What's New? Recent Changes in General Skilled Migration
On this page
- The General Skilled Migration Program – 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010
- Students and General Skilled Migration
- Changes to Trades Skills Assessments for offshore skills assessments – effective 15 May 2009
- Police checks for online lodged General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa applications
- Reopening of Capital Investment Scheme for pre–1 September 2007 GSM visa applications – 29 January 2009
The General Skilled Migration Program – 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, has announced a reduction in the 2009-10
General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program and changes to some visa requirements.
See:
Fact Sheet – 2009-10 Skilled Migration Program Budget Announcement (80KB PDF file)
Fact Sheet – Priority Processing for Skilled Migration visas (87KB PDF file)
2009-10 Migration Program Changes – July 2009 – Frequently Asked Questions (103KB PDF file)
Critical Skills List (39KB PDF file)
Is your occupation in demand?
Nomination by a State/Territory government
Students and General Skilled Migration
Important new information is available for students about the General Skilled Migration program.
See: Students and General Skilled Migration
Changes to Trades Skills Assessments for offshore skills assessments
Some trade occupations on the Skilled Occupation List have both Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) and Vocational Education Training and Assessment Services (VETASSESS) listed as the assessing authority. Currently VETASSESS, working in a consortium with a number of Australian registered training organisations, is the assessing authority for certain skilled trade occupations if the applicant is a resident of the United Kingdom, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa or the Philippines.
From 15 May 2009, applicants from other countries who are willing and able to be assessed in one of these five countries can choose to be assessed by the VETASSESS consortium, or can continue to apply to TRA for their skills assessment.
Police checks for online lodged General Skilled Migration (GSM) visa applications
If you are lodging an online onshore GSM visa, you do not need to provide the transaction ID for your Australian Federal Police (AFP) check with your GSM visa application.
The AFP has advised that the transaction ID can only be provided when the check is completed. It is not necessary to contact the AFP to obtain the transaction ID in order for you to lodge your GSM visa application.
Note: You must have already submitted the request for an AFP check before you lodge your GSM visa application.
When you have received your police check, it should be forwarded to the department.
See: Professionals and other skilled migrants visas
Reopening of Capital Investment Scheme for pre-1 September 2007 GSM visa applications – 29 January 2009
The capital investment scheme has reopened for pre–1 September 2007 with the South Australian Government Financing Authority announcing it will accept deposits. Affected applicants will be contacted by their case officer.
See: Frequently Asked Questions – Capital Investment Scheme