How Do Australia’s New Regional Skills Visas Affect You?
Australia’s new visas and changes to their immigration point system come into effect this month. The changes, announced earlier this year by the Department of Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, will have a marked effect on how skilled workers migrate to Australia. What will they mean to you as a South African looking for entry into the country?
The main drive of the changes is to draw more skills into what the federal government refers to as ‘the regions’. This broad term applies to pretty much everywhere in Australia outside of the major cities. Since the government already feels they have sufficient skills in the likes of Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane, it is looking for ways to direct skilled labour to those places that experience a shortage.
This means that, while you may find it more difficult to take up residence in a big city, your way into Australia could be fast-tracked if you’re a skilled worker who can find employment and make a meaningful contribution to other parts of the country. Your ability to do so, and/or your spouse’s, will add points to your application and make you eligible for either of the 2 new visas, namely:
- The 491 (Skilled Work Regional Visa), and
- The 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored).
To find out if this is beneficial under your particular circumstances, contact Tri-Nations Migration. We can explain the new visas and updated processes to you and help you work out how you would be best placed on the basis of your skills and experience. Australia could be calling… we’ll help you answer!
