How to arrive and

The Australian Visa System And Your Options

Why Australia? It’s plain for all to see

Congratulations on making the exciting decision to emigrate to Australia. This will be a major move in your life and is perhaps even the biggest decision you’ll ever make.

Australia is famous for its political and economic stability. Its democracy is amongst the most mature in the world while its education and healthcare systems are envied by many countries. Add to this backdrop its great food, beautiful beaches, stunning scenery and a relaxed lifestyle and it's easy to understand why so many people from around the world want to call Australia home. The benefits are plain for all to see.
Australia was an early adopter of the concept of a global economy and encourages educated, highly trained young professionals from around the world to work and settle in Australia. Although the salaries paid in Australia for highly-skilled technical positions are somewhat less than what their counterparts in the USA or Europe may earn, the cost of living is lower and the pace more relaxed. For some the lifestyle alone is priceless. There are things that money can’t buy.
However, if you are reading this from outside of Australia, don't rush to pack your bags just yet. It can be very difficult to obtain the visas needed to live and work in Australia and only a few possess the necessary requirements. Furthermore, some people find the cost of the visas alone to be prohibitive.
All the world can see the benefits of life in Australia – and they can apply for visas too. It’s a very competitive world out there, but if you’re at least adequately prepared then you have a slight advantage.
To live and work in Australia you either need to have an Australian passport or a visa which allows you to do so. It is unlikely that you will automatically qualify for an Australian passport, but you can check to see if you do at: http://www.citizenship.gov.au/applying/how_to_apply/
There is also a citizen “wizard” at: http://www.citizenship.gov.au/citizenshipwizard/

The vast majority of people who move to Australia need to qualify for a visa which allows them to live and work there. Most, but not all, visas eventually lead to permanent residence which, after several years of residence in Australia, will allow you to apply for Australian citizenship and passport.

You might be eligible for a number of different visa categories as each has different requirements and obligations. Please read through the various visa options to ensure that you choose the visa most beneficial to you, your objectives and your circumstances. Remember that not all visas lead to citizenship, if that is your objective.

How the visa system works

The first thing you’ll want to do is to determine under which visa category you will apply for migration to Australia – and whether or not you qualify. You therefore need to understand how the visa system works. The cost of making a mistake is high.

All matters to do with immigration to Australia are dealt with by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP). It was previously known as the ‘Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs’ (DIMIA) and more recently as 'Department of Immigration and Citizenship' (DIAC); many weblinks on the internet still refer to the old acronym.
The Australian government has two types of immigration programs: the migration program and the humanitarian programme. The migration program is by far the most popular route as it offers the most ways in which you can migrate to Australia. This has three broad categories of:

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  Skilled Migration - these migration visas are for individuals who work in certain occupations or have exceptional business skills or talents. (For the 2013/14 year 128,550 such visas were available).
  
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  Family Migration – is for people who will be sponsored by family members who are themselves already either Australian citizens or permanent residents; 60,885 visas allocated.
  
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  Special Eligibility Migration - which is for individuals who are former Australian residents and who now want to return to Australia. Certain New Zealanders also fall under this category. Some Business Skills visas are also included here.
  

The humanitarian programme is for those individuals who are seeking refugee status in Australia. This has 13 750 visas currently allocated to it. It is highly unlikely that you will qualify for this.

The current migration programme quota is set at a total of 190 000 visas for the 2014-15 year. The vast majority of these visas will go to people entering under the Skilled stream – 129 250 to be exact. Well under half this number will be granted to people applying under the Family stream. A very small percentage will enter under the Special Eligibility stream.
Most people who make it in to Australia independently therefore do so under the Skilled Migration stream and the vast majority do so via the “SkillSelect” system.
SkillSelect is an online system (essentially a database) that enables skilled workers interested in migrating to Australia to make an “expression of interest” (EoI) to be considered for a skilled visa. Through SkillSelect, migrants can be sponsored for skilled visas by Australian employers or be nominated by state and territory governments, or invited by the Australian Government to lodge a full visa application.
Here's a great page that explains the SkillSelect system and its practical workings. Be sure to click on the links in the articles as well as read the comments below it. http://migrationblog.immi.gov.au/2013/06/27/state-and-territory-nomination-through-skillselect/
You can visit SkillSelect at: www.immi.gov.au/Work/Pages/SkillSelect/SkillSelect.aspx
Prospective skilled migrants must have their skills tested by a relevant Australian industry body before they apply for a visa. The typical flow of events involves having your qualifications assessed and certified, getting and filling in the right application forms, attaching relevant documents and paying the government charges. This is easier said than done though as this all takes time, effort and money.
An application under the skills category is not acceptable until your overseas qualifications and skills have been assessed and recognised. Assessment of your qualifications is undertaken by the appropriate industry or trade assessing authority in Australia. For instance, if you are a nurse, the Australian Nursing Council assesses your qualifications.
Many Australian visa applications cannot legally be lodged from ‘offshore’ and must instead be lodged and processed in Australia. This to-and-fro of paperwork to Australia is where most of the time is spent when your application is in ‘the queue’. The spouse and dependants of an expatriate employee are generally included in the same visa application and granted a visa of the same subclass. In cases where a sponsorship is required, it is essential that dependants be included in the sponsorship.
You must be sure to apply for the appropriate visa. Not doing so is a common mistake. Applications will be considered for visas within a range of related sub-classes, but the application will not be considered for a different class of visa even if the applicant were qualified for that other class. If the application fails, the application fee will not be refunded. If you seek a review of the decision before the Migration Review Tribunal (http://www.mrt-rrt.gov.au/) and it too fails, the A$1400 review fee will also not be refunded.
Immigrating to Australia is a costly endeavour. You are liable for ALL application and form fees as well as medical examination fees. Fees are not refundable, so you need to be 100% sure of everything before submitting anything. Then there are the many costs associated with actually moving to Australia once you have secured your visa. It is important that you are aware of all the costs in advance so as to make an informed decision.
Some visa fees can be paid in two instalments. For such visas under this payment plan, you pay half of the fee at the time of filing your application and then pay the remainder before your visa becomes valid. Visas typically cost a few thousand Australian dollars, but multiples of that are not uncommon.
There is the possibility that you will be required to attend an interview with an official from the Department of Immigration. The likelihood of this varies depending on the case concerned. If you are summoned then it is no cause for concern – your application has not encountered a problem. Interviews are often just a routine formality to verify the facts presented. In most cases it is logical that you meet an official on a face-to-face basis. For example, if you are applying for a business skilled visa, you and the interviewing official will discuss your business experience in general and your knowledge of business specifically in Australia. They want to make sure that you know what you’re getting in to – it’s in your interest that they also believe that you will succeed. Should you be summoned, take the opportunity to ask them what you should take along or what the discussion will be about.
They will not waste their time and yours if your application is destined to be declined. At worst they may have a few questions about issues that require clarification or confirmation. They have a duty not just to protect Australia, but also an often overlooked role of making sure that you are equipped to succeed in Australia. It’s in nobody’s interest that you fail. They don’t want homeless people on their streets telling all their friends back home how bad Australia is. That want immigrants who can and will succeed – it’s good for everybody concerned that that is the case.