
15
$1 500 000
25
$2 000 000
35
Points
Registered Patents or Designs
15
Evidence of Trademarks
10
Evidence of Joint Venture Agreements
5
FINANCIAL METRICS
Net Business and Personal
Assets
Points
Vocational +
5
Evidence of Export Trade
15
$800 000
5
Proficient +
10
Gazelle Business
10
$1 300 000
15
Evidence of receipt of grants or
venture capital funding
10
$1 800 000
25
$2 250 000
35
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/
Facebook
Department of Immigration and Citizenship