Skilled Visas
SkillSelect
Skilled Visa are accessed though SkillSelect which is a major change to how Australia manages its skilled migration program.
SkillSelect helps to ensure the skilled migration program is based on the economic needs of Australia. It will support the Australian Government in managing who can apply for skilled migration, when they can apply and in what numbers. As a result, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship expects to significantly reduce the time taken to process a visa application.
SkillSelect will also help address regional skill shortages. SkillSelect allows intending migrants to indicate if they are willing to live and work in regional Australia. This will be of particular benefit to employers experiencing regional skill shortages and state and territory governments attempting to settle migrants in regional Australia.
SkillSelect is an online service that enables skilled workers and business people interested in migrating to Australia to record their details to be considered for a skilled visa through an Expression of Interest (EOI).
Intending migrants can then be found and nominated for skilled visas by Australian employers or state and territory governments, or they may be invited by the Australian Government to lodge a visa application.
From 1 July 2012, all intending migrants interested in the points based skilled migration or business investment and innovation visa programs will be required to submit an EOI and receive an invitation in order to lodge a visa application.
In this section details are available on the following Skilled Visas