Oz - Highly Skilled Vs Skilled Visa

BossArky

Is there both a "highly skilled" and "skilled" option when applying for an Australian work visa?

I have spent the past hour searching for info re immigration to Australia. The online points calculator I foundis called "skilled" not "highly skilled".

A colleague of mine from Oz recently got a UK highly skilled visa and tells me that the UK one is based upon the Australian visa application process.

I cannot find a highly skilled one for immigration to Australia.

layke

SOL -http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf
CSL -http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/critical-skills-list.pdf

The CSL is more for Tradies and the like if you are Uni skilled you want this one ::
MODL -http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/skilled-occupations/occupations-in-demand.htm

You get more points being on the critical skills list and the processing time is 2-4 Months afaik. Don't quote me on that though, but it certainly gets processed quicker then the SOL. You can get in either way providing your paperwork is in Order.

Any Q's just ask.

BossArky

Thanks layke. My profession is on the MODL.

So, lets say I apply and pay the ~4000 Australia Dollars and my application is successful.

This means that I can wait 5 years (if I want) before actually going to live & work in Australia. Is that correct?

layke

This is not on the website per say I got it from an immigration agency's site.

If I am approved, how long do I have before I must travel to Australia ?

* The initial entry date (stated on your visa) is the date by which you must travel to Australia on your visa. This date is calculated based on the validity of your health and character clearances. These clearances are usually only valid for 12 months. If you (and any members of your family included in your application) do not enter Australia by the initial entry date, you will breached a condition of your visa and consideration will be given to cancelling your visa.

http://www.australia-migration.com/page/Permanent_Residence_FAQs/27

That said you will be waiting 6-15 months for your application to process anyway so you will have some time.

Anyway the above sounds about right, I'm in the process of a work sponsorship and my medical is only valid for 12 months.

Anyway there's more :

I know I need to travel to Australia before the initial entry date on my visa but am I required to migrate to Australia before this date as I have a home to sell and/or other assets to dispose of?

* You must travel to Australia before the expiry of the initial entry date in order to activate the visa for its full term which, in most cases, is a full term of five years (the date is on the visa label. Migrant visa holders are not required to migrate (ie settle permanently) to Australia before the expiry of the initial entry date on their visas.Provided you (and all family members included in your application) have made at least one trip to Australia before the initial entry date your visa is then valid for return travel until the final expiry date. There are exceptions to this general rule. For example, Spouse - Provisional visas (subclass 309) and Prospective Spouse visas (subclass 300) both have initial entry dates but neither is valid for a full term of five years. Business skills visas also have certain conditions attached to them - contact ASA for further details.

Darith

layke wrote: »

This is not on the website per say I got it from an immigration agency's site.

If I am approved, how long do I have before I must travel to Australia ?

* The initial entry date (stated on your visa) is the date by which you must travel to Australia on your visa. This date is calculated based on the validity of your health and character clearances. These clearances are usually only valid for 12 months. If you (and any members of your family included in your application) do not enter Australia by the initial entry date, you will breached a condition of your visa and consideration will be given to cancelling your visa.

http://www.australia-migration.com/page/Permanent_Residence_FAQs/27

That said you will be waiting 6-15 months for your application to process anyway so you will have some time.

Anyway the above sounds about right, I'm in the process of a work sponsorship and my medical is only valid for 12 months.

Anyway there's more :

I know I need to travel to Australia before the initial entry date on my visa but am I required to migrate to Australia before this date as I have a home to sell and/or other assets to dispose of?

* You must travel to Australia before the expiry of the initial entry date in order to activate the visa for its full term which, in most cases, is a full term of five years (the date is on the visa label. Migrant visa holders are not required to migrate (ie settle permanently) to Australia before the expiry of the initial entry date on their visas.Provided you (and all family members included in your application) have made at least one trip to Australia before the initial entry date your visa is then valid for return travel until the final expiry date. There are exceptions to this general rule. For example, Spouse - Provisional visas (subclass 309) and Prospective Spouse visas (subclass 300) both have initial entry dates but neither is valid for a full term of five years. Business skills visas also have certain conditions attached to them - contact ASA for further details.

How does the visa system for Australia , New Zealand and Canada work. If i applied on my
qualifications and experience and get a visa based on those would i have to get a job in
those fields. In my case it would be Engineering/telecomms. So i got the visa could i
automatically enter those countires and search for work or would i need to have a job
before i enter. And what if the only job i got was not in those fields/professions. Does
that mean i have to gave up the visa?!

myhorse

Darith wrote: »

How does the visa system for Australia , New Zealand and Canada work. If i applied on my
qualifications and experience and get a visa based on those would i have to get a job in
those fields.

For Australia (on a skilled independent visa) you do not have to work in the field in which you were assesed. You can do any job

Darith wrote: »

In my case it would be Engineering/telecomms. So i got the visa could i
automatically enter those countires and search for work or would i need to have a job
before i enter.

Again for australia, you can enter (by your validation date, and do whatever you want ie work, not work, work in your field , work in some other field. you dont need a job before entering. (obviously this is different than a sponsored visa. I am talking about the skilled independent visa)

Darith wrote: »

And what if the only job i got was not in those fields/professions. Does
that mean i have to gave up the visa?!

What you work in is up to you. Once you validate your visa and are back in Austrlaia before the 5 yr limit is up you can stay for life if you want doing whatever you want regardless of your job. (after your last entry date is up and you choose to leave Aus (for travelling/trip home etc) you will need a rrv(return residents visa) or citizenship to get back in.

The skilled independent visa (not sure what the visa no is these days) is the holy grail of visas as it allows total freedom for the visa holder. Othe visa types have pros and cons attached but are not as "open" as the skilled independent.

myhorse

BossArky wrote: »

Thanks layke. My profession is on the MODL.

So, lets say I apply and pay the ~4000 Australia Dollars and my application is successful.

This means that I can wait 5 years (if I want) before actually going to live & work in Australia. Is that correct?

No
layke explained it in their post.
Effectively what happens is
1)you submit all your paperwork
2)eventually (as their is a huge wait at the moment) you will be requested to submit your medical and police clearance paperwork. This usually means you are close to the end
3) soon('ish) after you will recieve (all being well) your visa
4)one of the stipulations is that you have to enter Australia by a certain date. This date will be 12 months from the time you submitted your police and medical checks. Now you may have submitted these 4 months before visa grant so you will have 8 months to get the validation trip to Aus.

The validation trip can be as simple as walking through customs and getting your passport stamped. You can then turn back around and fly straight back out if you wish. However if you have not at least entered Aus by the date stipulated (the validation date) your visa is null and void. As I say you just have to be in aus by that date and just walking through customs is enough. you need not even leave the airport if you wish. You can of course stay six months and leave , return as many times as you like before the "must not enter after" date ...see next bit....

There will be on your visa a "must not enter Australia after" date. This will be 5 yrs from the visa grant. Once you are back in Aus by this date you can stay forever. it gets tricky ,however, after this date if you want to leave aus for a holiday,trip home etc and to return. You will either need citizenship or a RRV (return residents visa).

BTW the date for your validation trip is non negotiable. You have to do it by that date. DIAC are not flexible.

ALso especially for a MODL based applicant some people may advise you to put the police and medical checks in with your applicaition as it may speed up the grant. This is rarely the case and you will just end up forking out for them again (the checks are only valid for 12 months)

ps there is no highly skilled visa just the skilled visa. However different professions give different points. Also there are sol,modl,csl cats. depending on your skill you will fall into one of these cats. also dont think that certain skills will automatically carry less points i.e hairdressers and furniture makers and dressmakers all get huge points.

mandrake04

BossArky wrote: »

I cannot find a highly skilled one for immigration to Australia.

Thats because there is none!!

Probably confusion due to priority of processing

1st Priority ENS (856/121)
2nd Priority State Sponsored (176)
3rd CSL Critical Skills List (175/176)
4th General Skilled Migration (175/176)

What is your occupation? and how long have you being doing it?

Darith

myhorse wrote: »

For Australia (on a skilled independent visa) you do not have to work in the field in which you were assesed. You can do any job

Again for australia, you can enter (by your validation date, and do whatever you want ie work, not work, work in your field , work in some other field. you dont need a job before entering. (obviously this is different than a sponsored visa. I am talking about the skilled independent visa)


What you work in is up to you. Once you validate your visa and are back in Austrlaia before the 5 yr limit is up you can stay for life if you want doing whatever you want regardless of your job. (after your last entry date is up and you choose to leave Aus (for travelling/trip home etc) you will need a rrv(return residents visa) or citizenship to get back in.

The skilled independent visa (not sure what the visa no is these days) is the holy grail of visas as it allows total freedom for the visa holder. Othe visa types have pros and cons attached but are not as "open" as the skilled independent.

Are they strict as regards work experience as some of mine is old. Also is it true that graduates are getting skiled independant visas ? I just curious when this approach to graduates start or has it always been there !

mandrake04

Darith wrote: »

Are they strict as regards work experience as some of mine is old.

Yes

If you can genuinely prove you have over 3 years experience in the last 4 years in you chosen occupation you should be ok.

Darith wrote: »

Also is it true that graduates are getting skiled independant visas ?

as long as the graduate can prove they have had 3 years experience after graduating then yes.

The whole process is straight forward if you meet the criteria....but they are not making it any easier.

myhorse

As above. they are strict.

Some grads i think may be able to apply (i am thinking medical grads not sure but not 99% of grads). Some onshore students can apply (if holding a student visa). i remember for some reason that hairdressing was very popular onshore to study for that reason. probably changed now.

Also be aware if applying fee's are going up significantly from July 1
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/990i0709.pdf