Changes to SA nomination list, IELTS, Chain migration, SA Graduate requirements  and more from July 2014

The major changes to the SA nomination process are detailed below:

Additions to the South Australian State Occupation List

The new occupation lists for the 2014/15 program year are available on our website.  Below are some of the occupations that have been added to the State Occupation List:

• Advertising Manager
• Public Relations Manager
• Regional Education Manager
• Vocational Education Teacher (trades)
• Vocational Education Teacher (non-trades)
• Special needs teacher
• Art Administrator or Manager
• Nurse Practitioner
• Finance Broker
• Financial Investment Manager
• Valuer

New Criteria Recognising an applicant’s commitment to South Australia:

• Applicants who have worked in South Australia for the last 12 months in a skilled occupation* have access to a more extensive occupation list.  
• Applicants with a Bachelor degree or higher can apply for occupations on the South Australian Graduate List. 
• Applicants with a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification or higher can apply for occupations listed as “special conditions apply’ on the State Occupation List. 
• Applicants must meet all other DIBP and Immigration South Australia criteria to qualify. 

*The skilled occupation must be ANZSCO level 1 to 4 and listed on the State Nominated Occupation Lists.

IELTS scores are brought into line with Department of Immigration and Border Protections requirements:

IELTS requirements (for most occupations) have been reduced to six in each band score to align with DIBP requirements. All score requirements are published on the State Occupation List.

Health Professionals and Education Professionals in South Australia require a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 in each band, or alternatively, for health professionals, OET B in each component.

For those who already have registration to practice in South Australia, you can apply with a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 in each band score. You must provide a copy of your registration certificate with your application.

Criteria for International Graduated of South Australia to access a Work Experience Waiver:

To access a work experience waiver, international graduates of South Australia need to meet following requirements: 

• Work a minimum of 20 hours per week in a skilled occupation* in South Australia
• OR 
• Have an IELTS score of 7.5 overall or 7.0 in each band score
• Have an occupation listed as ‘available’ on the state occupation list
• Reside in South Australia.

PhD or Masters by Research graduates from South Australia can access a work experience waiver for occupations on either list – see the eligibility requirements for further details. 

*If an occupation requires additional work experience (e.g. two or three years or as stated on the South Australia Occupation Lists), international graduates of South Australia are still eligible to apply for state nomination if they are currently working 20 hours per week in South Australia in their nominated occupation or a closely related occupation.

Introductions of Chain Migration to benefit International Graduates from Australian Universities with immediate relatives settled in South Austrlia:

For more details on Chain Migration, go to:

http://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/entry/are-you-an-international-student-graduate-in-australia-do-you-have-an-australian-citizen-or-pr-relative-in-sa-you-may-be-eligible-for-chain-migration-nominated-visa.html

Source:

Immigration SA:

http://www.mia.org.au/documents/item/380

 This information is accurate on the 02 July 2014.  Immigration SA and DIBP will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Do You Need Help?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experience in assisting applicants with the Expression of Interest, State Sponsorship and Visa application process for state sponsored subclasses 190 and 489.  We can also assist with the Independent 189.

If you require further information regarding an application or your Australian visa optionsyou can contact us through:

 (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Chain Migration a new pathway to an Australian skilled Visa

In July 2014 Immigration SA have announce a new state nominated option which is called ‘Chain Migration’.

Chain migration is a new pathway to gain South Australian sponsorship for a skilled visa.

Chain migration allows international graduated with Australian qualifications to apply for state nominated visas (489 or 190) if they have a relevant relative that is an Australian Citizen or PR that is settled in South Australia.

Here are the details from Immigration SA:

                “The benefits of the chain migration pathway:

·         Ability to apply for a permanent (190) or provisional (489) visa

·         Access to a more extensive occupation list compared to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection's (DIBP) Skilled Occupation List (SOL)

·         Instant visa invitation from DIBP once approved for state nomination 

·         Priority visa processing with DIBP”

“Requirements

To qualify for the chain migration pathway, applicants must:

·  Have completed a Bachelor degree or higher

·  Meet all DIBP criteria and Immigration South Australia criteria

·  Have 60 points on the DIBP points test.

To qualify for the chain migration pathway, the family member in South Australia must: 

·  Be the applicant’s grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother or sister. Applicants can still apply if it’s a step or adoptive parent/sibling. 

·  Be an Australian Permanent Resident or an Australian Citizen

·  Have resided in South Australia for the past twelve months. “

Here are the requirements of Chain Migration as detailed on Immigration SA Website:

“Chain Migration is a state nomination pathway for applicants who have an immediate family member permanently residing in South Australia.

12.1 Chain Migration applicants can apply for occupations listed as ‘Special conditions apply’ on the State Occupation List.

12.2 Chain migration applicants can apply for occupations that are listed on the South Australian Graduate List.

12.3 Chain Migration applicants who are international graduates of Australia (who meet the work experience requirement listed under point 7) can apply for a provisional (489) visa or permanent (190) visa for any occupation listed as ‘available’ on the State Occupation list.

12.4 The applicant needs to meet all DIBP and Immigration SA criteria.

12.5 The applicant must have completed a Bachelor degree or higher in the field of their nominated occupation.

12.6 The applicant’s immediate family member in South Australia must meet all criteria listed under 12.6 below.

12.6.1 The family member residing in South Australia must be the applicant’s grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother or sister. Applicants can still apply if it’s a step or adoptive parent / sibling.

12.6.2 The family member must be over 18 years of age.

12.6.3 The family member in South Australia must be either an Australian Permanent Resident or an Australian Citizen.

12.6.4 The family member must be currently residing in South Australia and have resided in South Australia for the last twelve months.

12.7 The Applicant’s family member in South Australia is required to complete a Statutory Declaration to confirm that they meet the all chain migration criteria.”

Commentary by Chris Johnston:

The Chain Migration pathway is a great new opportunity for many to apply for an Australian visa.

It should make for some interesting situations.

People with relatives already in SA will clearly be the first to use chain migration.

The Chain Migration pathway will also give more incentive for people outside of Australia, with family that have already migrated to South Australia, to choose to study in South Australia.

But the incentive of Chain migration could have wider results. If you have the points but cannot get state nomination anywhere in Australia then you may want to consider asking your Australian Citizen or PR family members to move to South Australia.  Once these Australian Citizen or PR family members have lived in South Australia for 12 months or more then you may be eligible for a Chain Migration sponsorship.

Source and date of accuracy:

Immigration SA:

http://www.mia.org.au/documents/item/380

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/eligibility_requirements

 This information is accurate on the 26 July 2014.  Immigration SA and DIBP will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Do You Need Help?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experience in assisting applicants with the Expression of Interest, State Sponsorship and Visa application process for state sponsored subclasses 190 and 489.  We can also assist with the Independent 189.

If you require further information regarding an application or your Australian visa optionsyou can contact us through:

 (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

End of Australian Migration Program year on 30 June 2014 may effect visa criteria and eligibility

The migration program year runs with the financial year, from 1 July 2013 to the 30 June 2014.

When the new Australian migration program year starts from the 1 July 2014, the some of following things may happen:

- Visa charges for visa applications can be raised by DIBP.

-The TSMIT which applies to 457 visa holders may be raised from the current level of $53,900.00

- Changes to visa criteria can be implemented.  This could be beneficial making creating opportunities for some, but call also make some people ineligible for visas they previously could apply for.

Opportunities from the new Program year starting 1 July 2014

The state and territory sponsored lists for subclasses 190 and 489 for various states often have occupations that reach their allocation limits prior to the end of the migration program year. 

With the start of a new migration program year, their may be greater nomination possibilities for occupations that are currently quite restricted such as: Enrolled Nurses and ICT professionals.

At the Federal level, New occupational ceilings will be release for 189, 190 and 489 visas by DIBP for occupations including:

• Chemical and Materials Engineers
• Electronics Engineers
• Other Engineering Professionals
• ICT Business and Systems Analysts
• Software and Applications Programmers
• Telecommunications Engineering Professionals.

So what should I do?

If you currently qualify for an Australian visa, you may want to consider applying for the visa prior to the 1 July 2014.  This way you may avoid fee rises and also may get in before any changes which could may you ineligible or add extra expense.

More news:

For more news on the migration program for 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015 see:

http://www.workvisalawyers.com.au/news/entry/australia-has-a-continued-commitment-to-skilled-migration-while-some-family-migration-visas-are-axed.html

Warning: This information is accurate on the 07 June 2014. 

DIBP will change visa requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Sources:

http://www.immi.gov.au/Work/Pages/SkillSelect/SkillSelect.aspx

Do You Need Help in Relation to Australian Visas?

If you require further information regarding Australian visa options you contact our offices on:

 (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa – Closure of ACT nomination program to overseas applicants for 2013/14

The ACT government has released to following information today:

"The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is pleased to announce that program targets for the Skilled- Nominated (subclass 190) visa have been met for the 2013/14 financial year.

Effective close of business today (25 March 2014), applications for ACT nomination from overseas residents will not be accepted.  If your clients are living overseas, they will not be able to apply for ACT nomination of a Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa until the program reopens in July 2014.

If your clients are living in Canberra and working in a skilled occupation, they are still able to apply for ACT nomination of the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) visa providing  they meet the current nomination criteria."

Source: Migration and Information Services | Economic Development Directorate | ACT Government

This information isaccurate on the 25 March 2014.   State or Territory Nomination/Sponsorship bodies will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Need Help?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experience in assisting applicants with the Expression of Interest, State Sponsorship and Visa application process for state sponsored subclasses 190 and 489.

If you require further information regarding an application or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

 The Government of Western Australia have recently released new criteria for WA state sponsorship for subclass 190 and 489 visas.

The following are significant changes to the criteria:

- English Requirements:

Managers and Professionals (Group 1 and 2 in ANZSCO)  who are on the WA State Migration Plan must obtain at least 7,7,7,7 in the IELTS or a minimum of all Bs on the OET test. Other groups of occupations still require just 6,6,6,6.

There are still English requirement exemptions those holding a UK, USA, Canada, Ireland or NZ passport.

- Work Experience Requirements:

 All applicants must meet the minimum work experience requirement of:

        ◦ at least one year of Australian work experience in the nominated (or closely related) occupation over the last ten years; or

        ◦ at least three years of overseas work experience in the nominated (or closely related) occupation over the last ten years; and

- Job Offered Required even for Offshore applicants:

If your occupation is on Schedule 2 of the WASMOL you must have a job offer for both a 489 and a 190 application, even if you are applying from overseas.

Source and Accuracy

Source: http://www.migration.wa.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/skilled_migration_criteria_2013-2014%20(4).pdf

This information is accurate on the 02 February 2014.  States and Territories will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Need Help?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experience in assisting applicants with the Expression of Interest, State Sponsorship and Visa application process for state sponsored subclasses 190 and 489.

If you require further information regarding an application or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

Enrolled Nurse occupation status has changed on SA State Nomination List (SNOL) – the status is now ‘Special Conditions Apply’

Enrolled Nurse and SA State SponsorshipAvailability Downgraded to ‘Special Conditions Apply’ – effectively restricting sponsorship to SA Graduates

There has recently been a change to the ‘Availability Status’ of the occupation of Enrolled Nurse for SA state sponsorship.  The occupation availability has changed on the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL). The status has been changed from ‘Low Availability’ to low availability.  

This change may be a concern for those who are looking for SA state sponsorship as a Enrolled Nurse.  The reason for concern is that it is only mid-way into the program year which started from 1 July 2013 and runs to 30 June 2014.  With the downgrade to ‘low availability’, Enrolled Nurse may at a later time be moved to the SA ‘Off-List’. The SA ‘Off-List’ is only available to SA graduates.

The special conditions apply criteria on the 26 January 2014 were as follows:

“South Australian international graduates currently residing in South Australia, interstate or offshore

South Australian international graduates must meet all state nomination requirements, as well as requirements 6.1 and either 6.2 or 6.3 depending on the qualification completed.

Occupations listed as “Special Conditions Apply” are available to:

6.1South Australian (SA) international graduates who studied at a South Australian institution.Applicants must have completed a CRICOS registered qualification in South Australia with a minimum duration of one academic year (CRICOS registered for a minimum of 46 weeks)

6.1.1Applicants currently residing in South Australia must have completed a Higher Education or Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification in South Australia.

OR

6.1.2Applicants currently residing offshore or interstate must have completed a Higher Education qualification (Bachelor Degree or higher) in South Australia.

Documents required: a copy of the academic transcript and a letter of completion from the institution.

6.2Graduates with a Higher Education Advanced Diploma, Bachelor Degree or higher, must meet one of the following:

6.2.1Currently working in a skilled occupation (minimum 30 hours per week) in South Australia. The skilled occupation must be ANZSCO level 1 to 4 and listed on the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL) or Immigration SA’s current Offlist.

OR

6.2.2Have met the general work experience requirement as per nomination criteria 7. If an applicant is claiming Australian work experience, 50% of this must be South Australian work experience.

Documents required for work experience: A letter from the employer confirming commencement date, job title, duties and tasks, salary and number of hours worked per week.

Consideration will be given to applicants (currently residing in South Australia) who are a PhD or Masters by Research SA graduates who don’t meet work experience requirement 6.2.1 or 6.2.2. To be considered, applicants must have an IELTS of 7.0 in each band score or 7.5 overall.

6.3Graduates with a VET Diploma or Certificate must be currently working in a skilled occupation (minimum 30 hours per week) in South Australia. The skilled occupation must be ANZSCO level 1 to 4 and listed on the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL) or Immigration SA’s current Offlist. Priority will be given to applicants based on length of employment in South Australia.”

If you meet the SA State Sponsorship criteria, you should consider apply for State Sponsorship as soon as possible, while the occupation is still available on the list.

Enrolled Nurse still open in Qld and NT

However, NT is still sponsoring EN for both 489 and 190. QLD is sponsoring EN for 489.

With other states closing or placing restrictions on the Enrolled Nurse sponsorship, this will lead to higher numbers of applications for Qld and NT. 

SA is still sponsoring however, the ‘special conditions apply’ status restricts access to SA graduates.

Warning -This information is accurate on the 26 January 2014.  

DIBP and the State/Territory authorities can change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging a skills assessment or visa application. 

Sources:

The Immigration SA website:

The State Nomination Occupation List (SNOL): https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/SNOL_data

The eligibility requirement for SA state sponsorship: https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/node/104

Do You Need Help in Relation to a Skills Assessment or visa application as a Enrolled Nurse or Registered Nurse?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting with skills assessment to enable applications for skillselect subclass 189, 190 and 489 visas and Employer Nomination Scheme applications.

We can help you with state sponsorship and visa application as an Enrolled Nurse or Registered Nurse.

For further information regarding skills assessments or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091.

Or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Enrolled Nurse closed for ACT sponsorship for Australian Visas for this program year

ACT Government recently released an update on their website regarding Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Occupation List 2013-14.

http://www.canberrayourfuture.com.au/workspace/uploads/documents/act-occupation-list-2013-14-10-december-13.pdf

People who want to apply for subclass 190 or 489 visas need State Nomination from one or more State Governments.

Currently ACT is only nominating applicants for subclass 190 Only. In order to receive their Nomination, your occupation must be on their list and status should be still “open”.

The occupation of Enrolled Nurse was originally listed on their list however, due to high volume of application, this occupation is closed and no longer available until 30 June 2013.

However, this would highly likely be re-open for the ACT from 1^st July 2014.

Enrolled Nurse still open in SA, Qld and NT

However, NT is still sponsoring EN for both 489 and 190. QLD is sponsoring EN for 489.

SA is still sponsoring however, the availability is currently very low. Therefore if anyone would like to lodge their State Nomination to SA should be hurry.

Warning -This information is accurate on the 16 January 2014.  

DIBP and the State/Territory authorities can change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging a skills assessment or visa application. 

Do You Need Help in Relation to a Skills Assessment or visa application as a Enrolled Nurse or Registered Nurse?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting with skills assessment to enable applications for skillselect subclass 189, 190 and 489 visas and Employer Nomination Scheme applications.

We can help you with state sponsorship and visa application as an Enrolled Nurse or Registered Nurse.

For further information regarding skills assessments or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091.

Or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

For this program year NSW is no longer an option for a subclass 190 Visa:

The NSW State Government has closed nomination for subclass 190 visas, providing the following information on their website:

“Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) – NSW nominations closed for 2013/14

NSW is pleased to announce that program targets for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) have been met for the 2013/14 financial year.  

Effective 24 December 2013, applications for NSW nomination for the subclass 190 visa will close. Applications received after this date will not be processed or returned. NSW will reopen for the subclass 190 visa nomination in July 2014. Information regarding 2014/15 applications will be posted on this website in July 2014.  

Thank you for your interest in migrating to NSW.  “

Try another Option:

If you are looking to migration to Australia, there is no need to despair, all other States and Territories are still sponsoring for Subclass 190 visas.

Source and Accuracy

Source: http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/live-and-work-in-nsw/visa-and-migration/skilled-sponsored-migration

This information isaccurate on the 06 January 2014.  States and Territories will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Need Help?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experience in assisting applicants with the Expression of Interest, State Sponsorship and Visa application process for state sponsored subclasses 190 and 489.

If you require further information regarding an application or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

Enrolled Nurse and GSM visa applications

Enrolled Nurse has been on skilled occupation for long time. However, ANMAC had not started any skill assessment until recently. Since 1^st of July 2013, ANMAC started processing Skill Assessments for Enrolled Nurses. From that time forward, the major pathway of points based General Skilled Migration to permanent residency and provisional residency has been opened for Enrolled Nurses.   Enrolled Nurses also continue to have the options of Employer Sponsored Migration including ENS or RSMS.

State Nomination is available

If you are registered as an Enrolled Nurse either in Australia or New Zealand, there is an option for General Skilled Migration – subclass 190 or 489. Currently three State Governments are sponsoring Enrolled Nurse.

• ACT – Only 190 is available
• NT – both 190 and 489 are available

• SA – both 190 and 489 are available

South Australia

According to Immigration SA, current availability for the occupation of Enrolled Nurse is “medium” whereas, Registered Nurse remains as “High Availability”.  If South Australia continues to receive high numbers of GSM applications for Enrolled Nurses, then the occupations status my shift to ‘low’ availability, then ‘special conditions’ and finally may be removed from the list.  From the 1 July 2014, a new occupational ceiling will be released by DIBP, and then Immigration SA may reset the availability to ‘High”.

Each year Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) sets “occupational ceiling”, which means once one occupation reached to that number, no more invitation will be approved. Current occupational ceiling for Enrolled Nurses and Registered Nurses are 1,260 and 11,940 respectively.

SA Criteria for SA Nomination

You are required to have followings:

• Aged under 50 and
• Registered with AHPRA and
• have a positive skill assessment from ANMAC and
• IELTS 7.0 in each band or OET B in each components
• At least one year experience after Qualification – this must be experience as an Enrolled Nurse. Experience as a carer is not counted. If the applicant only has one year experience, at least 50% of the experience should have been obtained from SA or the applicant has met the minimum work experience requirement and is currently working in a skilled occupation in South Australia (and has been employed in that position in South Australia for a minimum of three months)

SA Special Exemptions

If you have studied at least 46 weeks and completed a qualification in South Australia, even if you don’t meet all of the criteria, you may be still eligible for SA Nomination if

• Work experience exemption

o   If you achieved an IELTS score of 7.0 in each band or 7.5 overall and continue to reside in South Australia – work experience is exempted

o   Currently working in a skilled occupation (minimum 30 hours per week) in South Australia. The skilled occupation must be ANZSCO level 1 to 4 and listed on the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL) or the Immigration SA current Offlist.

•      English Exemption

o   If you are already registered and working in South Australia as an Enrolled Nurse, you may be still eligible for State Nomination with IELTS 6.0 if you meet all other criteria

ANMAC – Skill Assessment

ANMAC is the skill assessment authority for Nurses. They are currently assessing skills for Enrolled Nurses who are registered either in Australia or New Zealand. If you are an Enrolled Nurse registered elsewhere and would like to get a positive skill assessment for Migration Purpose, please contact AHPRA to get registration in Australia first.

Current Skill Assessment processing time for Enrolled Nurses is at least 16 weeks.  Since September 2013, ANMAC also decided to return all application which is incomplete rather than process and let candidates know what documents are required further. Therefore, if you do not wish to waste time, it would be wise to be extra careful when you are preparing skill assessment documents.

More Nursing Positions

IHW spokesperson, Dr Adrian Webster said the report, Nursing and midwifery workforce 2012, showed there were about 334,000 nurses and midwives registered in Australia in 2012, or 6.8 per cent more than the 313,000 registered in 2008. Dr Webster said of those employed in nursing and midwifery, more than 238,000 were registered nurses (including midwives) and about 52,000 were enrolled nurses. (http://www.ncah.com.au/news-events/more-nurses-and-midwives-working/1967/)

Warning -This information is accurate on the 07 DEC 2013.  

DIBP and the ASC can change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging a skills assessment or visa application. 

Do You Need Help in Relation to a Skills Assessment as a Enrolled Nurse or Registered Nurse?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experienced in assisting with skills assessment to enable applications for skillselect subclass 189, 190 and 489 visas and Employer Nomination Scheme applications.

We can help you with a skills assessment as an Enrolled Nurse or Registered Nurse.

For further information regarding skills assessments or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091.

Or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

The following occupations have been shifted to ‘currently not available’ on the SA State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL). 

- Chemical Engineer,

- ICT Business Analyst

- Software Engineer

This will effect those who were planning to apply for sa state sponsored subclass 190 or 489 visas for the above occupations.

Here is what the status of ‘Currently not available’ means:

“Currently Not Available for State Nomination

Occupations with this status are not currently available for South Australian state nomination, due to the occupation group being close to reaching the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) national ceiling. DIAC have a limited number of places available for State and Territory nomination for the rest of the 2013/14 program year. Independent General Skilled Migration or other States/Territories may still have places currently available for the occupation group.

In December 2013, DIAC will notify South Australia if there are any additional places available for this occupational group for state nomination and will allocate South Australia with a new quota.

Please monitor this website in December 2013 for any updated information.

Please view the DIAC website for announcements about occupation groups close to reaching the DIAC ceiling and how it affects prospective applicants for State Nominated or Independent General Skilled Migration http://www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/.”

Sources: Immigration SA

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/snol_data

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/snol

Do You Need Help in Relation to Australian Visas?

If you require further information regarding Australian Visa application charges or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

This information is accurate on the 13 September 2013. 

Immigration SA has released the following information:

“New professions added to the State Nominated Occupation List

From 2 September 2013, the following occupations have been added to the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL):

•    Procurement Manager
•    Registered Nurse (Paediatric)

ICT occupations

From 2 September 2013, the “Special Conditions Apply” status has been removed for all On-list ICT occupations and there will be a limited number of places available for South Australian State Nomination. The IELTS requirement for all ICT occupations is 6.5 in each band score.

Occupations close to reaching DIAC national ceiling

Six occupation groups are close to reaching the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) national ceiling and DIAC have allocated a limited number of places for State and Territory nomination for the rest of the 2013/14 program year. Once South Australia has reached the state quota in an occupation group listed below, Immigration SA will be unable to nominate any more applicants (including SA international graduates) for the remainder of the 2013/14 program year.

Please view the DIAC website for announcements about these six occupation groups and how it affects prospective applicants for state nominated or independent General Skilled Migrationhttp://www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/.   

The six occupation groups with a limited number of places available for SA state nomination are:

• 2331 Chemical and Materials Engineers
• 2611 ICT Business and Systems Analysts
• 2334 Electronics Engineers
• 2633 Telecommunication Engineering Professionals
• 2339 Other Engineering Professionals
• 2613 Software and Applications Programmers

Due to the limited number of places, Immigration SA will prioritise applications who meet all Immigration SA eligibility requirements as follows:

1.     Currently employed in a skilled occupation in SA

2.     An international Graduate of SA  

3.     High calibre offshore or onshore applicants (Immigration SA will take into account: DIAC points, qualifications, work experience and English level when assessing an application for these occupation groups).

Please note that for occupations subject to a DIAC occupation ceiling management process, Immigration SA reserves the right to process applicants by merit rather than by date submitted.“

Source: Immigration SA

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/news%20and%20events

This information isaccurate on the 04 September 2013.  Immigration SA will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Need Help?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experience in assisting applicants with the Expression of Interest, State Sponsorship and Visa application process for state sponsored subclasses 190 and 489.

If you require further information regarding an application or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

Welfare Worker occupation status changed on SA State Nomination List (SNOL) – further changes could result in an end to SA state sponsorship for Welfare Workers for visas 190 and 489

Welfare Worker and SA State Sponsorship

There has recently been a change to the ‘Availability Status’ of the occupation of Welfare Worker for SA state sponsorship.  The occupation availability has changed on the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL). The status has been changed to ‘Medium Availability’. 

This change may be a concern for those who are looking for SA state sponsorship as a Welfare Worker.  The reason for concern is that it is very early in the program year which started from 1 July 2013 and runs to 30 June 2013.  With the downgrade to medium availability, Welfare Worker may at a later time be moved to ‘Low Availability’ and then to ‘DIAC Occupation ceiling met’.  If the DIAC SNOL status changes to ‘DIAC Occupation ceiling met’, then state sponsorship of the occupation for subclass 190 and 489 will stop.

Here are all the Occupations currently listed for Medium Availability on the SNOL:

272613  Welfare Worker               Medium Availability        IELTS 7.0 in each band plus 2 years work experience in field

139914  Quality Assurance Manager        Medium Availability        IELTS 7.0 in each band

224711  Management Consultant             Medium Availability       

225411  Sales Representative (Industrial Products)           Medium Availability

249311  Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages          Medium Availability        IELTS 7.0 in each band

311213  Medical Laboratory Technician   Medium Availability

312512  Mechanical Engineering Technician          Medium Availability

Any of the occupation currently listed as Medium Availability may be at risk of reaching the occupational ceiling and sponsorship being closed, during this program year, which ends on 30 June 2014.

What happens when Occupation Ceiling is met?

This is the information that Immigration SA provides on the SNOL classification DIAC occupation ceiling met:

“DIAC National Occupation Ceilings

For the 2013-14 program year DIAC set ceilings for occupational groupings. If a ceiling is met no further invitations can be issued by DIAC for this occupation group until 1 July 2014. For clients with an Expression Of Interest in this occupation group, your Expression Of Interest will remain valid for two years from the date you submitted your Expression Of Interest.

….

Immigration SA will not be accepting applications for occupations that are listed as "DIAC occupation ceiling met."

Source: Immigration SA

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/snol_data

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/snol

This information isaccurate on the 24 August 2013.  Immigration SA will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Need Help?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experience in assisting applicants with the Expression of Interest, State Sponsorship and Visa application process for state sponsored subclasses 190 and 489.

If you require further information regarding an application or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

The RSMS Direct entry subclass 187 is an Australian permanent residency work visa.  The first stage of the RSMS Direct entry process requires applying to the RCB for advice on the suitability of the employer and position.

Immigration SA, the state body that is the Regional Certifying Body (RCB) for RSMS in SA, has announced the following:

“Changes to the way employers demonstrate how they have tested the labour market:

• Removal of the peer review process (implemented on 21 June, 2013).

• Reduction in the number of  documents applicants are required to upload. Some documents have been replaced with a series of online questions.

• In some instances, the employer will be able to provide the RCB with a statutory declaration to support their application.”

There are also new Exemptions from labour market testing for the following:

• Employers who are approved 457 sponsors, who can demonstrate that the skilled migrant they are nominating has been working for them in the nominated occupation for at least 12 months.

• Occupations listed on a new Regional Certifying Body Occupation List. This list includes occupations such as:

• Construction Project Manager 133111
• Engineering Manager 133211
• Surveyor 232212
• Cartographer 232213
• Other Spatial Specialist 232214
• Chemical Engineer 233111
• Civil Engineer 233211
• Quantity Surveyor 233213
• Structural Engineer 233214
• Electrical Engineer 233311
• Mining Engineer (excluding
• Petroleum) 233611
• Petroleum Engineer 233612
• Geologist 234411
• University Lecturer 242111
• University Tutor 242112
• Construction Estimator 312114
• Metal Machinist (First Class) 323214
• Panelbeater 324111
• Roof Tiler 333311
• Electronic Equipment Trades
• Worker 342313
• Plus a large number of specialist medical positions.

There is a New Employer Document List:

• The new employer document list is much shorter.  Here is a link:

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/RSMS_Factsheet_for_SAEmployers_0.pdf

For the full list Regional Certifying Body Occupation List.:

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/RegionalCertifyingBody_OccupationList.pdf

Source: Immigration SA

http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=a69011c047c7d5d323942b5d4&id=ec157d95cf&e=1e56c72cf8

This information isaccurate on the 10 August 2013.  Immigration SA will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Need Help?

At Work Visa Lawyers we are experience in assisting employer and applicants with the RSMS process.

If you require further information regarding a RSMS application or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

We have received a communication from the ACT government which says that DIAC will not issue any further invitations for state sponsored 190 and 489 visas through for these six occupations:

·      Chemical and Materials Engineers;

·      ICT Business and Systems Analysts;

·      Electronics Engineers:

·      Telecommunications Engineering Professionals;

·      Other Engineering Professional; and

·      Software and Applications Programmers.

However, these are in fact occupational unit groups, often repsenting two or more occupations. The total number of occupations that have been effected by DIACs decision to not offer invitation to EoI for subclasses 190 and 489 is eighteen.  The occupations are:

233111 Chemical Engineer 

233112 Materials Engineer

261111 ICT Business Analyst 

261112 Systems Analyst

233411 Electronics Engineer

263311 Telecommunications Engineer

263312 Telecommunications Network Engineer

233911 Aeronautical Engineer 

233912 Agricultural Engineer 

233913 Biomedical Engineer 

233914 Engineering Technologist 

233915 Environmental Engineer 

233916 Naval Architect (Aus) / Marine Designer (NZ) 

233999 Engineering Professionals nec

261311 Analyst Programmer 

261312 Developer Programmer 

261313 Software Engineer 

261399 Software and Applications Programmers nec

If you have an application a state sponsorship application in process, then you may need to look at alternatives.   Contact the Sponsoring body to check the status of your application.

Sources:  ACT Government, Migration Institute of Australia

Need Help?

If you require further information regarding a RSMS application or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

This information isaccurate on the 7 August 2013.  

Immigration SA is the RCB that provides advice regarding the first stage of the RSMS Direct Entry subclass 187 visa process.

From the 1 July 2012 up until late June 2013 the Labour Market Testing requirements for RSMS visa applications caused many employers to get very frustrated and some to choose not to be involved in the RSMS process at all.

Immigration SA has taken on some feedback and the process has been improved and streamlined.

Immigration SA has released a new document checklist which has reduced the advertising requirements. 

Concessions for some 457 visa holders

If the position for the RSMS is for a person who has been working on a 457 in that organisation for 12 months or more, then LMT is not required.  You will have to answer some questions. 

LMT documents requirements are lower

At a practical level, having recently done an online application, there is now no need to attach evidence of the Labour Marketing Test.  A detailed description from the employer of the advertising process is still required.

There in now no need for:

-         - No need for advertising to include the exact salary of the position.

-          - No need for Peer review evidence from Recruitment Agent, Union or Industry Association.

Processing times with Immigration SA are now shorter

Processing times had been up to three months at one stage.

Processing times for RSMS Immigration SA RCB advice are currently quoted as 24 days. 

Source: Immigration SA website: https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/node/20

Need Help?

If you require further information regarding a RSMS application or your Australian visa options you contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091 or +61 8 7225 5091  

This information isaccurate on the 7 August 2013.  Immigration SA will change requirements in an ongoing manner and all current requirements must be established prior to lodging an application. 

Immigration SA has announced changes to their off-list sponsorship criteria:

“Changes include: (these apply to applicants living and working in South Australia only)

• - All international graduates of South Australia will be considered; nomination is no longer restricted to students who graduated within the last six months.
• - Applicants who have completed a vocational education and training (VET) or higher education qualification in South Australia with a minimum duration of one academic year (or CRICOSregistered for a minimum of 46 weeks).
• - Students who have completed a PhD or Masters by Research qualification in South Australia, no longer require work experience if they have an IELTS score of 7.5 overall or 7.0 in each band.”

Refer to the off-list section in the following link:

https://www.migration.sa.gov.au/node/104

Changes will only apply until 30 June, 2013. 

Due to the short timeframe, the above changes for the off-list  will be most suitable for persons who already have a full skills assessment in a vocational occupation, such as a Nurseryperson.

IELTS Validity extended from two to three years:

Other changes include that Immigration SA will now accept IELTS results which are three-years-old or less on the state nomination decision date

I will post more details on the SA sponsorship changes as they emerge.

If you require further information regarding the SA State Sponsorship criteria or would like to book a consultation with Christopher Johnston, please do not hesitate to contact our offices on (08) 7225 5091.