Fact Sheet 24 - Overview of Skilled Migration to Australia

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.

The 2008-09 Skill Stream outcome of 114 777 places accounted for 67 per cent of the total Migration Program.  The permanent skilled migration program planning level was cut by 14 per cent from 133 500 to 115 000 in mid March 2009 in light of the economic situation.

The planning level for the Skill Stream of the 2009-10 Migration Program has been set at 108 100.  This is on par with the Skill Stream outcome of 108 540 achieved in 2007-08.

The Skill Stream priorities in 2009-10 give priority processing to applicants who are sponsored by employers and state and territory governments and who have skills in occupations that are on the Critical Skills List (CSL).

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 2008-09, the outcome in the skilled independent category was 44 594, representing 38.9 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 overseas workers for permanent residence in Australia to fill skilled vacancies in their business.

• The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) is one of several government initiatives which are designed to encourage migration to regional and low population growth areas of Australia. Employers in these areas can nominate overseas workers for permanent residence to fill skilled vacancies in their business.

• A Labour Agreement enables Australian employers to recruit a specified number of workers from overseas in response to identified labour market shortages. This is a formal arrangement negotiated between the Commonwealth Government and an employer.

• In 2008-09, the outcome in the Employer Nominated categories was 38 026.

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 2008-09, the business skills migration outcome was 7 397.

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 2008-09, the outcome for this category was 201.

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 9 am to 4 pm (recorded information available outside these hours) for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia.

Fact Sheet 24. Produced by the National Communications Branch, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Canberra.
Last reviewed 11 August 2009.

© Commonwealth of Australia 2009.