Critical Skills List (CSL)

People wishing to migrate under the Skilled Migration program and whose occupations are on this list will receive priority processing. This Critical Skills List (CSL) is effective from 16 March 2009.

OCCUPATION SHORTAGES – PROFESSIONAL

    2312-11 Anaesthetist
    2381-11 Dentist
    4315-11 Electronic Equipment Trades
    2312-15 Emergency Medicine Specialist
    2129-17 Engineer – Chemical
    2124-11 Engineer – Civil
    2125-11 Engineer – Electrical
    2125-13 Engineer – Electronics
    2126-11 Engineer – Mechanical
    2127-11 Engineer – Mining
    2126-13 Engineer – Production or Plant Engineer
    4114-15 Aircraft Maintenance Engineer – Avionics
    4114-11 Aircraft Maintenance Engineer – Mechanical
    4431-13 Gasfitter
    2311-11 General Medical Practitioner
    2391-11 Medical Diagnostic Radiographer
    2312-17 Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
    2383-11 Occupational Therapist
    2382-11 Pharmacist (Hospital)
    2382-15 Pharmacist (Retail)
    2385-11 Physiotherapist
    2388-11 Podiatrist
    2312-27 Psychiatrist
    2122-11 Quantity Surveyor
    2325-11 Registered Mental Health Nurse
    2324-11 Registered Midwife
    2323-11 Registered Nurse
    2413-11 Secondary School Teacher
    2312-79 Specialist Medical Practitioners NEC
    2312-25 Specialist Physician
    2312-31 Surgeon
    2123-13 Surveyor
    2523-11 Urban & Regional Planner
    4416-11 Wall and Floor Tiler
    2386-11 Speech Pathologist
    2391-17 Sonographer
    2312-19 Ophthalmologist
    2312-21 Paediatrician
    2312-23 Pathologist
    2312-29 Radiologist
    2211-11 Accountant — where the applicant has achieved a score of at least IELTS 7 in each of the four competencies, and/or has completed The Professional Year – Skilled Migration Internship Program Accounting (SMIPA)

    Computing Professionals — where the applicant’s specialisation is listed on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL).

    Contact us today for a confidential evaluation of your chances of securing a positive Australian Visa outcome.

Recent Changes in General Skilled Migration

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, recently announced changes to the Skilled Migration Program. Main points include:

Capping the 2008-09 General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program.
The Government has decided to reduce the skilled migration program from 133 000 to 115 000.

Removal of most trades from the Critical Skills List
The removal of construction and manufacturing trades from the CSL.

The changes are a direct result of the worsening global economic crisis and its impact on the increasing unemployment rate in Australia.

Student Visa Options

Student Visas

Australian Migration Legislation is complex in nature, and we have endeavored to provide a brief outline of the key Study based Visas, please contact us directly should you require in depth information about these or other Australian Visas that is relevant to educational and training needs.

Sublass 570 – Independent ELICOS Sector
For international students undertaking ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) as a stand-alone course, and not as a prerequisite to commencing another course (for example, a degree course)

Subclass 572 – Vocational education and training (VET) sector
For international students seeking to attain a Certificate I, II, III and IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma.

Subclass 573 – Higher education sector
For international students seeking to attain a Bachelor degree, Graduate certificate, and Graduate diploma

Subclass 574 – Masters and doctorate sector
For international students seeking to attain a Masters degree by coursework or by research, and a Doctoral degree

Subclass 575
For international students seeking to attend a Non-award foundation studies/other sector – covers foundation, bridging or other courses that do not lead to the award of a degree, diploma or other formal award

To ensure your case is managed without application errors, misunderstandings or confusion contact Banksia Immigration Australia today to expedite your Australian Visa

Permanent Residency for Recent Graduates

In recent studies, it has been identified that most Visa applications prepared and lodged independently have a high failure rate up to 50 % compared to a 95% success rate when an application is applied through an Australian Registered Migration Agent. To ensure your case is managed without application errors, misunderstandings or confusion contact Banksia Immigration Australia today to expedite your Australian Visa.

Skilled–Graduate (subclass 476)

The 476 visa allow recent graduates of selected overseas universities to gain up to 18 months of skilled work experience in occupations in demand in Australia. They are able to live, work and study during this period. The individual is able be sponsored on an Employer Sponsored 457 Visa or apply for an Australian permanent residence at any time if they are able to meet the required points on the General Skilled Migration points test.

The Individual must meet certain requirements as follows:

  • They are young- must be under 31 years old at the time of their application
  • Have completed an tertiary degree from one of 74 designated educational institutions in the last 24 months
  • Able to achieve satisfy professional English language requirement
  • Qualify as a member of an Australian Regulatory/ Professional Board.

These institutions are located in:

  • Europe: UK, Germany, Sweden, Russia
  • North America: USA, Canada & Mexico
  • South America: Brazil & Chile
  • Middle East: Turkey, Iran, UAE
  • Africa: South Africa & Tanzania
  • Asia-Pacific: China, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia & Philippines

Skilled–Graduate (subclass 485)

The 485 Visa is available to international students on completion of an Australian qualification after at least 2 academic years of study. Other requirements include age restrictions, having obtained a qualification that meet the Australian standard for an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and have a nominated occupation that is classified as either a 50 point or a 60 point occupation.
The 485 visa allows international students to remain in Australia for a further 18 months and there are no restrictions on work or study rights. It is designed to give recent graduates who do not satisfy the points test for Skilled–Independent (Overseas Student) 885 & 886 Visa, an opportunity to gain work experience or complete a professional year or undertake further studies or improve their English skills to acquire extra points in the test, necessary for an Australian Permanent Residency Visa.

The graduate must lodge their application within six months from when they have received the their completion certificate, diploma or degree they have been studied for. This means the date they have been notified of their results ie/ handed the results by hand, post or notification on a bulletin board and Not the date of their ceremony that they would be awarded your certificate or qualification.

Skilled–Independent (Overseas Student) (subclass 885)

The 885 Visa allow international students who completed a degree, diploma or vocational qualification from a minimum of 2 years full time study in Australia to apply onshore for Australian permanent residency.
To be eligible to apply for a visa, the individual must meet the general conditions of the Professional and skilled migration, which include:

  • The individual applying must have obtained English language threshold results before lodging application.
  • The individual applying must have evidence that you meet the English language threshold or have booked to sit an English language test.
  • The individual applying must have applied for a skills assessment in a nominated 50 or 60 point occupation.
  • The individual applying must hold or have previously held a student visa (560, 562, 563, 572, 573, 574) within 6 months prior to the application.
  • The individual applying must not have been unlawful in the last 6 months before applying
  • The individual applying must have booked or undertaken a full medical at the time of application.
  • All applicants, 16 years of age or older, must have applied for Australian Federal Police clearances at the time of application;

PR for Professionals and Skilled Migrants

Family Sponsorship Visa

Professionals and Skilled Migrants

Professional and General Skilled migration is possible either via sponsorship or independent migration. Since the 1980s, the Australian government developed policies designed to target migrants with specialties skills. The current skills in demand are listed in Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and the Critical Skills List (CSL)

Generally an applicant must be under 45, have obtained formal qualifications relevant to their occupation, have recent work experience in their profession/ trade, with an occupation listed on the SOL, with enough points to pass the points test and with a fairly proficient level of English.

Under the skilled or independent migrant selection system, the Migration Occupations in Demand (MODL) List identifies occupations to be allocated extra points under the points test. The current skills points list indicates occupations acceptable for permanent migration and the number of points allocated to these occupations.

There are a variety of relevant visas that potential migrants can apply for under the skilled migration program. Banksia Immigration Australia is specialised in the following and are able to apply your Visa either onshore or offshore, pending Department of Immigration and Citizenship stipulations:

Skilled Independent (subclass 175)

The 175 visa is the preferred visa for those who wish to immigrate to Australia and do not have a family member or Australian Employer to sponsor them. The offshore Skilled – Independent visa is assessed on a points based system, with 120 points required to pass. Those who are granted a visa can live and work in any part of Australia, take up any employment they wish, receive subsidised healthcare through Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), access certain social security payments (subject to waiting periods) , study in Australia at school or university and able to sponsor people for Australian Permanent Residency

To be eligible to apply for a visa, applicants must meet the general conditions of the Professional and skilled migration, which include:

* The individual applying must be under 45 years of age at the time of application
* Must meet the English language requirements
* The applicant must nominate an occupation listed on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and have a suitable skills assessment from the relevant assessing authority for the nominated occupation.
* The person applying must have either: been employed for 12 out of the last 24 months in an occupation listed on the SOL; or completed the two year study requirement in the last six months with Australian qualifications closely related to the nominated occupation

Skilled Sponsorship (subclass 176)

The 176 Visa is a permanent visa available to those who either have a relative who is an Australian Citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen willing to sponsor them or who are able to receive sponsorship from one of Australia’s states or territories. As it has a lower points requirement than the skilled-independent visa (175), this visa is well suited to those who are unable to meet the passmark for the 175 visa. The 176 Visa is a permanent residence visa and carries no obligations. However, if you are applying with state or territory sponsorship you must provide an undertaking to your sponsor that you will live in that state/territory for your first two years in Australia.

To be eligible to apply for a visa, applicants must meet the general conditions of the Professional and skilled migration, which include:

* The person applying must be under 45 years of age at the time of application.
* Must meet the English language requirements
* The individual applying must have worked for 12 of the past 24 months in a single “skilled” occupation
* The individual applying must have your skills assessed as suitable for migration by an approved assessing body

Temporary Visa (Subclass 570)

The main purpose of this visa is for international students to undertake and intensive course in English in Australia. It is commonly known as ELICOS (English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students)

Typcially, this visa is for students wishing to

  • apply for their first student visa
  • renew an existing student visa
  • apply to join a family member in Australia who is already on a student visa

Whilst on this visa you can study in Australia and your eligible dependents can join you, you can all work a maximum of 20 hours per week during study semesters (but unlimited during semester breaks)

457 Business (Long Stay) Visa

The 457 Visa or Temporary Business (Long Stay) – Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457) is the most commonly used program for employers to sponsor foreign workers to Australia on a temporary basis.
It allows employers to employ overseas workers (from 3 months to 4 years) to fill nominated skilled positions in Australia that aren’t able to be filled by local workers.

457 visa holders are permitted to work in Australia for the duration of the visa period (3 months to 4 years) and bring eligible dependents with them (dependents are permitted to work and study in Australia). On this visa, the visa holder is unrestricted in the number of times they enter or leave the country.

There are strict eligibility criteria for both employers and employees to meet before a visa is issued.

For the worker, they must:

  • have an eligible employer who is willing to sponsored them.
  • have recognised skills, qualifications and work experience that meets the requirements of the sponsored position.
  • possess adequate English language ability to meet the requirements of the positions, qualification or immigration requirement.
  • have obtained the required licences or registration as required by legislation in order to perform their duties in the nominated position.
  • meet the minimum salary level as set out at the time of your visa assessment.
  • meet the health requirement criteria
  • meet all character requirements