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 – Sponsored (Permanent) (Class SK)
• 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
Migration Program planning levels and priority processing arrangements
Every year the Australian Government sets the number of places, otherwise known as planning levels, in the permanent migration program. The number of places allocated takes into account the current economic climate and feedback from consultations with the Australian community.
Within the skill stream of the permanent migration program, there are a number of different visa categories targeted to meet the diverse needs of Australia’s labour market. The government also allocates annually a set number of visa places to each of the following categories:
- skilled independent
- skilled Australian sponsored
- employer sponsored, and
- state and territory sponsored
The planning levels can be varied by the government in response to economic and other factors. Delivering the migration program requires careful management. This is where it’s important to understand the relationship between the planning levels and priority processing arrangements for skilled migration visa applications.
Priority processing is a tool, available to government, to assist managing the order in which applications are granted. We have blogged previously about the government’s priority processing direction, where visa applications are placed in one of five priority processing groups.
Applications in priority group 1 are allocated before applications in priority group 2, and so on, until the set planning level for each specific skilled visa category is met.
In the situation where set annual planning levels are met in a particular skilled migration category within a 12 month period, the department is obliged to temporarily suspend allocating applications in this category until the next program year, irrespective of where applicants are placed in the priority processing direction.
For example, in this (2011-2012) program year there has been a lower number of applications lodged under a state migration plan (priority group 3) than anticipated when government originally set the planning levels. To meet the set levels for this part of the program we have allocated some of the priority group 5 applications in greater numbers.
These are the priority group 5 applications that were lodged by onshore and offshore applicants who were nominated by a state or territory government before state migration plans were introduced. These applications are placed in priority group 5 as they do not have a nominated occupation on the skilled occupation list.
It may also be necessary to limit the allocation of visa applications in the skilled Australian sponsored categories this program year, because there are only a few places remaining in this visa category. We will continue to update the allocation dates for skilled visa applications on the department’s website and encourage applicants to regularly check the page, which is updated fortnightly. We have also updated information on our website about the processing of priority group 5 applications.
If you have any questions or comments please post below.
Changes to points-tested skilled migration visas
Reforms to Australia’s skilled migration program take effect on 1 July 2012. Included in these reforms are changes to points tested skilled migration visas for migrants who wish to live and work in Australia without employer sponsorship.
Simplifying eligibility requirements, the changes include the introduction of three new points tested skilled migration visas:
- Skilled Independent (subclass 189) visa
- Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa
- Skilled Regional Sponsored (subclass 489) (provisional) visa.
The distinction between onshore and offshore points tested visas and some threshold requirements will be removed – with more importance being placed on the points test to find the best suited independent skilled migrants.
If you want to apply for one of the three new points tested skilled migration visas you will still need to:
- nominate a skilled occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- be under 50 years old
- have competent English skills.
From 1 July, if you are interested in a points-tested skilled migration visa you will need to complete an expression of interest in SkillSelect. SkillSelect is a new online system where skilled workers interested in migrating to Australia can record their details to be considered for a skilled visa. Only those who are invited by the Australian Government can lodge a visa application.
More information about the changes to the points tested skilled migration visas is available on our website.
Post your questions about the new visas below. As always we cannot provide case-specific advice, but we can answer general questions you may have.
Did you hold a Student visa on 8 February 2010?
New web page for Student visa holders who were affected by the skilled migration reforms announced on 8 February 2010.
There is a new web page for current and former Student visa holders who held a Student visa on
8 February 2010, when the Australian Government announced the skilled migration reforms.
The new web page can be found here.
Increasingly in the years leading up to the reforms, the composition of the skilled migration program was being determined by those who wished to apply, rather than by labour market demand. A series of reforms were necessary to reposition the program as demand driven and able to respond better to Australia’s skilled labour needs.
One of the key changes was the withdrawal of the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) and the introduction of a new Skilled Occupation List (SOL). The SOL is a list of occupations that are eligible for independent, or unsponsored, skilled migration. The new SOL consists of 192 occupations, down from more than 400 on the old list, and delivers a skilled migration program that is tightly focused on high value skills that will assist in addressing Australia’s medium to long term skill needs.
When these reforms were announced, the Australian Government also announced generous transitional arrangements for those who held Student visas when the changes were announced. The new web page includes information about these transitional arrangements, as well as other information about extending a Student visa, and also information about the skilled migration program. We plan to expand the page with further information in the coming months.
It is important for students to be aware that the Student visa program and the skilled migration program serve different purposes. A Student visa allows a person to come to Australia and study for a specified period. On the other hand, the skilled migration program has an economic focus. It is designed to meet the needs of the Australian labour market and strengthen the whole economy. Because of this, the requirements for skilled migration may change depending on the economic circumstances of the time, and that is why students should study a course based on their academic interests, rather than to achieve a particular migration outcome.
Student visas are temporary visas, so students should be mindful of their visa expiry date so they can consider their options early. It takes time to apply for another visa, and if a person is unable to obtain another visa they must depart Australia before their Student visa expires. There can be serious consequences for overstaying a Student visa and becoming unlawful, including being unable to return to Australia for up to three years.
Some students might be thinking about lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI) in SkillSelect when their student visa expires. An EOI is not the same as a visa application. It is an indication that a person would like to apply for a skilled migration visa, rather than an application itself. A Bridging visa will not be granted after submitting an EOI. If a person is not invited to apply for a skilled migration visa before their existing visa expires, they will need to obtain another visa or depart Australia.
New visa subclasses announced on the SkillSelect website.
We have just published information about the new visa subclasses that will be introduced under SkillSelect on 1 July 2012. You should visit the SkillSelect website to find out the latest information.
We hope this information will be useful if you are thinking about migrating to Australia and researching your visa options. Further updates on the legislative framework for the visa subclasses will become available in June 2012.
Details on the outcome of the review of the business skills program will be published when they are available. We will provide you with this information as soon we can. Keep checking this blog and the SkillSelect website for updates.
You will notice that the SkillSelect website looks quite different to the departmental website. The new format aims to make web content easy to access and read for all our clients. We would really appreciate your feedback on the new format, so please let us know what you think in the comments.
To help us ensure that we are providing you with the information you want, we would appreciate if you can answer a simple question below in our poll.
Why did you visit the Migration Blog today?
- 1. I’m an intending migrant, researching my options. (50%, 70 Votes)
- 2. I’m a visa holder who wants to keep up to date with current migration policy. (22%, 30 Votes)
- 3. I’m an employer looking for skilled workers. (2%, 3 Votes)
- 4. I’m an advisor to people seeking to migrate to Australia. (7%, 10 Votes)
- 5. I’m an Australian Government officer. (8%, 11 Votes)
- 6. I’m a member of the public interested in migration policy. (6%, 9 Votes)
- 7. I don’t fit into any of the above categories. (5%, 6 Votes)
Total Voters: 139
Loading ...Talking skilled migration at the NSW International Student Festival
Last Sunday, Department of Immigration and Citizenship representatives from the skilled migration policy areas joined our colleagues from the NSW Student Visa Centre at the NSW International Student Festival.
Our stall was one of the busiest, with students from across the state enquiring about Student visas,
Post-Study visas, Skilled Migration visas and in particular, SkillSelect. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to talk directly to students and receive their feedback on our Student visa and Skilled Migration programs.
There was a lot of interest in skilled migration among the students we talked to. Many of the students were in their final year of study and were considering their options for permanent migration to Australia. While we welcome this interest it is important for student visa holders to be aware that a Student visa is a temporary visa and there is no guarantee of a permanent migration outcome.
Skilled migration to Australia is highly competitive. It remains possible for students to compete for a place in the program, however to do so you must meet the eligibility requirements in place at the time you lodge your application. Students who do not meet the requirements for another visa should make arrangements to depart Australia before their visa expires. There are serious consequences for overstaying your visa that may affect any future visa applications you may make.
It is also important to remember requirements for skilled migration can change from time to time. For this reason students should choose their field of study based on their academic interests and not in the hope of achieving a particular migration outcome.
With SkillSelect being introduced on 1 July 2012 it was great to see so many students taking an interest in how the new system will affect the Skilled Migration program.
The festival allowed us to answer some of the key questions around SkillSelect. Some of the most common SkillSelect questions we received were:
Will I be granted a Bridging visa when I lodge my expression of interest (EOI)?
No. The EOI is not a visa application and you will not be granted a Bridging visa. A Bridging visa would only be considered once a valid visa application is lodged.
If you do not receive an invitation to apply before your student visa expires you will need to apply for another visa if you want to remain in Australia, or leave Australia before your visa expires.
Can I submit an EOI at any time?
You may submit an EOI from 1 July 2012. However, in order to submit a complete EOI you must meet the necessary requirements for the visa you are expressing an interest in.
Will SkillSelect be able to find me a job?
SkillSelect is not an employment service and will not be able to help you find a job.
If, in your EOI, you choose to be considered for an Employer Sponsored visa, employers will be able to access some of your details in SkillSelect (such as your occupation, work experience and English ability). This information will assist them to consider you for employment. In this way SkillSelect may be able to assist you in finding an employer sponsor.
For more information on SkillSelect, please visit our previous blogs or visit the SkillSelect website .
Some of the other skilled migration questions we received over the course of the day were:
What visa options are available within the Skilled Migration program?
Within the Skilled Migration program there is a range of permanent and temporary visa options. For an overview of the different Skilled Migration visa categories see our fact sheet.
We advise students looking to progress to a Skilled Migration visa to confirm the requirements of the visa they wish to apply for before they lodge their application or submit an EOI.
What are the new post-study work arrangements for students?
Graduates of an Australian Bachelor degree, Masters by coursework degree, Masters by research degree or Doctoral degree will have access to a new post-study work visa scheduled to be introduced in early 2013.
Further information is available on our website.
Do I need to use a migration agent to lodge a skilled migration application or EOI?
No. You do not need to use a migration agent to lodge your application. However, a registered migration agent can advise on visa requirements, help you lodge a visa application and deal with the department on your behalf—usually for a fee.
You can choose to use a migration agent to assist you in submitting an EOI. However, you will only have one login to access your EOI account. You can only specify one email address to be contacted by SkillSelect about any invitations or messages in relation to your EOI account. All email notifications will be sent to your nominated email address and it will be your responsibility to ensure you can access your emails and update your account with any change of email address.
We wish international students all the best with their studies in Australia. If you are a current or former student with a general question about skilled migration, feel free to post it here and we will try to answer it as best we can.
B sure you can return — for Bridging visa C holders
Can I travel overseas on a Bridging visa C?
Some of you have asked about leaving Australia while waiting for your application for a skilled migration visa to be processed. This is our third blog post about bridging visas and how they affect your ability to travel overseas and return to Australia.
We have already talked about what to do if you hold a Bridging visa A (rather than a substantive visa) and want to travel.
We also spoke about how a Bridging visa B is the best option for people wanting to leave Australia and return.
This time, we’re talking about what to do if you hold a Bridging visa C and you have applied for a skilled migration visa in Australia.
If you hold a Bridging visa C
The Bridging visa C only allows you to remain in Australia. It has no travel facility and will cease immediately if you leave Australia, even if you also hold a substantive visa allowing you to travel.
If you only hold a Bridging visa C, we recommend you remain in Australia until your substantive visa application is decided—this is because you are not eligible for the travel bridging visa, the Bridging visa B.
If you have an urgent need to travel overseas, you should contact us to discuss your options before departing.
More information on bridging visas in relation to general skilled migration applications is on our website.
B sure you can return – more information
Bridging visas and your application for skilled migration
Some of you have asked about leaving Australia while waiting for a visa application to be processed. This is the second post for people who have lodged an application for a skilled migration visa in Australia, but who would like to go overseas while their skilled migration visa application is being processed.
We have already talked about what to do if you hold a Bridging visa A (rather than a substantive visa) and want to travel .
This time, we’re talking about what to do if you hold another substantive visa, such as a Student or a Skilled - Graduate visa and you have applied onshore for a skilled migration visa.
If you hold another substantive visa that hasn’t expired and allows you to return to Australia.
Your Bridging visa A ceases when you leave Australia. If you decide to travel on another substantive visa without first applying for and being granted a Bridging visa B, you may not remember to apply for a replacement Bridging visa A on your return. You therefore risk becoming unlawful after you return to Australia when your substantive visa ceases.
Also, while you may be able to return to Australia on the same or a different substantive visa, and apply for a replacement Bridging visa A, you will then have to abide by the conditions of that visa until it ceases, including any work limitations. For example, if you return on a Student visa, your work entitlements will revert to those of a student — 20 hours per week.
However, when you hold a Bridging visa B, you won’t have to worry about getting another visa while overseas to return to Australia when or if your substantive visa ceases. If you return to Australia on a Bridging visa B, you will remain lawful even after your substantive visa ceases.
Depending on your situation, a Bridging visa B can be granted with a travel period of up to 12 months and will let you depart and re-enter Australia as often as you wish within that time.
Be sure you can return. Investigate the Bridging visa B before you leave.
More detail on Bridging visas in relation to general skilled migration applications, including how to apply for a Bridging visa B, is on our website.
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Post script:
We have kept this post open longer than usual, as we are receiving many questions about the Bridging visa posts. We’ll be providing more information on Bridging visas on the website in the near future.
Please remember that this blog is not a forum to ask about your specific case – if you have a question about your own situation, particularly if it is urgent, your best option is to contact us through the correct channels http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/visa-enquiries/professionals.htm .
Thank you for participating.
B sure you can return — for Bridging visa A holders
Bridging visas and your application for skilled migration
Some of you have asked about leaving Australia while waiting for your skilled migration visa applications to be processed.
This information is in the acknowledgment letter that you received when you made your application. However, it’s worth noting again the best way to maintain your work and study entitlements, and to ensure you remain lawful.
If you hold a Bridging visa A
If you hold a Bridging Visa A and want to leave Australia, you should apply for a Bridging Visa B before you leave.
This is because a Bridging visa A (which you may hold as a result of applying onshore for another substantive visa) will cease when you leave Australia— even if you hold another visa that allows you to travel and return to Australia.
If you apply for and are granted a Bridging visa B, it won’t cease when you leave Australia. However, it will cease if you remain overseas beyond the travel period expiry date. When you are granted a Bridging visa B, it ceases your Bridging visa A.
Depending on your situation, a Bridging visa B can be granted with a travel period of up to 12 months, and will let you depart and re-enter Australia as often as you wish within that time.
You must return to Australia before your Bridging visa B ceases. If you don’t, you need to apply for and be granted another substantive visa to allow you to return to Australia. You would need to meet the separate requirements for this visa for it to be granted. If you can’t, you will have to remain outside of Australia until your skilled visa application is ready to be decided.
If you are notified that your skilled visa application is ready for grant while you are away, you’ll have at most 28 days to organise your return to Australia. So if your Bridging visa B has ceased and you don’t hold a substantive visa to return to Australia, contact your nearest overseas office for more information about your options.
Next time, we’ll be talking about why the Bridging visa B is great for people whose substantive visa is still valid.
Until then, be sure you can return—investigate the Bridging visa B before you leave.
More information about bridging visas in relation to general skilled migration applications, including how to apply, is on our website .
DIAC attends International Higher Education Conference
Yesterday I attended the International Higher Education Conference in 
Melbourne. It was a great opportunity to listen to some interesting presentations and hear the views of the industry and their thoughts about the Knight Review of the Student Visa Program. This blog was mentioned at the conference so I hope some of the attendees stop by and have a look.
Peter Speldewinde, who has posted on this blog before, spoke at the conference. His presentation topic was ‘the role of DIAC in assessment and monitoring standards in the new era’. The new era refers to how international education will operate in a post-Knight Review environment where education providers and key stakeholders work closely, in a partnership with government. Peter’s presentation gave an interesting perspective to the group, as it provided context about how the recent reforms to skilled migration support a sustainable international education sector.
Before I touch on the key points Peter raised, I’ll provide you with a brief background. The international education sector experienced unsustainable growth in the 2008-09 period. Growth in parts of the sector brought major issues around quality in some parts of the sector and high levels of fraud in the student visa program. Following this period, a number of key changes to both the student visa and migration programs were necessary to maintain the integrity of these programs.
During his presentation Peter explained the impact of this growth, which I’ll paraphrase here.
While there had been an increase in the number of students coming to Australia, the majority of these international students were staying in Australia, reaching a point where close to four times as many people were arriving on a temporary student visa than were departing.
This had an impact on Net Overseas Migration (NOM) – which is the difference between inflows and outflows of long-term residents. This rapid acceleration of visas granted to students with no intention of returning home not only put pressure on the department to maintain the integrity of the student visa program, this rapid growth led to questions about credibility in our international education sector.
The reforms announced by the Australian Government on 8 February 2010 and the subsequent introduction of the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) have resulted in a critical shift towards a labour market demand-driven program. They have effectively decoupled the international education and migration programs, breaking a link that had led to negative outcomes for both international education and the skilled migration program.
The interesting trend Peter discussed was the immediate effect this reform package has made in contributing to a decline in NOM, which has now almost halved from its peak of more than 315 000.
The purpose of the Knight Review was to examine how the student visa program could best support Australia’s international education sector while at the same time preserving the integrity of Australia’s migration program. The changes that are occurring as a result of the Knight Review should ensure the student program remains broadly NOM neutral, as we expect to see genuine students coming to Australia, with the view to complete their courses and then return home – unless they have been sponsored by an Australian employer or have been offered a place in the Australian independent skilled migration program.
