Fact Sheet 24 - Overview of Skilled Migration to Australia

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Skill Stream categories
General Skilled Migration
Employer nomination
Business skills migration
Distinguished talent

The Skill Stream of Australia’s Migration Program is specifically designed to target migrants who have skills or outstanding abilities that will contribute to the Australian economy.

The Australian Government continues to emphasise skilled migration, while maintaining a commitment to family reunion migration. The migration to Australia of people with qualifications and relevant work experience helps to address specific skill shortages in Australia and enhances the size and skill level of the Australian labour force.

In 2005–06, the Skill Stream of the Migration Program had an outcome of 97 340 people. This increased to 97 920 in 2006–07.

In 2006–07 the Skill Stream represented about 66 per cent of the Migration Program.

In 2006–07, the outcome in the State Specific and Regional Migration (SSRM) initiatives was 25 845.

The Skill Stream planning level for 2007–08 is 108 500, with a continued emphasis on:

employer sponsored migration
state/territory government sponsored applications
applicants who nominate an occupation which is on the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL).

Skill Stream categories

There are four main categories of skilled migrants:

1. General Skilled Migration

There is a range of visa options under General Skilled Migration for skilled workers who want to live in Australia and who do not have an employer sponsoring them.

Independent migrants are selected on the basis of their age, skills, qualifications, English language, ability and employability so they can contribute quickly to the Australian economy. They are not sponsored by an employer or relative in Australia. This group forms the largest component of skilled migrants each year. In 2006-07, the outcome in the skilled independent category was 54 179, representing 55 per cent of the skill stream.

For those unable to meet the independent criteria sponsorship by an eligible Australian relative or nomination by a state or territory government is also possible under GSM.
See:
Fact Sheet 25 Skilled Categories
Fact Sheet 26 State Specific Regional Migration

2. Employer nomination

Employers may nominate (or 'sponsor') personnel from overseas through the following categories:

The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) allows Australian employers to nominate workers from overseas for permanent entry to Australia when a position cannot be filled from within the local workforce.
The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) enables employers in regional and low population growth areas of Australia to fill skilled vacancies that they have been unable to fill through the local labour market.

The RSMS is one of several government initiatives designed to help state and territory governments in their efforts to boost development in regional Australia and less populated states/territories.
A Labour Agreement enables Australian employers to recruit a specified number of workers from overseas in response to identified or emerging labour market (or skill) shortages. This is a formal arrangement negotiated between the Commonwealth Government and the employer or industrial association.
In 2006–07, the outcome in the Employer Nominated categories was 16 585.

See: Fact Sheet 48 Assisting Skilled and Business People

3. Business skills migration

The Business Skills Program encourages successful business people to settle permanently in Australia and develop new business opportunities.

In 2006–07, the business skills migration outcome was 5 836.

See: Fact Sheet 27 Business skills migration.

4. Distinguished talent

This is a small category for distinguished individuals with special or unique talents of benefit to Australia.

The profiles of people who have been successful under this category generally include sports people, musicians, artists and designers, all of whom were internationally recognised as outstanding in their field. In 2006–07, the outcome for this category was 227.

Further information is available on the department's web site.
See: www.immi.gov.au

The department also operates a national telephone service inquiry line.
Telephone: 131 881
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.