Come and visit us at the Working Abroad Expo – Singapore
Last weekend, the department attended the
Working Abroad Expo in Kuala Lumpur and gave residents the opportunity to speak to our experts about migrating to Australian on a skilled visa. This opportunity presents itself again, specifically to anyone who lives in Singapore as DIAC will attend the expo in Singapore on May 11-12.
Our experts will be available to talk to you throughout the day about the different visa options available for living and working in Australia. They will also answer any questions about submitting an expression of interest through the SkillSelect website and will present each day from 1.15–2.00 pm.
When: May 11-12, 11.00 am to 4.00 pm
Where: Traders Hotel Singapore, 1A Cuscaden Road, Singapore
To register online or for more information, visit www.Workingabroad.net/exhibitions-and-events/singapore/
The Working Abroad Expo in Kuala Lumpur saw around 1000 attendees over the weekend of May 4-5. Many attendees found the information presented by our experts to be very valuable.
If you are unable to attend the expo in Singapore then you can learn more about SkillSelect by visiting www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/
Remember, there is no better time to express your interest through SkillSelect, so read about our top 10 tips here:
migrationblog.immi.gov.au/category/skills-australia-needs-events/
SkillSelect Facebook live chat—update
We recently invited people who ‘like’ us on Facebook to take part in a live chat about SkillSelect.
The SkillSelect team spent an hour on the event page answering over 100 questions and engaging with 1188 users, proving to be our busiest live chat so far. Posts about the live chat reached a further 15 632 people, more than half our audience on Facebook.
There were many great questions asked during the live SkillSelect chat. So for those of you who have not yet liked our Facebook page, we have provided a quick snapshot of some of the questions raised and our answers.
Q. If I get exactly 60 points for the Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa, how long does it take for my Expression of Interested (EOI) to be approved (for invitation)?
A. Invitation rounds are currently held twice a month. If you have 60 points at the moment, then you stand a good chance of being invited in the next couple of rounds provided your occupation has not reached its yearly invitation ceiling.
Q. What does it mean by Associate Degree or Advanced Diploma? Are they the same as a Bachelor degree?
A. You should contact your assessing authority and ask them to confirm if your qualifications are of the recognised standard to an Australian Bachelor Degree. You may also find the following post on the SkillSelect Technical Support site useful regarding claiming points for educational qualifications, visit https://skillselect.govspace.gov.au/2013/03/07/points-for-educational-qualification/
Q. Is there any change taking place to the Skilled Occupation List in July 2013?
A. The Skilled Occupation List (SOL) is reviewed annually. The current SOL was released by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) in June 2012 following advice from the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency. Consultation for the development of the 2013 SOL commenced in October/November 2012. The 2013 SOL is expected to be released by DIAC in mid-2013 and is expected to come into effect from 1 July 2013.
Q. Is there a minimum employment experience threshold needed to apply for a Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa through SkillSelect?
A. There is no minimum employment experience threshold for this visa type. However, some assessing authorities may require a certain amount of employment experience to achieve a suitable skills assessment. If you have skilled employment experience, you can use this to increase your points in the points test.
Q. Is it possible for SkillSelect to send an acknowledgement automatically when medical reports are accepted/ assessed successfully?
A. SkillSelect and e-Visa are two separate systems and processes. SkillSelect is the database for selecting intending migrants for an invitation and e-Visa is where you lodge your visa. If you want to find out about your medical results you should contact your case officer or send an enquiry through our contacts page on the website, www.immi.gov.au
Q. Why do applicants (from non-English countries) need 7 in each band for IELTS?
A. For points tested visas it is a threshold requirement that a person have at least ‘competent English’, which is a minimum of six in each of the four components of the IELTS test.
To be awarded points for higher English language ability all applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate their level of competency by sitting an English language test such as IELTS as proof of their language competency.
As well, some skills assessing authorities require higher English language levels for certain occupations. You can confirm this with your relevant assessing authority.
More questions and responses are available on the department’s Facebook live chat page.
We’d like to hear from you on what topic you would most like to read from us next. Complete the poll below andthe topic with the highest number of responses will be the feature of our next post. Stay tuned!
Which of the following topics would you like to hear more about in our next blog?
- English language requirements (13%, 36 Votes)
- Skills assessments (14%, 40 Votes)
- How State and Territory Government nomination works in SkillSelect (25%, 70 Votes)
- Employment and qualifications in SkillSelect (27%, 77 Votes)
- EOI information and statistics (21%, 59 Votes)
Total Voters: 281
Loading ...Come and visit us at the Working Abroad Expo – Kuala Lumpur
If you are in Kuala Lumpur and are interested in migrating to Australia on a skilled visa, the department will be presenting at the Working Abroad Expo in Kuala Lumpur on May 4-5.
Working Abroad is one of the largest international recruitment exhibition companies and the department will present on Australia’s skilled migration policies and SkillSelect.
Our experts will talk about the different visa options available for living and working in Australia and will also be available to answer any questions about submitting an expression of interest through the SkillSelect website.
When: May 4-5 from 1.15 pm to 2pm each day
Where: Shangri-La Hotel, 11 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
To register online or for more information, visit www.workingabroad.net/exhibitions-and-events/kuala-lumpur/
If you are unable to attend the Working Abroad Expo in Kuala Lumpur then you can learn more about SkillSelect by visiting www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/
Remember, there is no better time to express your interest through SkillSelect, so read about our top 10 tips here migrationblog.immi.gov.au/category/skills-australia-needs-events/
Top 10 tips for submitting an expression of interest (EOI) in SkillSelect
We’ve compiled a handy list of tips to help you submit your EOI in SkillSelect.
- Make sure you express an interest in the right visa for your circumstances. Skilled visa options are available on the SkillSelect website at www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect or you can use Visa Wizard to help you find out which visa is suited to you.
- Confirm if your occupation is eligible for skilled migration by checking the relevant Skilled Occupation List.
- Get to know the specific requirements for the visa you are interested in. Only certain skilled visa options are available through SkillSelect. The visa information booklets on our website will help you understand who qualifies to migrate to Australia. In particular, Booklet 11, SkillSelect includes information about how the system and process works.
- Ensure all your documents are in order before you start your online EOI. Until you provide evidence of all required documents, such as an IELTS test and skills assessment, you will have an incomplete EOI in SkillSelect. Detailed information about skills assessments can be found in a recent blog post.
- Read the ‘Getting started’ user guide on the SkillSelect support site. It has step-by-step instructions about entering your EOI details.
- Record the unique EOI identification number that is generated once you have created your EOI profile. This number will be your username when you log-in to SkillSelect. Most importantly remember your security question answers. If you happen to forget your password this will be the only way to reset it.
- When you fill out the EOI questions you should take your time and ensure you understand the questions. If you get stuck or don’t understand a question—use the question mark icons. They provide information to help you answer.
- Update your details in your EOI as soon as your circumstances change. This will ensure your updated details are considered in the next automatic invitation round. You also won’t be caught out if you receive an invitation before updating your details—SkillSelect automatically suspends access to an EOI when it sends an invitation.
- An invitation to make a visa application may be issued within a short timeframe after you submit your EOI. Remember, you must be able to support the claims you make in your EOI with documentation and have this ready to provide when making your application.
- Check the monthly reports tab on the SkillSelect web page. These reports indicate the number of invitations issued for the previous automatic invitation round. It also gives a breakdown of the number of invitation issued against each of the occupations on the Skilled Occupation List. If an occupation has reached its ‘ceiling’, or the maximum limit of invitations that can be issued for that certain occupation, then it is unlikely that any more automatic invitations will be issued for that occupation during that program year.
We’ll be covering skilled migration visa topics over the next few weeks.
SkillSelect—no better time to express your interest
Thanks to SkillSelect, skilled visa processing has never been faster, which is great news if you’re interested in working in Australia.
The system was introduced on July 1 last year and the first invitations were issued through SkillSelect in August, resulting in 2717 skilled visas granted five months later—processed well within the processing time standards.
If you receive an invitation through SkillSelect to apply for a skilled visa, you have all the details for your visa application ready in a complete EOI.
People who have had their visa granted through SkillSelect have contacted us to share their positive experience. Kapil, who submitted his EOI in October 2012 and was invited to apply for a skilled visa in November 2012 said:
‘I really appreciate the way my visa got processed so quickly. As promised the new streamlined visa processing using SkillSelect is very efficient. Another great thing to point out is that the website has all the required information for a candidate to process their application. I have done the visa processing all by myself and found all the relevant details from the official website.’
SkillSelect identifies overseas workers with the skills that are most in need in Australia. State and territory governments are using SkillSelect to search for overseas skilled workers. To date, they have nominated 3700 points tested skilled EOIs and 218 business innovation and investment EOIs through SkillSelect.
So if you have a skill Australia needs and meet the visa requirements, log into SkillSelect today and tell us about yourself and what you can bring to Australia’s workplace. You may be invited to lodge a skilled visa application sooner than you expect.
SkillSelect is an online system so you can start your EOI at any time. If you’d like to find out more about SkillSelect you can read previous blog posts or visit the SkillSelect website at www.skillselect.gov.au
The department welcomes all feedback, compliments and complaints. If you’ve been granted a visa through SkillSelect you can let us know about your experience through our website.
Stay posted for another blog post next week about top tips for submitting an EOI in SkillSelect.
SkillSelect for employers Facebook live chat—update
We recently invited Australian employers to take part in a Facebook live chat about SkillSelect. Kruno Kukoc, First Assistant Secretary of the Migration and Visa Policy Division, spent an hour answering 59 questions. More than 1600 people viewed the Facebook event with some great questions asked. We thought we’d provide a snapshot of the types of questions raised and our answers for those who may not use Facebook or have not ‘liked’ the department’s Facebook page.
Q. How can Australian employers gain access to potential skilled applicants’ expressions of interest (EOI)?
A. Australian businesses require a valid AUSkey to gain access to SkillSelect and a range of other government online services. SkillSelect is a secure online service. For more information about registering for an AUSkey, Australian businesses can visit www.auskey.abr.gov.au
Q. How can Australian employers recruit suitable skilled applicants?
A. Australian employers with an AUSkey can access SkillSelect online to find suitable overseas skilled workers to fill vacancies that cannot be filled from within the Australian labour market. Employers can contact suitable skilled workers through the SkillSelect system to discuss nomination and employment. Employers can also find skilled workers outside of SkillSelect and nominate them directly.
Q. What is the average time frame for skilled applications to change from submitted status to processed stage?
A. For points tested visas, the invitation date to apply for a visa will depend on the potential skilled migrant’s attributes, for example skills, age, IELTS score and occupation compared to other candidates. A client who has submitted an EOI needs to be invited to apply for a visa. SkillSelect is a competitive process and there are no guarantees that an invitation will be issued.
For employer sponsored visas, employers who find a skilled worker can nominate a suitable candidate at any time. After an invitation has been issued or an employer has nominated a skilled worker, then a visa application can be lodged.
Q. Is there an annual limit for visa invitations and what is the requirement for issue of an invitation in SkillSelect?
A. The annual limit for skilled independent visas and state nominated visas is determined by the annual planning level and the need to process residual applications. Employer sponsored visas do not require invitations through SkillSelect but they are subject to annual planning levels.
Q. Do subclass 457 visa holders need to wait for two years before applying for a permanent residence visa?
A. No, clients can apply at any time, but they must meet the minimum requirements for the stream for which they can apply. Subclass 457 visa holders who want to apply within two years of their visa being granted would be able to apply for permanent residence through the direct entry stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme or Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme. They would need to have an employer willing to nominate them in a skilled occupation on a full-time basis for at least two years.
For subclass 457 visa holders seeking permanent residence through the temporary residence transition stream:
- the visa applicant must have worked for their employer for two years in the nominated occupation
- the applicant’s employer must offer them a permanent position in that occupation.
More information is available in Booklet 5.
Q. How many potential migrants have been invited to apply for a visa through SkillSelect since 1 July 2012?
A. More than 3500 people have been invited to apply for a visa through SkillSelect. In mid October, a further 1000 invitations will be issued plus state and territory invitations. The department is moving quickly to secure significant numbers of skilled migrants through SkillSelect.
More questions and responses are available on the department’s Facebook live chat page.
SkillSelect for employers Facebook live chat
If you’re an employer and have a question about how SkillSelect can help you find overseas skilled migrants, or you would like to find out more about SkillSelect, join us on Friday 28 September between 10.30–11.30am AEST to chat with First Assistant Secretary of the Migration and Visa Policy Division, Kruno Kukoc.
While Kruno can’t respond to questions unrelated to the live chat, including individual case enquiries, he will be able to answer general questions about how SkillSelect enables employers to quickly and easily identify potential skilled workers with the skills and attributes needed for their business.
To join in, you need to ‘like’ the department’s Facebook page.
Twitter users can also join our live chat by tweeting @SandihLogan.
Questions about SkillSelect
Update 16/07/2012: Since 1 July 2012, over 14,000 expressions of interest (EOIs) have been commenced with over 5000 successfully submitted in SkillSelect! To submit an EOI visit www.skillselect.gov.au
We are receiving a number of questions in relation to the introduction of SkillSelect on 1 July 2012.
We encourage all our blog visitors to refer to information on our website at www.skillselect.gov.au. We also have video tutorials and user guides which will assist you in using the system to submit an EOI at http://skillselect.govspace.gov.au/
Many of the questions we are getting, have been answered previously on the blog. There are over 200 informative comments on our last blog post: The Benefits of Submitting an EOI.
You can also find all our previous blog posts at SkillSelect blog posts.
Thank you for your interest in SkillSelect and for visiting the Migration Blog.
The benefits of submitting an expression of interest on 1 July
As we get closer to the launch of SkillSelect on 1 July, we would like to point out the benefits of being ready to submit an expression of interest (EOI).
Benefits:
- It’s free to submit an EOI!
- You don’t have to meet the pass mark on the points test to submit an EOI. However you won’t receive an invitation for the points based visas unless you meet the pass mark. You can build upon your EOI to achieve the desired pass mark for points based skilled migration or you can be considered by employers for employer sponsorship.
- You can update your profile in SkillSelect at any time, and have the ability to continually build on your EOI as your credentials and experience grow.
- Your details will be available to employers who can search for and contact you to discuss employment opportunities. This may increase your opportunity to receive sponsorship.
- You can select interest in more than one visa subclass in the same EOI. This means you can be considered for invitation or sponsorship for any of the visas in which you are interested —all from the one EOI.
- SkillSelect will provide you with feedback on your visa eligibility based on the information you provide on your EOI—giving you an indication of the visas for which you may meet the threshold criteria.
- Submitting EOIs and visa applications is an online process, saving you time as you can gain access to your SkillSelect account 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
- If you are invited to apply, visa processing will be more responsive, as the total number of invitations and applications will be controlled and matched to the migration program.
Where to start
- Visit www.skillselect.gov.au
- Find out what visas best suit you
- Find out what you need to have prepared for these visas
- Gather all your information and evidence
- Be ready on 1 July to submit your EOI
For more information visit www.skillselect.gov.au or read our previous blog posts at http://migrationblog.immi.gov.au/category/skillselect/
Busting the myths about SkillSelect
SkillSelect will be a major change to how Australia manages its skilled migration program. There is much talk about the changes, and as with anything new, not everything you hear is always correct. This blog busts some of the myths we’ve heard about SkillSelect.
Myth 1 - SkillSelect only affects points tested visas—formally known as General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas.
A common myth is that SkillSelect will only affect the independent skilled migration program- this is not true.
If you are interested in applying for a skilled visa after 1 July 2012, you may have to use SkillSelect depending on your visa preference/s. Therefore, it is important you understand how SkillSelect will affect you and your visa options.
It will be compulsory to submit a complete expression of interest (EOI) and receive an invitation before you can lodge a visa application for the following visa programs:
• Subclass 189 Skilled – Independent (Permanent) (Class SI)
• Subclass 190 Skilled – Nominated (Permanent) (Class SN)
• Subclass 489 – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) (Class SP)
• Business Skills visa program.
It is optional (although highly recommended) to submit an EOI to be found and contacted by an employer for the following visas programs:
• Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (Class EN)
• Subclass 187 – Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (Class RN)
• Subclass 457 – Temporary Business (Long Stay) (Class UC)
More information on visa options can be found on the SkillSelect website.
Myth 2 – I can’t submit an EOI for more than one visa.
You will be able to submit an EOI for one, a few or all skilled visas in the one EOI. You do not need to submit multiple EOIs.
SkillSelect is a free online service, and by expressing interest in more than one skilled visa, you could increase your chances of being found by a state or territory government or employer who needs your skills.
Myth 3 – It will still be expensive and time consuming for employers to find skilled workers.
SkillSelect will make finding overseas skilled workers easy for employers and help ease skill shortages through managed migration.
A key function of SkillSelect is to assist in easing skills shortages through providing Australian employers with access to a pool of intending skilled migrants who are seeking employer sponsorship on either a temporary or permanent basis.
SkillSelect is ideal for employers wanting to quickly identify options for resolving specific skill shortages. It will really help employers operating small to medium businesses who have found it difficult, expensive and time consuming to find workers in the past. SkillSelect is targeted, convenient, a free service, and is without any obligation to sponsor. Employers will be able to easily search across a number of key selection criteria such as experience, qualifications, language skills and willingness to work and live outside major metropolitan centres.
Once suitable skilled workers are identified, employers are able to send a message in SkillSelect to the skilled worker notifying them of their interest in discussing employment and sponsorship opportunities. When sponsorship arrangements have been established, the skilled worker’s EOI details are seamlessly transferred from SkillSelect to final assessment and processing systems, saving time for everyone.
Myth 4 – I can intentionally embellish my claims on my EOI to increase my points score and likelihood of getting an invitation.
There are some serious potential risks in providing false and misleading information in your EOI.
If you are invited to apply for a visa, the information in your EOI will be used as part of your visa application. You will then need to confirm your claims and submit evidence with your application.
If you provide false or misleading information on your EOI and receive an invitation based on this information, your application may be refused. If your visa application is refused you will lose your visa application charge and may also be subject to a bar which prevents the grant of a further visa.
Myth 5 -The introduction of SkillSelect will mean less skilled visas will be granted.
This is not true.
Each year the government announces the number of places in the migration program as part of the Budget. This announcement on the program size is what determines the number of skilled visas available each year.
In the 2012–13 Budget an additional 3400 places will be allocated to the skilled migration program—this is a total of 129 250 places.
SkillSelect will not increase or reduce the overall number of visas granted. It will only determine who is able to lodge a visa application for the independent, family sponsored, state/territory nominated and business skills visas. The target number of skilled visas granted will be the same as the number set by government in the Budget.
Have you heard any other myths about SkillSelect? Leave us a comment and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the new process.
For more information visit the SkillSelect website.
Information on changes to points based skilled migration: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/new-skilled.htm
Information on the permanent employer sponsored visa reforms : http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/permanent-employer-sponsored-visa-whats-new.htm
