General Skilled
Overview
Australia’s General Skilled Migration Program (GSM)
The General Skilled Migration program is used by the Australian government to fill skill gaps in the Australian economy by targeting specific occupations and people with relevant skills and experience. The program covers many visas, including pathways to direct permanent residence (the Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa, the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) visa) or a staggered provisional pathway through the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 491) visa. Additional points are awarded to those willing to relocate to designated regional areas.
In-Demand Occupations
- Engineers (various)
- IT professionals (various)
- Medical professionals (various)
- Construction and building professionals (various)
Occupation Lists
- Subclass 189: An occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List of LIN 19/051: Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities) Instrument 2019
- Subclass 190: An occupation in the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List or Short-term Skilled Occupation List of LIN 19/051: Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities) Instrument 2019 (as long as it is a position nominated by a State/territory for this category)
- Subclass 491: Any occupation in LIN 19/051: Specification of Occupations and Assessing Authorities) Instrument 2019 (as long as it is a position nominated by a State/territory for this category)
Visa Categories
- Skilled Independent (Subclass 189)
- Subclass Nominated (Subclass 190)
- Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 491)
Eligibility
Skilled Independent (Subclass 189)
Generally speaking, the Subclass 189 visa is a points-tested permanent residence application (unless applying through the New Zealand stream) which can lead directly to permanent residence. Although anyone can submit an expression of interest through Skill Select, it is an invitation-only application where the Department selects the highest-scoring candidates out of the eligible pool.
General Eligibility
- Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
- Be invited to apply for this visa
- Be under the age of 45 if you are invited to apply for the visa
- Satisfy the points test (score 65 points or more, though pragmatically the minimum score is much higher)
- Have competent English at the time of invitation
- Meet health and character requirements
Documents Required
- Your passport biodata page
- Evidence of relationship to family members included in the application (e.g. birth certificates for children, marriage certificate for spouse)
- Police clearances from any country you have lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years
- Evidence that you have at least competent English at the time you have been invited to apply for the visa
- Evidence of a positive skills assessment
- Evidence of your qualifications
- Evidence of your employment history (e.g. employment reference letters, payslips)
Process
- Ensure you have evidence of the points you claim and submit an expression of interest through Skill Select
- Wait until you are invited to apply for the visa
- Apply within 60 days of your invitation
- Wait for processing until the visa grant
Eligibility
Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190)
The Subclass 190 visa is a State-sponsored and points-tested application that leads directly to permanent residence. Additional steps are required to obtain a State/Territory nomination which awards an additional 5 points to the applicant. Although anyone can submit an expression of interest through Skill Select, candidates will only be invited to apply once the State/Territory nomination is approved.
General Eligibility
- Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
- Obtain state nomination from the relevant State authority
- Be invited to apply for this visa
- Be under the age of 45 if you are invited to apply for the visa
- Satisfy the points test (score 65 points or more, though pragmatically the minimum score is much higher)
- Have competent English at the time of invitation
- Meet health and character requirements
Documents Required
- Your passport biodata page
- Evidence of relationship to family members included in the application (e.g. birth certificates for children, marriage certificate for spouse)
- Police clearances from any country you have lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years
- Evidence that you have at least competent English at the time you have been invited to apply for the visa
- Evidence of a positive skills assessment
- Evidence of a positive State nomination
- Evidence of your qualifications
- Evidence of your employment history (e.g. employment reference letters, payslips)
Process
- Ensure you have evidence of the points you claim and submit an expression of interest through Skill Select
- Obtain a valid State nomination through the relevant authority
- Wait until you are invited to apply for the visa
- Apply within 60 days of your invitation
- Wait for processing until the visa grant
Eligibility
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 491)
The 491 visa is a State / Territory-sponsored, 5-year temporary visa designed to permit individuals to live, work, and study in a designated regional area of Australia. It can lead to permanent residence, if eligible, through the Skilled Regional (subclass 191) visa which will commence from 16 November 2022.
General eligibility
- Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
- Be nominated to apply by a state or territory government agency, or an eligible relative must sponsor you
- Be invited to apply for this visa
- Be under the age of 45 if you are invited to apply for the visa
- Satisfy the points test (score 65 points or more, though pragmatically the minimum score is much higher)
- Have competent English at the time of invitation
- Meet health and character requirements
Documents Required
- Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list
- Have a suitable skills assessment for the occupation
- Obtain state/territory nomination from the relevant government authority
- If sponsored by a family member, a complete visa Sponsor declaration form along with evidence that they are an eligible relative living in a designated area
- Be invited to apply for this visa
- Be under the age of 45 if you are invited to apply for the visa
- Satisfy the points test (score 65 points or more, though pragmatically the minimum score is much higher)
- Have competent English at the time of invitation
- Meet health and character requirements
The Process
- Submit an expression of interest through Skill Select
- Obtain a valid State/territory nomination through the relevant authority or an eligible relative living in a designated regional area
- Wait until you are invited to apply for the visa
- Apply within 60 days of your invitation
- Wait for processing until the visa grant
- Reside in a designated regional area after your visa is granted
Processing Time
Australia’s General Skilled Migration Program (GSM)
The processing times for the General Skilled Migration (GSM) vary depending on the specific subclass. These two subclasses are GSM (Subclass 189) and GSM (Subclass 190).
What are the processing times for General Skilled Migration program visas?
- The estimated processing time for a Skilled Independent (Subclass 189(visa is approximately 11-21 months
- A Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa has an estimated processing time of 10-13 months
- The processing times for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) is about 6 months
Eligible Occupations
Australia’s General Skilled Migration Program (GSM)
The eligibility criteria for the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program are based on occupation, subclass, and specific requirements of each state and territory.
What occupations are eligible for the Subclass 189 visa?
There eligible occupations for the Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa are listed in the Department’s Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (here). This includes, but is not limited to:
- Accounting and financial professionals;
- Various engineers, including those who specialize in structural, biomedical, agricultural, industrial, and/or mechanical engineering;
- Nursing and medical professionals such as midwives, registered nurses, surgeons, and psychiatrists;
- Information Technology (IT) specialists including developers, programmers, and software engineers.
Contact an immigration specialist with experience and knowledge (such as Global Solicitor Lawyers) to find out whether your occupation is eligible for a visa under the General Skilled Migration visa program.
What occupations are eligible for the Subclass 190 visa?
Eligible occupations under the Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) include all the occupations listed under the Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa, as well as those listed in the Department’s
Short‑term Skilled Occupation List (see here). This includes:
- Various hospitality workers, including hotel or motel managers, cafe or restaurant managers, cooks and bakers;
- Florists, general and landscape gardeners;
- Sales, marketing, and finance professionals.
Note that each State and Territory has specific requirements for nomination which might also apply (including limiting the occupations that can be sponsored).
Contact an immigration specialist with experience and knowledge (such as Global Solicitor Lawyers) to find out whether your occupation is eligible for a visa under the General Skilled Migration visa program.
Documents Required
Australia’s General Skilled Migration Program (GSM)
The documents required for the General Skilled Migration are based on a range of factors and evidence based on visa criteria.
What documents are required to be provided for a General Skilled Migration visa?
The documents you will require in an application depend on your particular circumstances, however, in general, for a Subclass 189 visa you must provide:
- Your passport biodata page
- Evidence of relationship to family members included in your application (such as birth certificates and marriage certificates)
- Police clearances from any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years
- Evidence you are competent in English at the time you are invited to apply for the visa
- Evidence of a suitable skills assessment
- Evidence of your qualifications and
- Evidence of your employment history, such as pay slips and employment reference letters.
- In addition to the above, if applying for a subclass 190 visa, you will need to show evidence of an Australian state or territory nomination.
For subclass 491, you must provide:
- Evidence of a suitable skills assessment
- State/territory nomination from the relevant government authority
- If sponsored by a family member, you will need a completed visa Sponsor declaration form together with evidence the family member lives in a designated area
- Competent English at the time of invitation and
- Meet health and character requirements.