Your Complete Guide to Skilled Migration in Australia
At Inclusive Migration, our immigration lawyers regularly advise skilled migrants about the skilled visa options currently available to them in Australia, and can assess your eligibility for a skilled visa in Australia.
One question we are frequently asked is:
“What work visa can I apply for?”
Now there is no real simple answer to this, as there are many different types of skilled visas in Australia, each with its own unique set of requirements and with its own conditions.
Nonetheless, we have put together a Complete Guide to Skilled Migration in Australia, to provide you with a complete outline of all the skilled visas in Australia’s current Skilled Migration Program, and a broad understanding of all the key requirements of each skilled visa.
For ease of understanding, skilled visas in Australia can be divided into two main categories:
Skilled visas that do not require sponsorship or nomination by an employer, otherwise known as General Skilled Migration Visas.
Skilled visas that require sponsorship or nomination by an employer, otherwise known as Employer-Sponsored Visas.
If you have an employer who is can sponsor you to work for them in Australia, you may be eligible for one of the Employer-Sponsored Visas, and may also be eligible for one of the General Skilled Migration Visas.
If you do not have an employer who can sponsor you for an Employer-Sponsored Visa, you may be eligible for one of the General Skilled Migration Visas.
Disclaimer: The information provided on our website or on any of our social media platforms is published for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information provided on our website or on any of our social media platforms about the migration regulations, policies and legislation is current as of the time it is published, and may be subject to change. Your use of the general information published on our website or our social media posts does not create a solicitor-client relationship between you and Inclusive Migration, and you should seek legal advice about your options from a legal practitioner or migration advice from a migration agent registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority before proceeding with any application.
General Skilled Migration Visas
These skilled visas in Australia’s General Skilled Migration Program provide skilled individuals with the opportunity to apply for permanent or provisional residency, without the requirement sponsorship from an employer:
Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) Visa
Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) Visa - requires state/territory sponsorship
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 491) Visa - requires state/territory sponsorship or sponsorship from a family member
National Innovation (Subclass 858) Visa - requires nomination from a state/territory or a nominator who has a national reputation in the same area as you
As indicated above, some visas in this category require a nomination from a state or territory government or a family member.
Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) Visa – Points-Tested Stream
The Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) Visa is a permanent residency visa that allows skilled professionals to live and work in Australia without requiring employer sponsorship or state nomination.
Key requirements:
Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and receive an invitation from the Department of Home Affairs.
The occupation must be listed on the Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).
A minimum score of 65 points on the points test must be met, which considers factors such as age, English proficiency, work experience and qualifications.
Applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time of receiving an invitation.
A minimum of Competent English must be demonstrated.
Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) Visa
The Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) Visa is a permanent residency visa for individuals who have received a nomination from a state or territory government. Each state or territory has its own occupation list and specific nomination requirements.
Key requirements:
Applicants must submit an EOI and receive an invitation to apply.
A state or territory government must nominate the applicant.
The nominated occupation must be on the state or territory's skilled occupation list (where applicable).
A minimum score of 65 points on the points test must be met, which considers factors such as age, English proficiency, work experience and qualifications.
Applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time of receiving an invitation.
A minimum of Competent English must be demonstrated.
A commitment to living and working in the nominating state or territory is required.
Note: Additional requirements may be imposed by each state or territory government as part of its eligibility criteria for Subclass 190 nomination.
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 491) Visa
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 491) Visa is a provisional 5-year visa with a pathway to permanent residency, which allows skilled professionals to live and work in designated regional areas of Australia.
Subclass 491 visa holders are able to transition to permanent residency through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (Subclass 191) visa after living and working in a designated regional area for at least 3 years.
Key requirements:
Applicants must submit an EOI and receive an invitation.
A state or territory government nomination or family sponsorship from an eligible relative in a regional area is required.
The nominated occupation must be on the state or territory's skilled occupation list (where applicable).
A minimum score of 65 points on the points test must be met, which considers factors such as age, English proficiency, work experience and qualifications.
Applicants must be under 45 years of age at the time of receiving an invitation.
A minimum of Competent English must be demonstrated.
A commitment to living and working in the nominating state or territory is required.
Note: Additional requirements may be imposed by each state or territory government as part of its eligibility criteria for Subclass 491 nomination.
National Innovation (Subclass 858) Visa
The National Innovation (Subclass 858) Visa is a permanent residency visa designed for individuals with internationally recognised achievements in innovation, science, technology, research, academia, and other specialist fields.
Key requirements:
Applicants must demonstrate an exceptional level of achievement in an eligible sector.
A nomination or endorsement from an Australian government agency (i.e. a state or territory government) or an industry-recognised nominator or organisation is required.
A minimum of Competent English must be demonstrated.
If you are under 18 years of age or 55 years of age or older at the time of application, you must demonstrate that you are of exceptional benefit to the Australian community, and that this exceptional benefit will be ongoing, sustained and realised shortly after your migration to Australia.
Employer-Sponsored Visas
These visas allow an overseas skilled worker to work for a sponsoring employer in Australia, and generally require an approved Australian business to act as a sponsor or nominator for the applicant:
Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) Visa
Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) Visa
Skilled Employer Regional Sponsored (Provisional) (Subclass 494) Visa
Temporary Work (International Relations) (Subclass 403) Visa
Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) (Subclass 400) Visa
Training (Subclass 407) Visa
Temporary Activity (Subclass 408) Visa
Some of these visas lead to permanent residency after meeting certain conditions.
Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) Visa
The Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482) is a temporary 4-year visa which allows you to work for a sponsoring employer in Australia. Subclass 482 visa holders are able to transition to permanent residency through the Temporary Residence Transition stream or the Labour Agreement stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa after at least 2 years of working for a sponsoring employer in Australia.
Key requirements:
You must be sponsored by an approved business sponsor.
Your sponsoring employer may need to undertake labour market testing (advertising of the nominated position in Australia), unless an exemption applies.
You must be eligible for a Subclass 482 visa in the Specialist Skills stream, Core Skills stream or Labour Agreement stream.
Specialist Skills stream - Your nominated occupation can be any occupation listed in Major Groups 1,2,4,5 or 6 of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) i.e. excluding trades workers, machinery operators and drivers, etc.
Your proposed salary must be at least AUD135,000 (Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT)).
On 1 July 2025, the Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) will be increasing from AUD135,000 to AUD141,210.
Core Skills stream - Your nominated occupation must be on the Core Skills Occupation List
Your proposed salary must be at least AUD73,150 (Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)).
On 1 July 2025, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will be increasing increasing from AUD73,150 to AUD76,515.
You may need a positive skills assessment from the relevant skills assessing authority in your nominated occupation.
You must have at least 1 year of work experience which is highly relevant to the nominated occupation.
You may need relevant qualifications which is highly relevant to your nominated occupation.
Competent English proficiency must be demonstrated.
Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) Visa
The Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) is a permanent residency visa for skilled professionals nominated by an Australian employer.
Streams:
Direct Entry stream – You must meet skills and qualification requirements for a nominated occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List, and your proposed salary must be at least AUD73,150 (Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)).
On 1 July 2025, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will be increasing increasing from AUD73,150 to AUD76,515.
Temporary Residence Transition stream – For those who have worked for their employer on a Subclass 482 visa in the Specialist Skills stream or the Core Skills stream for at least 2 out of the last 3 years.
Labour Agreement stream – For applicants nominated under a labour agreement.
Key requirements (Direct Entry stream):
You must be under 45 years of age at the time of application unless exemptions apply.
You must be nominated by an approved business sponsor.
You must nominate an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List.
You must have a positive skills assessment from the relevant skills assessing authority in your nominated occupation.
Your proposed salary must be at least AUD73,150 (Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)).
On 1 July 2025, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will be increasing increasing from AUD73,150 to AUD76,515.
You must have at least 3 years of work experience which is highly relevant to the nominated occupation.
You may need relevant qualifications which is highly relevant to your nominated occupation.
Competent English proficiency must be demonstrated.
Key requirements (Temporary Residence Transition stream)
You must be under 45 years of age at the time of application unless exemptions apply.
You must be nominated by an approved business sponsor.
You must have worked for your sponsor on a Subclass 482 visa in your nominated position for at least 2 out of the last 3 years.
Your proposed salary must be at least AUD73,150 (Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)).
On 1 July 2025, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will be increasing increasing from AUD73,150 to AUD76,515.
You may need relevant qualifications which is highly relevant to your nominated occupation.
Competent English proficiency must be demonstrated.
Key requirements for the Labour Agreement stream depend on the terms of the relevant labour agreement.
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 494) Visa
The Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 494) is a provisional 5-year visa which allows employers in regional Australia to sponsor skilled workers to live and work for them in a designated regional area. Subclass 494 visa holders are able to transition to permanent residency through the Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) (Subclass 191) visa after living and working in a designated regional area for at least three (3) years.
Streams:
Employer Sponsored stream – You must meet skills and qualification requirements for an eligible occupation, have a positive skills assessment and your proposed salary must be at least AUD73,150 (Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)).
On 1 July 2025, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will be increasing increasing from AUD73,150 to AUD76,515.
Labour Agreement stream – For applicants nominated under a labour agreement.
Key requirements (Employer Sponsored stream):
You must be under 45 years of age at the time of application unless exemptions apply.
You must be nominated by an approved business sponsor.
Your sponsoring employer may need to undertake labour market testing (advertising of the nominated position in Australia), unless an exemption applies.
Your sponsoring employer must obtain certification from a Regional Certifying Body for the nominated position.
You must have a positive skills assessment from the relevant skills assessing authority in your nominated occupation.
Your proposed salary must be at least AUD73,150 (Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)).
On 1 July 2025, the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) will be increasing increasing from AUD73,150 to AUD76,515.
You must have at least 3 years of work experience which is highly relevant to the nominated occupation.
You may need relevant qualifications which is highly relevant to your nominated occupation.
Competent English proficiency must be demonstrated.
Key requirements for the Labour Agreement stream depend on the terms of the relevant labour agreement.
Temporary Work (International Relations) (Subclass 403) Visa
The Subclass 403 visa (PALM Stream) is a temporary visa granted for up to 2 or 4 years which allows persons to work in specific circumstances that improve Australia’s international relations, relevantly in the following streams:
Government Agreement stream
must work under the terms and conditions of a bilateral agreement between a national or state/territory government and a government of another country
Foreign Government Agency stream
to come to Australia as a representative of a foreign government agency or be employed by a foreign government as a foreign language teacher in an Australian school
Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream
to do temporary full-time domestic work in the household of someone who holds a Diplomatic Temporary (Subclass 995) visa
Privileges and Immunities stream
to stay in Australia while working as an international representative
Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) stream
for a citizen and resident of a Pacific Island or Timor Leste nation nominated by a labour sending unit (LSU) and sponsored by an approved Australian employer to work e.g. in the agriculture or food processing sectors
Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES)
for Indian graduates and early career professionals selected in a ballot to live and work in Australia
Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) (Subclass 400) Visa
The Subclass 400 visa is a temporary visa granted for up to 6 months allowing highly skilled workers to come to Australia for short-term, specialised work that cannot be done by an Australian citizen or resident. The Subclass 400 visa does not provide a direct pathway to permanent residency but may allow you to accrue work experience to be eligible for a Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa, Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa or Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 494) visa.
Key requirements:
Your employment must be short-term, likely to be completed within 6 months or less and you do not expect to or arrange to stay in Australia after this time for any reason related to that work
You must have highly specialised skills, knowledge or experience
Your employer may need to show that they have tried to find Australian workers to do the work first, but to no avail
Training (Subclass 407) Visa
The Subclass 407 visa is a temporary visa granted for up to 2 years, which allows applicants to undertake occupational training to improve their skills in a particular field. The Subclass 407 visa does not provide a direct pathway to permanent residency but may allow you to accrue work experience to be eligible for a Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa.
Key requirements:
You must be sponsored by an Australian organisation or Commonwealth Government agency
You must be undergoing:
workplace-based training required to get occupational registration, membership or licensing that is mandatory to work in that occupation in Australia or your home country; or
a workplace-based structured training program that is tailored to your needs and is in relation to an eligible occupation in which you have at least 12 months of full-time study or work experience in, within the last 24 months; or
for capacity building overseas -
for students enrolled in a foreign educational institution and who must complete a period of practical training, research or observation to get your qualification;
government-supported structured workplace-based occupational training tailored to your training needs, which has:
support of a government agency in Australia at a national or state/territory level; or
support of a government in your home country at a national, state/territory or provincial level.
professional development programs of face-to-face teaching in a classroom or similar environment in Australia for overseas employers to send their managerial or professional employees.
Temporary Activity Visa (Subclass 408)
The Subclass 408 visa is a temporary visa granted for up to 2 years, which allows skilled workers to participate in short-term activities such as research, sports, entertainment, or religious work. The Subclass 408 visa does not provide a direct pathway to permanent residency but may allow you to accrue work experience to be eligible for a Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa, Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 186) visa or Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 494) visa.
Key requirements:
Must be participating in relation to -
Australian Government Endorsed Events; or
Special Programs; or
cultural enrichment or community benefit programs
youth exchange programs
school language assistance programs
school-to-school interchange programs
Religious Work; or
Research activities; or
Invited for other social and cultural activity (Invited Participant); or
social or cultural activity associated with a community-based event
Sporting Activities; or
as a sports trainee who currently competes or adjudicates at the Australian national level (or equivalent) and with endorsement from a relevant peak sporting body as having the potential to compete or adjudicate at the Australian national level (or equivalent), and to undertake full-time, structure sports training aimed at achieving a high performance outcome with an internationally recognised sports training organisation
to play, coach, instruct or adjudicate in a sporting field where you have an established reputation, and endorsed by an Australian national sporting body as being able to play, coach, instruct or adjudicate the sport at a national level
Entertainment Activities; or
performing in a film or television production subsidised by government
performing in a film or television production not subsidised by government
performing other than in film or television
working as production staff
working as support staff for an entertainer or group of entertainers
working as a performer or support staff for a non-profit engagement
working on a documentary or commercial for an overseas market
Superyacht Crew; or
as a crew member on a superyacht (high-value luxury sailing or motor vessel that is 24 metres or longer, doesn’t carry cargo and is used for sport or recreation)
Exchange Arrangements; or
to work in a skilled position as part of a reciprocal staff exchange arrangement with an eligible organisation in Australia
Domestic work for executives.
to do full-time domestic work in the household of certain senior foreign executive who:
holds a Subclass 403 visa in the Privileges and Immunities stream and is the national managing director, deputy national managing director or state manager of the sponsor's Australian office.; or
holds a Temporary Work (Skilled) (Subclass 457) visa, Temporary Skill Shortage (Subclass 457) visa or Skills in Demand (Subclass 482) visa and is the national managing director, deputy national managing director or state manager of the sponsor's Australian office.
Must have a supporter or sponsor (depending on the stream)
Need help with working out your immigration options in Australia?
Our immigration lawyers at Inclusive Migration have extensive experience in advising prospective migrants to Australia about their employer-sponsored, skilled migration and family migration options in Australia.
Should you wish to discuss your eligibility for employer-sponsored and/or general skilled migration pathways in Australia, please email info@inclusivemigration.com.au, submit an enquiry using the contact form on our website or send us a message via WhatsApp at +61 490 704 775.
