Australia provides migration opportunities to persons with skills and experience who will be able to make a contribution to the Australian economy.
Application for these visas must generally be made within Australia (by post or other delivery) but the applicant must be outside Australia when the visa is granted.
Visas under this category include Skilled-Independent and Skilled-Australian-sponsored visas.

The Skilled-Independent visa (sub-class 136), has some of the following features:

Core Criteria
The minimum requirements which must be met prior to applying for a Subclass 136 Skilled-Independent visa, include:
- The applicant must be less than 45 years of age.
- The applicant must nominate a skilled occupation.
- The applicant must have vocational English.
- If the applicant nominates a “60-point occupation” the applicant must have worked in a skilled occupation for at least 12 cumulative months in the 18 months preceding the application date. If a “40 or 50-point occupation” is nominated, the applicant must have worked in a skilled occupation for at least 24 cumulative months in the 36 months immediately before the date of application.
- The work requirement immediately above, does not apply where the applicant has completed a degree, diploma or trade qualification in the six months prior to the application, resulting from at least 2 year’s full-time study at an Australian educational institution whilst the applicant was present in Australia and where all instruction was conducted in English.
- The skills of the applicant must have been assessed by a “relevant assessing authority” which is an Australian institution entrusted by DIMIA to assess individual skills against occupation requirements.
If you satisfy the above core criteria, you must also pass the General Points Test, a summary of which appears below.

The pass mark for the Subclass 136 skilled-independent visa is presently 115 points. This can change.

You should always seek specific advice before acting. The information provided is as a guide only. Regulations may change. Where hotlinks are made to external sites we cannot guarantee the accuracy thereof.

This is a summary of the General Points Test:
Part 1 - Skill Qualifications
See the “Skilled Occupation List” at http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf
as to what occupations are included and as to the point score that each occupation may carry. If your occupation is not on the list you will not be able to apply. Some occupations carry 60 points some 50 point and some 40 points.
These occupation lists change. Note also that some assessing authorities require significant experience as well as study before they will certify an applicant as holding a skilled occupation. For instance, the Australian Institute of Management usually requires significant experience to certify for such positions as “General Manager”.
Ask us about your occupation!

Part 2 - Age at time of application:
18 – 29 years
30 points
30 – 34 years
25 points
35 – 39 years
20 points
40 – 44 years
15 points

Part 3 - English Language Ability:
Applicants who obtain a score of 6 or more for each of the four components of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). This measures speaking, reading, writing and listening, not more than 12 months prior to application or during processing of application
20 points
Applicants who provide evidence of having passed the “Occupational English Test” either in the 12 months prior to application or during the processing of the application.

Possessing competent English
20 points
Applicants who obtain a score of at least 5 for each of the four components of the IELTS, in the 12 months prior to application or during processing of the application or possessing vocational English as defined in the regulations.
15 points

Ask us about the IELTS!
Part 4 - Employment Experience:
Employment for at least three out of the last four years prior to application in the nominated "skilled occupation" or a closely related skilled occupation for which 60 points was available above (see the “Skilled Occupation List”) http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf
10 points
Employment in any "skilled occupation" for at least three out of the last four years prior to application
5 points

Part 5 - Spouse Skill Qualification:
If your spouse is under 45 years of age, has vocational English; has a nominated "skilled occupation"; has had that skilled occupation assessed by a relevant assessing authority; and has sufficient work experience as set out in Part 1 above (may be waived if Australian degree/diploma or trade qualification gained less than six (6) months before application)
5 points

Part 6 - Australian Educational Qualification:
Where you have attained the requirements for award of a doctorate from an Australian Educational Institution after at least 2 years full-time study in Australia (academic years)
15 points
If you have completed an Australian Masters or Honours degree (upper second and above), at an Australian educational institution, having studied in Australia and prior to that, have completed an Australian bachelor degree as a result of at least one year full-time study (academic year) in Australia, where the total period of study was at least two academic years
10 points
If you have met the requirements for award of degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian Educational Institution after at least 2 years full-time study (academic years) in Australia
5 points
Note that if more than one institution has been attended, you must have completed the degree, diploma or trade qualification at the first, before commencing studies at the second.

Part 7 – Skills Targeting Qualifications
If your nominated occupation is on the MODL (Migration Occupation in Demand List) http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/skilled/modl.htm
and you have an offer of full-time employment from a medium to large size Australian company
15 points

If your nominated occupation is on the MODL but you have no current job offer
10 points

Part 8 – Bonus Points Qualification
If you
a. Have $100,000(AUD) available for deposit in a designated security (usually a State Government bond); or
b. Have been employed in Australia in a skilled occupation for periods totalling 6 months in the last 48 months before the date of your application (whilst holding a substantive visa authorising such work); or
c. Hold a qualification taught in a designated language other than English, to an equivalent standard of a degree awarded by an Australian tertiary education institution; or
d. Are an accredited professional Interpreter/Translator in a designated language to Level 3 NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters)
5 points for all
(Can be awarded only once)

Part 9 – Sponsorship Qualification
You or your spouse are sponsored by a parent; or brother or sister, adoptive brother or sister or step brother or step sister; or aunt or uncle, adoptive aunt or uncle or step aunt or step uncle; or child or adoptive child, or step child, who is not a dependant child
15 points
Sponsorship requires quite onerous responsibilities. Ask us!

Part 10 – Bonus points for regional Australia/ low population growth areas
If you are entitled to points for Australian qualifications, you may also be entitled to bonus points if you have lived and studied for at least two years in regional Australia or a low population growth metropolitan area. By way of example, all of Queensland except Brisbane and the Gold Coast is considered regional. All of New South Wales except Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast is considered regional. All of Victoria except Melbourne is regional. None of the ACT is considered regional.
5 points

For which campuses, see:http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/skilled/regional.htm#campuses

CAN'T PASS THE TEST?
Provided you can pass the core criteria (see above) you may still have some options.
- Provided you have a score equal to the “pool mark” which is presently 70 (for the 136 visa) or more, you may be still entitled to be considered through a “skill matching” mechanism by which State/Territory Governments within Australia attempt to identify and thereafter nominate persons with skills who live and work in States or Territories of Australia where such skill shortage occurs.
- If during the two years following application the pass mark is lowered to the mark you scored or below and your mark was at or above the pool mark, your case may be processed further.

Assurances of Support
An assurance of support is a legal commitment by an “assurer” (the person who gives an AOS) to repay to the Commonwealth of Australia certain allowances which might be paid by the Government to any person covered by the AOS during the 2 years following that person’s first entry into Australia. It obliges assurers to repay to the Australian Government, some of the health and welfare costs which might be incurred in providing support to these persons during their first 2 years of settlement in Australia.
You should always seek specific advice before acting. The information provided is as a guide only. Regulations may change. Where hotlinks are made to external sites we cannot guarantee the accuracy thereof.

SKILLED OCCUPATION LIST WEBSITES
A List of Websites you may Find Help Full >>

Skilled Enquiry Form

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