SkillSelect – impacts on the sponsored skilled migration programs
In our last blog, we discussed the who, what, why, when and how of SkillSelect.
Today, we will look at SkillSelect and how it will impact the state and territory sponsored, business skills and employer sponsored skilled migration programs.
SkillSelect will connect state and territory governments and Australian employers with potential skilled workers through a central database.
How will SkillSelect affect the sponsored skilled migration programs?
State and territory sponsored and business skills migration programs: SkillSelect will be the sole method for state and territory government sponsorship of business skills and state and territory sponsored visas.
If you are interested in state or territory sponsorship under these programs you will need to submit an expression of interest (EOI) and receive an invitation in order to lodge a visa application. In your EOI you can specify the state or territory you are interested in.
State and territory governments can search in SkillSelect and select potential applicants for nomination (as long as they have not reached agreed limits on their State Migration Plan). SkillSelect will then generate an invitation to be issued to the selected candidates.
State Migration Plans specify which occupations state and territory governments can nominate applicants under, and the number of visas that will be granted as part of the program. The review of the business skills category is considering whether state and territory sponsored business migrants should be included in State Migration Plans.
State and territory governments will still assess potential applicants before they nominate them. The actual nomination can only occur after an EOI has been lodged.
Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS), Regional Skilled Migration Scheme (RSMS) and subclass 457 visas:
Prospective applicants for ENS, RSMS and 457 visas are not required to use SkillSelect. However, when submitting an EOI you can express an interest in these programs that allows employers to view your details. SkillSelect will facilitate contact between employers and prospective applicants to discuss sponsorship opportunities. SkillSelect will serve as an online register to connect employers to details of skilled migrants interested in employer sponsorship.
Employers who identify people through their own selection processes will still be able to sponsor them as per current processes.
Skilled Graduate, Skilled Recognised Graduate, Distinguished Talent visas and Labour Agreement programs: SkillSelect will have no impact on these programs and they will continue to function as per any current processes in place.
The following table outlines when an EOI will be required:
|
Independent or Family Sponsored |
Subclass 457 |
Employer Sponsored |
State or territory Sponsored |
Business Skills |
Regional Sponsored (Provisional) |
|
Yes – EOI compulsory |
No – EOI optional |
No – EOI optional |
Yes – EOI compulsory |
Yes – EOI compulsory |
Yes – EOI compulsory |
Why implement SkillSelect?
State and territory governments can maximise the benefits of their State Migration Plans, and employers can quickly and easily identify prospective skilled workers with the required skills and attributes to fill skill shortages.
A key benefit of SkillSelect is the ability to address regional skill shortages. SkillSelect allows prospective migrants to nominate their willingness to live and work in regionalAustralia. This will benefit employers experiencing regional skills shortages and state and territory governments attempting to settle migrants in regional Australia.
When will SkillSelect be implemented?
SkillSelect will commence on1 July 2012. As of this date, new applicants for Independent, Family, State/Territory Sponsored or Business Skills visas will need to submit an EOI and be issued with an invitation before lodging a visa application.
For more information on SkillSelect go to our website at www.skillselect.gov.au
Skilled Migrant Profile— Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS)
Australia relies on skilled migration to meet the growing demands on its health system. Our latest ImmiTV migrant profile features Andrea, a British nurse manager who immigrated to Australia with her husband, Paul, and two daughters, through the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS).
While attending a Skills Australia Needs event in London, Andrea met a representative from the City of Greater Geelong Council who later helped her secure employment in the Victorian public health sector.
The family have been living in Geelong for more than a year and have thoroughly enjoyed their new life in Australia. The children have settled easily into school with one of the girls joining a local footy team. ‘She knows more about the Australian Football League (AFL) code than I do!’ laughed Paul.
They made friends through the local ‘buddy’ system established by the City of Greater Geelong’s Skilled Migration Project, where a skilled migrant family ‘adopted’ them soon after they arrived in the area, answering their many questions about life in Australia.
Andrea is now pursuing a master’s degree at university to further her career as a highly qualified public health professional.
Permanent regional migration visas, including RSMS, are afforded the highest processing priority. RSMS enables regional Australian employers to sponsor overseas skilled workers for permanent residence in Australia, filling skilled vacancies in their business where the local labour market cannot meet demand.
