Regional Development Australia (RDA) recently updated the Orana Skilled Occupation List, implementing some changes to the application process. The changes, announced on 31st July 2018, have simplified some confusions among applicants. The list includes some accountant occupations:

• Finance Manager
• Accountant (General)
• Management Accountant
• External Auditor
• Internal Auditor

However, as the invitation ceiling for Accountants is high, it has become a cause for concern amongst accountants concerning their Permanent Residency. Aussizz Group has come up with a novel solution for such professionals: Apply for Skilled Regional Provisional Visa (subclass 489) under the Orana region. The Subclass 489 enables you to live and work in regional Australia for 4 years. After spending 2 years on Subclass 489, you will also be eligible to apply for Permanent Residency, provided you satisfy the criteria.

Your subclass 489 application has to include personal and work-experience details. Every detail helps you gain valuable points through SkillSelect. The rule of thumb is the more details you provide, the better your prospects are with immigration authority processing your application. Last year alone, few applicants received invitations from the government. Invitations, however, have increased now with many applicants collecting as many as 80 points or more on the basis of SkillSelect. On the flip side, there are more rounds this year with a mere 5 invitations issued per round.

Evaluation of points

To qualify for 489 visas, applicants have to first lodge their applications on the basis of SkillSelect to get invitations by the authority. Invitations are subject to which applicants are eligible for pathways to permanent residency in any state/territory of Australia.

For invitation purposes, the entire process to lodge your application has to be completed within 60 days. An invitation will lapse if there is a delay beyond said period with your application getting rejected. Ensure that you complete every documentation and do it effectively in the stipulated time.

Along with personal and work experience details, you have to lodge an Expression of Interest so that your visa application gets processed, meet desired scores thereby getting an invite/sponsorship by specific state/territory government, being proficient in English language to meeting character and health insurance requirements.

SkillSelect requirement

Different professionals have different SkillSelect requirements. If 75 points is the slab fixed for IT and engineering professionals, 80 points is the score allotted to accountants. The invitation ceiling for accountants, especially, has become more challenging with 5 applicants selected in each round.

One of the places in Australia where you can build your career as an accountant is the Orana region located in New South Wales. Pursue on your dream with a promising career as there are abundant accounting jobs that you can choose from in the state’s diverse region, which caters to needs of over 120,000 people.

Boost your prospects if you want to work and live in the country for at least 4 years with 489 Skilled Regional Provisional Visa. As the name suggests, the 4-year provisional visa works to your advantage if you have a relative in Australia who is willing to sponsor you. You can avail of sponsorship benefits from either state or territory government.

Fill your application and documentation details with our team of Immigration and Education who have the necessary expertise and experience to guide you.

Get clarity on other visas such as Skilled Independent Visa, and Skilled Nominated visa or Employer Nomination Scheme from our team whose knowledge and many years of experience enhance your prospects with a secured stay in Australia.

A lot has always been said and written on why nursing is considered to be the most trusted and respected profession of all.

Apart from great career opportunities, the profession comes with many challenges and rewards. You are able to save lives of many people, bring cheer and provide comfort to those in need.

If you are the one aspiring to be a registered nurse in Australia, and not aware of the full spectrum of choices available at your disposal, there’s one career that will always suits your expertise, personality and lifestyle.

Aged Care

Aged care is serving older people who are no longer able to live independently or need significant help to manage at home. The services in aged care are divided into three categories:

Residential aged care – The services in residential aged care are usually provided by profit, private and public organisation for the people living in nursing home. It includes assistance with daily chores like cooking, cleaning and laundry along with 24-hour nursing care.

Transition care – The services in transition care are managed by the state and territory governments of Australia. It includes goal-oriented, defined period and therapy-focused packaged services to improve the independence and confidence of older people after a hospital stay.

Respite care – Respite care is the short-term care given to the person and their caregiver. It basically helps carer to take part in everyday activities or go on holidays knowing that the person seeking care is looked after. The services are usually offered at home or in facilities like a day centre or club or an overnight respite cottage and arranged through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP). It can also be provided as residential respite and transition care.

Why Choose Aged Care Career in Australia?

Aged care is one of the booming industries of Australia. It is predicted that by 2030, one in at least six people will be over the age of 60, and the workforce is required to grow from 366,00o to 980,000 by 2050 to meet the rising demand of older Australians getting aged care services.

With so many potential clients, what does it mean to choose a career in aged care?
If you are seeking a career opportunity that offers great employment prospects, then completing a registered nurse course in Australia will help you land a lot of job opportunities and begin an all-time rewarding profession.

Flexible Career Options

Flexibility is the holy grail of any workplace. Getting the opportunity to earn without compromising with the other priorities of life are key factors of a job satisfaction. In aged care profession, you are not only offered flexible working hours but an opportunity to choose your own workplace too. You can opt to work directly with the aged in their homes or serve palliative care and respite services.

The services included are not only restricted to helping around the home, providing physical or emotional support but also occupy you in other areas like supervision, admissions, family association and team management.

Rewarding Relationships and Job Contentment

When asked about the realities of working in an aged care, many of us might be adjourned with the challenges involved. But those who worked in the industry always have the rewarding and fulfilling aspects of the job to show.

Every day you wake up with a personal satisfaction knowing that your support and care is genuinely making a difference in the lives of people. Be it taking the elderly out for shopping, getting some grooming done, celebrating birthdays or simply sharing a cup of coffee in the garden, you become the reason for laughs and entertainment.

Common Myths of Working in Aged Care

It’s a women-centric career – A lot of people think that aged care profession is only designed for women owing to the language and metaphors used by the aged care providers in their marketing collaterals. We can only see the pictures of older women in promotional materials, making all men prone to the thought that this field is not relevant to them. This is also attributed to the domestic care and staying at home that was associated with women long time ago.

However, in realism, a lot of exciting programs are offered these days that include different activities and events that can be enjoyed irrespective of gender. The profession is equally dominated by men and has many opportunities for all the individuals to ensure a promising career.

Aged care homes are full of sick people – This myth is an obstinate one! But, it’s not true. A majority of older people living in nursing homes live a quite active life and are in good health. As long as you are determined to make a positive impact on your patients, it enables them to live a longer and fulfilling live on their own.

Once you enter in this profession, there are no chances to leave – The only goal associated with working in aged care, regardless of the career you choose, is to rehabilitate patients to live a more independent style of living.  Whether you choose to serve in residential setting or in transition and respite care, the care can either be offered on a short-term or a permanent basis, depending on the health of your patient.

Willing to pursue a career in aged care? Book a consultation with our expert counsellors today to explore a range of study & visa options and get started in the right direction.

You can also drop queries at our immigration and education forum and get best assistance immediately.

Students and professionals on study and work visas arrive to Australia described as a land of opportunities. Terming it as important destination, they find the country accommodative due to availability of different visas in manufacturing and industrial sectors.

Acclaimed as a progressive nation, it is Australia administration boasting in providing foreign students with excellent teaching methods, best faculty and state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities. In terms of enrolling in finest institutions, ample scope is provided to students so as to study building and construction in Australia.

Especially for students there are dozens of construction management courses in Australia – either they opt for vocational study or diploma course. Graduation and post-graduation courses are also offered prior to those students seeking employment in billion-dollar construction industry. In case a student prefers to work on a temporary basis or settle in the country, he or she can apply for a temporary visa or permanent visa respectively.

Every educational institute in Australia has an excellent faculty, advanced teaching facilities and is backed up with industry connections. Students are able to undergo extensive training for months together till completion of their courses.

Visa norms

International students who want to apply for a student visa in Australia have to get a good score in Pearson Test for English Academic (PTE Academic). The PTE test scores depend on different universities and type of programs—whether an individual is pursuing his graduation or master’s degree. The more a student scores in any of these tests, the better his chances are to get admission in finest schools in Melbourne, Sydney and other cities.

Along with tests, among other formalities that need to be furnished before the Australian authority include a valid passport explaining duration of the study, offer letter from a particular institution or university and access to sufficient funds.

Specialisation

Numerous construction professions await foreign students who are keen to take up construction management courses. Prior to enrolling in these courses, a student has multiple options in front of him – he can specialize as an architect, civil engineer, building surveyor, quantity surveyor, mechanical/electrical engineer or be appointed as a site engineer or as an individual qualified in a particular area of his interest onsite.

Types of construction employers

That’s right! On completion of his study in Australia, a student may take up a job in a designing firm, consultancy firm or can be hired as a contractor if s/he qualifies.

1. Designing firm
Both architects and structural/electrical engineers team up as one unit and start working on a particular project. They prepare different layouts meant for a particular project with majority of time spent in evaluating designs. If loopholes exist, these professionals ensure they are removed prior to nearing project completion.

2. Consultancy firm
A consultancy firm on behalf of a company oversees project operations with every guidance benefitting client to large extent. It provides planning and designing details concerning a particular project and explains procedures involved. Building surveyors and quantity surveyors are among different types of construction jobs an individual comes across in construction firms.

3. Contractors
Depending on construction project type and size, efficient staff are trained to ensure the project is executed on timely basis. The staff includes contractors who have a team of skilled workforce monitoring overall operations from start to finish.

Will construction career suit me?

Creativity and innovation are two sides of the same coin. The more students bring creativity in their designs, the more they are able to deliver incredible ones. Same constitutes whether these designs are meant in creating tall skyscrapers or infrastructure projects.
Consider few aspects that helps students build a career in construction.

• Paying attention to minute details is essential. All what is require is extensive planning and design so as to develop a building from scratch. If one portion goes missing within a particular design, the entire structure collapses.
• In case of a construction flaw within the design, fix the problem before it escalates further. Students are taught to identify problems on their own and solve them in advance.
• There are limitless possibilities for students – whether it is from designing buildings, bridges to tunnels.
• Communication skills, time management skills, teamwork and working under high pressure are among different challenges students adapt themselves from beginning.
• Different skills for different individuals come to play. As architects, individuals have to be creative and for civil engineers and structural/mechanical engineers, they have to possess technical knowledge.

Further Study Pathways

On basis of their study goals and academic achievements, students are able to respectively design different pathways. After completion of study in construction and building courses, they can launch their own careers through Temporary Graduate visa. The visa is designed to provide pathway–right from study to an industry relevant employment in Australia, further paving way towards Permanent Residency.

Job Opportunities

Graduates are at their best to explore numerous job opportunities in construction and building industry. They have an upper hand to seek employment in construction companies, small and medium scale companies, local as well as central governments and can be hired as skilled workforce by private companies.

With architecture and engineering courses in demand across Australia, make sure you proceed with utmost care so as to ensure admission in suitable course. Seek guidance from our immigration and education consultants/advisers providing you effective tips—from processing your visa application to the kind of study criteria required.

Yearning to meet your loved one in Australia? Then you should know a few things before applying for an Australian Partner Visa.

If you want to visit your Partner/Spouse in Australia, you need to lodge a Partner visa 309/100 application.  To acquire the Permanent Partner (Migrant) Visa (subclass 100), you first have to acquire a Temporary Partner (Provisional) Visa for Australia (subclass 309).

But before you apply, here are few things you might be unaware while applying. 

1. You don’t have to be married to visit your partner in Australia.
2. The necessity of a 12-month period of living together can be overlooked.
3. You can visit your partner during the processing time of the application.
4. You can add your child to the application after it is lodged.
5. You can apply for a de facto visa, even if you are still married (but separated) to someone else.
6. You can only attach 100 documents in your ImmiAccount.

1. You don’t have to be married to visit your partner in Australia.

If your partner is an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, you don’t have to be legally married to your partner to lodge a Partner Visa for Australia. Then, this would generally require you to exhibit evidence of your living together for at least a period of 12 months before lodging.

2. The necessity of a 12-month period of living together can be overlooked.

You might have heard the rule that it is necessary for a couple to have proof of living together for at least 12-months before lodging for a Partner visa. Well, not anymore! It is recognized that, for certain reasons, a couple may have to live separately. Therefore, the one-year relationship norm does not ask the couple for a proof of having physically lived together, rather be in a de facto relationship for that period of time.

There are also other exemptions from the one-year relationship prerequisite, like:

• Convincing and unordinary circumstances, for example, there is a child born out of that relationship.
• If your relationship is recorded as a kind of relationship which is set in the regulations specified under a law of the state or territory and stated in the Acts Interpretation (Registered Relationships) Regulations 2008.
• Your partner is an applicant for a permanent humanitarian visa
• Your partner is, or was the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa; prior to the humanitarian visa was permitted, the de facto relationship with your partner should’ve been declared to the Department at that time.

When submitting evidence of a de facto relationship, you may have to provide statements entailing the history of your relationship, financial statements encompassing details of financial commitments including bank statements, and any joint liabilities, social evidence proving that you and your partner are recognized as a couple in the society.

Also, this necessity of a 12-months living period can be overlooked if you’re married to an Australian citizen through a culturally arranged marriage, as the history and evidence shared by the couple will be little. In this case, you have to submit statements consisting of the initial arranged meetings, financial sharing, and social evidence.

3. You can visit your partner during the processing time of the application.

After lodging Temporary Partner Visa for Australia offshore, you can still visit your partner during the processing time. It doesn’t oblige you to stay in your country during that period. But, when your visa is ready and you’re still onshore, the Immigration Department will let you know and give you the notice to fly back before it’s granted, for, a Temporary Partner Visa (subclass 309) will not be granted unless you’re offshore.

4. You can add your child to the application after it is lodged.

During the processing time of the Partner visa application, if you decide to add your dependent child or stepchild to the application, the Australian Immigration law allows it. The child should first be granted a Dependent Child visa (subclass 445) after which he/she can visit or stay in Australia. Also, after the temporary Partner visa has been permitted to their parent, the child can be added to the permanent Partner visa application.

5. You can apply for a de facto visa, even if you are still married (but separated) to someone else.

If you’re married to someone else but have separated and are now in a relationship with someone new, you can still apply for a de facto Partner visa. 

If you are married to someone else then under Australian law, both of you are not allowed to marry each other. Nevertheless, Australian immigration law makes it possible for you to be in a de facto relationship with your partner and to have that relationship as evidence during application. So even if you or your partner are not divorced due to – disagreement on the financial settlement from the divorce or your previous husband/wife won’t agree to divorce or any other reasons, you (or your partner) might still be eligible to apply for a Partner Visa.

6. You can only attach 100 documents in your ImmiAccount.

If you are applying for your visa or citizenship for Australia, you can create an ImmiAccount which allows you to attach documents online, track your application’s process and access the ‘My Health Declarations’ service.

But while applying for a Partner/Spouse Visa, the documents you attach, to be presented as a proof of your relationship, are limited to only 100 documents. Another critical fact to remember is that you cannot remove an already attached document; therefore, you should always attach required documents first and then any recommended documents you want to provide.

If you are submitting numerous pages of the same document, then include all the pages in one file rather than loading each page as a separate file. And, if you are required to submit pictures as evidence of a relationship then consider printing and scanning multiple pictures into one. Also, if you have reached your limit and had more documents to attach, you will need to wait until your application has been allocated to a case officer. They will advise you of what additional information or documents you need to provide and how to do so.

If you have any queries or want to know more about Australia Partner Visa, we at Aussizz Group will always be available for any assistance. Come, visit us today!

It is your parents who want to stay with you as they are living thousands of miles away from you. One of your parents has taken voluntary retirement and it is his wish to take up a job in Australia. How will you make his dream come true? There are plenty of options in front of you as you happen to be an Australian resident.

One of the steps you can initiate is to sponsor them on contributory parent visa subclass 143. You can be their visa applicant and file every application on their behalf so that they become eligible visa holders of permanent residency if they apply in near future. You can ensure their applications are processed in time bound manner along with submitting crucial documents before visa authorities.

After your parents get the 143 visas, they will be allowed to travel to and fro the country for a period of five years. They will be allowed to reside, work and study. The 143 visa certainly works to advantage of every individual who might be a resident of Australia or New Zealand.

To avail benefits of contributory parent visas, it is time we shift focus on certain guidelines enumerated below –

• Age factor – Contributory parent visa Australia is applicable if your age is above 18 years. You can be Australian permanent resident or New Zealand citizen with help received from various quarters. If you are below 18, community associations step in and become sponsors on behalf of your parents.
• Assistance – Visa norms speed up after you produce documentary evidence of community organisation you represent. You require proof of representative of the organisation sponsoring one of your family members. The organisation has to be financially sound and operate from island nation for at least a period of one year.

BENEFITS of 143 VISA

Listed below are some benefits for your parents staying in Australia – 

• Your parents will be allowed to reside, study and work as they are contributory parent 143 visa holders.
• Medicare health coverage is among privileges they can earn. They are required to fulfill visa norms before being eligible for Australian citizenship.
• Permanent residency for parents comes into effect if you are a sponsor
• From date visa, your parents are eligible to leave and revisit Australia for a period of five years. They can avail social security payments after waiting period passed by.

Some Frequently Asked Questions in case your parents are not 143 visa holders yet. These elderly individuals have to submit valid documents to Australian authorities and fulfil visa requirement with a concrete proof of having half of their children residing in Australia permanently.

Q. Where can I be as an applicant when applying for a 143 visa?

A. Apply for the visa from Australia or your respective home country. Wait till announcement of decision is made.

Q. Can I include my family members in the application?

A. You can do so and include your partner, child and step-child in your application. Once granted, your parents receive same rights and obligations as you.

Q. Is there provision for a bridging visa before being granted with a 143?

A. Yes. If your parents are in Australia and are holders of 173 visa. This visa helps them when their 143 applications are processed. They will not be allowed to stay in Australia on just a bridging visa alone.

Q. Can your parent re-apply 143 visa after cancelling it earlier?

A. The Australian Department will not grant your parent with 143 visa if he cancelled or refused it while he was residing in Australia.

The Q&A is a reality check to different visa procedures with no harsh provisions attached to them when applying to contributory parent visa subclass 143. Only handful of formalities are needed prior to its clearance.

To avail more information on contributory parent visa and its subclasses, feel free to post your queries on our Immigration & Education forum and get solutions right away.

From July 1 onwards, there is a marginal fee hike of 3% to get your contributory parent visa application processed as announced by the Department of Home Affairs Australia. Sponsor your parents by paying the hike in first installment alone while you are not bound to pay anything in the second installment.

Other categories of Australian visas witnessed an increase of 2% with an employer incurring more as part of transaction expenses to sponsor overseas workers.

Get to know specifics on different visas step by step:

• There is $15 fee increase on student visa with an applicant paying $575 instead of $560. An adult dependent applicant will now have to pay $430 compared to $420.
• An increase is also reported in applicant fees on regional sponsored, employer nominated visas and independent skilled visas. 

A primary applicant, on the other hand, will have to bear $3755 instead of $3670 for subclass 189 independent skilled visa.

• Fees for the additional adult applicant has been revised from $1835 to $1875.
• Additional child applicant pays $940 instead of $920.

There is also a substantial 2% increase in fees for applicants applying for state nominated visa subclass 190, employer nominated subclass 186, subclass 187 of regional employer nomination and subclass 485 which is a lot to do with skilled provisional temporary graduate visa.

Seek more details from immigration experts elaborating on different categories of Australia Visa.

• Tourist visa fees has been raised to $140 from $135
• Post study work rose to $1535 from $1500
• Partner visa seen a small rise of $7160 from $7000

For detailed and comprehensive analysis, log on to specifics of each visa by consulting our team of immigration experts.

Every year, Australian government makes changes to its immigration program to keep up with the economic needs of the country. And the year 2018 is no exception.

A lot of changes came into effect on 18 March 2018, with the major one being the replacement of 457 visa with Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) 482 visa, as we already discussed in our previous blog.

Another change that has been implemented on the same date is the availability of Regional Occupation List (ROL) for a number of skilled visa programs including:

• Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (Subclass 186)
• Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Subclass 187)
• Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 190)
• Training Visa (Subclass 407)
• Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (Subclass 482)
• Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485)
• Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (Subclass 489)

This list is carried out on the basis of labour market analysis by the Department of Jobs and Small Business and will be reviewed as part of the regular update in mid-2018. All the visa applicants who are nominated for the position from the ROL will be in a regional area.

Let’s discuss about the key changes it brings to other skilled visas:

Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (Subclass 186): A new skilled occupation has been released with 208 eligible occupations included only on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) for this visa program. If you are looking to apply for this visa, you are required to be nominated in one of these occupations except in case separate arrangements are made under a labour agreement of Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream.

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (Subclass 187): All the 673 skilled occupations will continue to be eligible for this visa, however, they are included on both MLTSSL and ROL for employers in regional areas. These occupations apply to both Temporary Residency and Direct Entry streams.

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189): New instrument has been evaluated and published and applicants of this visa will continue to access the MLTSSL list with 176 occupations eligible for this program.

Skilled-Nominated Visa (Subclass 190): New instrument has been published. Applicants looking to apply for this visa can both MLTSSL and STSOL (Short-term Skilled Occupation List). STSOL has less number of eligible skilled occupations that contributes mainly to Australia’s regional economy. 416 skilled occupations are eligible for this program.

Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa (Subclass 482): The skilled occupation for 482 visa is available in a separate instrument with STSOL occupations being only eligible for the Short-term stream of the visa and MLTSSL and ROL occupations eligible for the Medium-term stream of the visa.

All the skilled occupations that were available for 457 visa are same in the instrument published for this visa and it also includes some new skilled occupations from the new ROL list.

In total, 509 skilled occupations are eligible for this visa program.

Being an applicant of 482 visa, you are required to be nominated for one of these skilled occupations unless there are separate arrangements under a labour agreement. Besides, work experience caveats have been removed except for certain occupations included in the Regional Occupation List.

Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) (Graduate Stream): New Instrument has been published with a total of 176 eligible skilled occupations to nominate from the MLTSSL list.

Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa: New Instrument has been published with a total of 176 eligible skilled occupations to nominate from the MLTSSL list.

Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa: New Instrument has been published and 475 skilled occupations are made eligible for this program. If you have been nominated by a state or territory government for this visa, you must have their occupation on the ROL that allows them to live and work in regional area.

Please note that the list of skilled occupations will not be applicable to the Temporary Residence Stream who is living or have held 457 visa or 482 visa on 18 April 2017.

Both the lists of Eligible Skilled Occupations and the Combined List of Eligible Skilled Occupations have been updated with the above changes.

If you are looking for further assistance on any of the above mentioned skilled visas, feel free to get in touch with us today. You can also post your queries on our Immigration & Education forum and get solutions right away.

There has always been an endless flow of career opportunities for engineering professionals in Australia. This not only restricted to a particular discipline but all major engineering occupations.

As per the Hays, Recruiting Experts in Engineering, there will be a great demand of Structural Engineers, Civil Drafters, Intermediate Civil Engineers, 12D Designers, Civil Design Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Revit Drafters, Traffic Modellers, Water Engineers, Transport Planners, Fire Design Engineers, Hydraulic Drafters and Civil Design Engineers in the coming months of 2018.

Following the consistent demand, the government of Australia has taken several initiatives to fill the shortage of skilled and specialised professionals. One such initiative is introducing the Skilled Recognised Graduate Visa.

All the international engineering students who acquire degree or qualification from Australian universities will be considered eligible to work in Australia even without any experience, if they hold a Skilled Recognised Graduate 476 Visa.

If you are currently pursuing an engineering degree in Australia or have recently become graduate, chances are you would also like to choose this pathway to get better job prospects in Australia and enhance career growth.

Hence, to ensure you know all the criteria for 476 visa and to help you make an informed decision, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions along with answers that are given below. Take a look!

Also Read: Education and Career Opportunities for Engineers in Australia

What is Skilled Recognised Graduate Visa?

Skilled Recognised Graduate is a temporary visa for recent international engineering graduates that allows them to get employment and gain skilled work experience in Australia. The visa is valid for up to 18 months.

Who is eligible for this visa?

You are only eligible for 476 visa if:

• You are 31 or younger in age
• You have either completed bachelors, masters, doctoral or postgraduate diploma in engineering
• Your qualification must include specialisation in either civil, chemical, environmental, structural, mechanical, production & plant, electrical & electronics, mining and material engineering
• You are applying for the visa within 24 months of completing an eligible engineering qualification from a recognised institution of Australia
• Have never hold skilled recognised graduate visa or temporary graduate 485 visa (unless you were a dependent on visa)
• You have the required English language skills
• Meet health and character requirements

What does it mean from “A Recognised Institute”?

A recognised institution offering an Engineering qualification in Australia is accredited under the Washington Accord. It is an international agreement between professional bodies of participating or signatory countries who are responsible for accrediting engineering degree programmes.

It assures that the degree programmes accredited by bodies of participating countries hold significant equivalency. International students graduating from recognised institutions, as a result are considered to work in Australia when applying to practice engineering.

How one can demonstrate English language skills for 476 visa?

There are number of tests available that help you provide evidence of your English language ability for lodging a visa. These include: IELTS Academic, PTE (Academic), OET, TOEFL, and Cambridge (CAE).

The minimum scores required for each test are:

IELTS – Overall score 6 with at least 5 in each band
PTE – overall score 50 with at least 36 in each band
OET – a score of at least B in each of the four components 
TOEFL – Total score 64 with 4 in listening and reading and at least 14 in writing and speaking
Cambridge – 169 overall with at least 154 in each band

What is the processing time and fees for an Australian 476 visa?

It usually takes 3 to 4 months to process an application for 476 visa while the processing fees is AUD 365.

Please Note: The processing time and fees may vary due to individual circumstances.

Can I include my family members as a dependant in visa application?

Yes, you can include your partner and your or your partner’s child/step child as a dependant in your visa application.

What are the chances of getting a job on skilled recognised graduate visa?

This usually depends on your skills and how well you perform at the interview.

How do I buy the best health insurance plan to meet health requirements for 476 visa?

There are various leading health insurance providers in Australia offering best of health insurance policies to help you meet your needs and visa requirements. This include Bupa, Allianz, Iman, Nib, Australian Unity and Ahm.

You can compare their plans on different parameters at www.getmypolicy.online and get the best quote instantly.

How character requirements are met?

You must provide a police clearance certificate from each country you’ve lived for more than 12 months in the past 10 years after you turned 16 years of age. These certificates must prove you with no criminal records.

Can I undertake any course of study or get admission in a university while living in Australia on 476 visa?

Yes, you can study or get admission in a university while living in Australia on 476 visa. However, you must have all the evidences on hand required by the immigration department like letter of admission, availability of funds, etc.

Am I eligible for permanent residency on 476 visa?

476 visa is only valid for 18 months and cannot be extended. There are other pathways that can help you extend your stay and get permanent residency in the country. These include:

Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) (If you are nominated by an approved Australian employer to fill a skilled position, you can apply for this visa)

Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) (It is a point-tested visa that allows you to work and live in Australia as a permanent resident if you score at least 60 points or more in the test)

Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) (If you are nominated by an Australian state or territory, you can apply for the visa)

Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) (If you are already living in regional area of Australia on 476 visa or considering to make a move to work there, this visa is appropriate for you)

If you need assistance for any of the above visas, we have the most experienced immigration experts to help you at every step of pre and post visa application process. All you need to do is to get in touch with us at info@aussizz.com.

Why my visa application is getting delayed?

A lot of reasons are responsible behind the delay in visa application. This can be due to high number of applications for immigration department to review, improper paperwork, missing crucial documents, non-payment, etc. To know the appropriate reason, it is highly advisable to seek assistance from the experts.

Prepping to lodge a visa application? Didn’t get your questions covered? We have a registered team of immigration consultants who work meticulously to turn any obstacle into an opportunity for you. From gathering documentation, confirming your eligibility to dealing with immigration authorities and visa approval, you can always count on us for the accurate process and best support.

So, why not get started now? Drop all your queries or concerns at our immigration and education forum.

Are you contemplating to migrate to Australia under General Skilled Migration Visa?

If yes, ensure that you calculate your total points well in advance to assure your eligibility.

Australia has got the most organized and structured point-based system for Skilled Migration visas. These visas include:

• Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189)
• Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190)
• Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa (subclass 489)

To be eligible to lodge an Australia PR Visa application for any of the above visas, you require at least 60 points in the Points Test.

If you are planning to apply but are unaware of the importance of these points, here is a brief overview.

The point-based visas for Australia Immigration requires an applicant to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect and get invited by Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to apply for this visa.

The minimum points you require to receive an invitation is 60. The more the points, higher are the chances of receiving an invitation.

Here’s a look on the criteria and the points awarded to you for the Points Test.

1. Age

2. English Language Ability

3. Skilled Employment

4. Educational Qualifications

5. Australian Study Requirements

5 points are granted for at least one or more degrees, diplomas, or trade qualifications awarded by Australian educational institution and meet Australian study requirement.

6. Study in Regional Australia

You can achieve 5 points if you meet Australian Study Requirement to have lived and studied in regional Australia or a low population growth metropolitan area at the time you are invited to apply.

7. Partner Skill Qualifications

You get 5 points if your partner meets the following requirements:

• Age
• English Language Ability
• Suitable skills assessment in a nominated occupation on the same Skilled Occupation List as used for your application

You cannot gain these points if your partner is–

• Not included on your visa application
• An Australian citizen
• An Australian Permanent Resident

8. Nomination

If you are nominated by a State or Territory Government for visa subclass 190 only, you can get 5 points.

** The above listed points for different criteria are referred from www.homeaffairs.gov.au

But, do you still lack five points to apply for your Australia PR Visa application?

Here’s a good news then!

You can gain these five bonus points for your point-based skilled migration visa just by getting NAATI accreditation in community language or by completing a Professional Year Program.Now that you know there is a way that helps you in getting 5 points, let’s understand what exactly is getting accreditation in community language.

NAATI CCL Test

If you are looking for benefits in your Australia Permanent Residency goals, you are eligible to claim 5 points under Credentialed Community Language (CCL) points at the Paraprofessional level or above, upon successful accreditation from NAATI.

National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters – NAATI recently introduced a Credentialed Community Language (CCL) Test that gives 5 points to international students for their point-based GSM Visa.

CCL Exam determines an applicant’s ability to interpret the conversation between two speakers speaking different languages.

In this test, you are required to interpret two dialogues that are conveyed to you via a recorded material. These dialogues include alternating segments of a conversation between an English speaker and a speaker speaking Language Other Than English (LOTE). You are required to infer the segments from English to LOTE and vice versa.

You need an overall score of 63 marks or more in the CCL Assessment Test with a minimum of 29 out of 45 marks in each dialogue in order to achieve 5 points.One more way of earning 5 extra points towards your Australia PR is completing a Professional Year Program.

Professional Year Program

A Professional Year Program is a well-organized professional development program that provides an applicant to develop communicative skills, gain practical experience and knowledge regarding an Australian workplace. This program runs for 44 weeks out of which 12 weeks are of internship.

The candidates who successfully completes this program not only gains the experience of working in an Australian culture but also gets eligible of achieving 5 points towards their PR visa application. One can be eligible to gain those extra points if he/she undertakes a course under PY Program that is in his/her Nominated Skilled Occupation List or an occupation closely related to it. Also, the course must have lasted for at least 12 months.

The Professional Year courses are currently available to graduates in the fields of Computer Science, Accounting and Engineering. Applicants can thus score 5 points if they have started and completed an approved Professional Year course in Australia within the last four years of being invited.

Only the fact that you have studied in Australia does not guarantee an approval for the GSM visa. These are few pathways that can help you boost your score for the Points Test and increase your chances of applying for the Australia PR Visa.

If you are considering taking CCL Test to claim the 5 bonus points and require detailed understanding for the same, you can sign up on CCL Tutorials and even undergo online preparation for your test here.