About Australia’s General Skilled Migration Program
The general skilled migration (GSM) program accounts for most of Australia’s permanent/provisional visas issued each year and is the main pathway for people looking to migrate to Australia.
With an intake size of 120,000 – 160,000 people each year, the basis of this program is to allow individuals with genuine skills in certain occupations to apply for residency directly without needing to be sponsored by an employer.
A points-tested program, applicants will need to meet minimum criteria to be allowed to apply as well as have an occupation that is in demand in Australia.
With over 400 occupations, it’s not easy figuring out which option suits you best, get in contact with us and one of our consultants will assess your profile and tell you exactly which occupation to apply under.
Note: Our services are for those intending to emigrate to Australia. We do not provide job placement services.
FILL IN YOUR DETAILS BELOW FOR A FREE ASSESSMENT
Skilled Migration – Visa Requirements
To qualify for this visa class, you need to fulfil certain minimum requirements including:
- Age – over 18 and under 45 years old
- Qualifications – at least certificate level or above (depends on your occupation)
- Occupation – on one of Australia’s skilled occupation lists:
- Points – 65 points or more on the GSM points test
It can be complex to figure out the above requirements on your own, get a professional to do it for you below…
Why Austral Migration?
With over 2,000 visas granted Austral Migration remains one of the Premier Immigration Law Firms In Asia – we provide a world-class professional service to our clients from around the world.
Our offices are made up of team members who are diverse in their skill sets, each selected to focus specifically around Australia’s migration laws and regulations.
OUR ADVANTAGE:
- 2 Australian Immigration Lawyers is complemented with 3 Registered Migration Agents and a supporting team of consultants and operations personal.
- Combined experience of over 20 Years in migration law
- Multiple stages of payment (Pay As You Go + Payment Plans)
- Online Client Portal for digital collection of documents from anywhere in the world
Impressive in-depth subject knowledge with a customer centric service
Malik
Very professionally done and the whole process was so smooth. Highly recommend Austral if you are looking for migration services.
Bao
We were so impressed with Austral Migration’s integrity and professionalism and the efficiency they showed at every stage of the... Visa process
Bruce
I can’t thank Austral enough for their assistance with my visa. They have a great team... went above and beyond to guide me through the application process and answer all my questions
Beatriz T
The Main Visa Subclasses
From websites, to forums to social media – there is an overwhelming amount of information about the visa types available for skilled migration. Some of these are correct, most are wrong.
We have summarised the most important (and correct) information on the 3 main visa subclasses in the tables below.
| Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189): Points-tested stream |
|---|
Suitable for those who are not sponsored by:
|
| Your occupation must be on the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) |
| You can legally work, live and study anywhere in Australia |
| Visa duration: permanent |
| Skilled – Nominated (Subclass 190) |
|---|
| For those who are nominated by a state or territory |
| Your occupation must be on the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or Short‑term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) |
| You can legally work, live and study anywhere in Australia but have an obligation to your sponsoring state |
| Visa duration: permanent |
| Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) |
|---|
| For those who are nominated by a state or territory or sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area in Australia |
| Your occupation must be on the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL), Short‑term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL) or the Regional Occupation List (ROL) |
| You must live, work and study in a specified regional/ designated area in Australia |
| Visa duration: 5 years provisional. May apply for permanent visa after 3 years of residence and full time work in a specific regional/ designated area |
Featured Articles/ Guides
Australia’s Visa Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional) – Explained!
The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (Class PE) (Subclass 491) a.k.a Subclass 491 is the latest visa to be added to the skilled migration program. It replaces the previous version of [...]
Australia’s Visa Subclass 190 (State Nominated) – Explained!
Skilled Nominated (Permanent) (Class SN) (Subclass 190) a.k.a Subclass 190 The Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa is a permanent residency visa type for skilled workers and their family (spouse/ [...]
Australia’s Visa Subclass 189 – Explained!
Skilled Independent (Permanent) (Class SI) (Subclass 189) a.k.a Subclass 189 The Subclass 189 Skilled Independent is a permanent residency for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, [...]