Posted on January 29 2020
Announced in April 2019, certain changes have been made in the Australian Skilled Migration visas.
As per the Explanatory Statement issued along with the Migration Amendment (New Skilled Regional Visas) Regulations 2019, the proposed amendments will be revising the points system for subclass 491 visa as well as the existing General Skilled Migration visas [subclasses 189, 190, and 489].
Keeping in view the fact that the key purpose of the skilled migration program is to make immigration economically beneficial to Australia, points awarded are for attributes linked with the applicant’s ability to make the greatest economic contribution to Australia.
Changes with effect from November 16, 2019, include:
More points for applicants nominated by State / Territory or sponsored by a family member living in regional Australia | 15 |
More points for having either a skilled spouse or a de facto partner | 10 |
More points for possessing certain STEM qualifications | 10 |
Points for applicants without a spouse or a de facto partner | 10 |
Points for applicants with a spouse or a de facto partner with English language competency | 5 |
Perhaps the change that will directly affect many of the applicants is the allocation of 10 points to those applicants that do not have a spouse or de facto partner. If you are planning on immigrating to Australia, being single will now fetch you more points.
Let us look at the Australian Points Table for 2020, applicable to the existing subclasses 190, 189, and 489 visas, as well as the new subclass 491 (commenced from November 16, 2019).
As per the Australian government's Department of Home Affairs, the points calculation to determine the eligibility of a candidate for Australia skilled migration will be done as given below:
Sl. No. | Eligibility criteria | Maximum Points Awarded |
1 | Age | 30 |
2 | English Language Skills | 20 |
3 | Skilled Employment [outside Australia] | 15 |
4 | Skilled Employment [in Australia] | 20 |
5 | Education | 20 |
6 | Specialist education qualification | 10 |
7 | Australian study requirement | 5 |
8. | Professional year in Australia | 5 |
9 | Credentialled community language | 5 |
10 | Studied in Regional Australia | 5 |
11 | Partner skills | 10 |
12 | Nomination or Sponsorship | 15 |
[Note. Do keep in mind that points criteria are assessed at the time of invitation.]
The individual breakdown of the points awarded in each of the criteria are:
1. Age:
Age | Points |
At least 18 but not more than 25 years | 25 |
At least 25 but not more than 33 years | 30 |
At least 33 but not more than 40 years | 25 |
At least 40 but not more than 45 years | 15 |
2. English Language Skills:
English | Points |
Competent English | 0 |
Proficient English | 10 |
Superior English | 20 |
3. Skilled employment [outside Australia]:
Number of years | Points |
Less than 3 years | 0 |
At least 3 but less than 5 years | 5 |
At least 5 but less than 8 years | 10 |
At least 8 years | 15 |
4. Skilled employment [in Australia]:
Number of years | Points |
Less than 1 year | 0 |
At least 1 but less than 3 years | 5 |
At least 3 but less than 5 years | 10 |
At least 5 but less than 8 years | 15 |
At least 8 years | 20 |
IMPORTANT:
5. Educational qualifications:
Requirement | Points |
Doctorate from an Australian educational institution or Doctorate from another recognized educational institution. | 20 |
At least a Bachelor’s degree from an Australian educational institution or at least a Bachelor qualification, from another recognized educational institution. | 15 |
Trade qualification or diploma from an educational institution in Australia. | 10 |
Attained an award or qualification recognized by the applicable assessing authority for nominated skilled occupation as being suitable for that occupation | 10 |
IMPORTANT:
6. Specialist education qualification:
Requirement | Points |
A Master’s degree by research or a Doctorate degree from an Australian educational institution that included at least 2 academic years study in a relevant field. | 10 |
By “relevant field” here is implied in any of the fields of:
7. Australian study requirement:
Requirement | Points |
Meeting the Australian study requirement | 5 |
To claim points under this criterion, the applicant must have at least 1 degree/diploma/trade qualification from any of the Australian educational institutions that meet the requirement for Australian study.
IMPORTANT:
8. Professional Year in Australia:
Requirement | Points |
Completion of a Professional Year in Australia | 5 |
The applicant must have completed a professional year in Australia at the time of receiving the invitation to apply.
IMPORTANT:
To claim points, a professional year should be:
9. Credentialled community language:
Requirement | Points |
Hold a recognized qualification in a credentialled community language | 5 |
For this, the applicant must have either:
10. Studied in Regional Australia:
Requirement | Points |
At least 1 diploma/degree/trade qualification from an Australian educational institution satisfying the requirement for Australian study [obtained while the applicant has been living as well as studying in regional Australia] | 5 |
IMPORTANT:
To claim points under this criterion, the applicant’s educational qualification must:
11. Partner skills
Requirement | Points |
The applicant’s de facto partner or spouse must also be an applicant for this visa and be competent in English. | 5 |
The applicant is either single or the applicant’s partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident | 10 |
IMPORTANT:
To claim points under this criterion, the spouse or de facto partner must:
12. Nomination or Sponsorship:
Requirement | Points |
SUBCLASS 190: Invited to apply for a Subclass 190 (Skilled — Nominated) visa and the State / Territory nominating has not withdrawn the nomination | 5 |
SUBCLASS 489: Invited to apply for a Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) through the nomination and the State / Territory nominating has not withdrawn that nomination or Sponsored for a Skilled Regional (Provisional) (subclass 489) visa by a family member and the sponsorship has been accepted by the Minister | 15 |
SUBCLASS 491: Invited to apply for a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) by being nominated and the State / Territory nominating has not withdrawn that nomination or Sponsored for a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) by a family member and the sponsorship has been accepted by the Minister | 15 |
IMPORTANT:
If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate Overseas, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No. 1 Immigration & Visa Company.
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