australian government skilled migration program changes 2012
TRANSCRIPT
Composition of the Migration Program
Source: DIAC internal data
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
200,000
Total Skill
Total Family
2012/13 Skilled Migration Program Composition
2012/13 Budget: Highlights & Implications
2011/12 2012/13
Employer Sponsored
125,850 129,250*
PointsTested
BusinessSkills
Skilled Stream Target
ENSRSMS
IndependentState SponsoredSAS
46,000 47,250
72,450 74,400
7,200 7,400
44,35024,0004,100
45,55024,6504,200
30,00016,000
31,25016,000
* Includes 200 places for Distinguished Talent Visa
SkillSelect is Australia’s new service for managing its skilled migration program, incorporating significant visa reform and the deployment of a new online service.
Intending Migrant
AustralianEmployers
State/TerritoryGovernment
SkillSelect
AcceleratedVisa Processing
EOI
Visa Reforms
SkillSelect
SkillSelectAccess/Register Visa
eLodgement & Processing
Australian Employers
Access SkillSelectwith AUSkey
Search Employment arrangement conducted outside
SkillSelect
Intending Migrant
Complete EOI
Maintain Profile
Invited to Apply
CompleteApplication
Nomination and Application
Access SkillSelectwith AUSkey
State & TerritoryGovernment
NominatorSearch Nominate
DIACNomination Quota per month
SkillSelect: How does it work?
Intending Migrants: How does it work?
Complete EOI
Maintain Profile
Invited to Apply
CompleteApplication
Employers Search
STO’s NominateDIAC Periodic invitation rounds
VisaProcessing
EOI Elements• Personal Details• Skills• Education/Credentials• Experience• Visa Choices • Geographic preferences• Access to assistance and advice
Intending Migrants: How does it work?
State and territory governments can search in SkillSelect and select potential applicants for nomination.
SkillSelect will then generate an invitation to be issued to the selected nominees.
State and Territories: How does it work?
Employers: How does it work?
Sponsorship arrangement
conducted outside SkillSelect
Access SkillSelectwith AUSkey Search Nomination &
Application
Employers: How does it work?
Employers will be able to search for clients using a range of powerful search tools, to find the clients they need for the business: • Qualifications• Experience• Occupation• English language ability• Business experience• Business assets and investment funds
Employers: How does it work?
AUSkey is a single electronic key to access government online services
It is: Available to all Australian employers with an Australian Business NumberCurrently being used by more than 750,000 Australian employersSecure, and able to be obtained by different employees of a business for
different purposes
It will: Allow employers to access SkillSelect securely to find and contact Intending Migrants who may have the skills and experience that they require
Allow DIAC to track and record all usage of the system by Employers, to further refine the SkillSelect system
To get and AUSkey please visit www.abr.gov.au
Changes to Independent Migration
AUSkey: How does it work?
Occupational Ceilings: How does it work?
Limit on how many EOIs are selected for skilled migration from occupation groups
Once this limit is reached, no further invitations for that particular occupation group will be issued
Ceilings set by DIAC
Changes to Independent Migration
Minimum Eligibility Thresholds
Clients that meet specified objective eligibility thresholds can submit a complete EOI
Client selects visa type
SkillSelect asks questions relating to each subclass of interest
Clients are given feedback whether their claims are sufficient to meet
the minimum threshold
Points calculation is not a threshold requirement
Updating Claims
If no threshold is met EOI incomplete
EOI Minimum Claims - GSM
Skilled Independent and Family Sponsored
Subclass 189
Skilled S/T Nominated
Subclass 489 Subclass 190 Subclass 489
Skills Assessment
IELTS ≥ 6
Skilled Occupation
Age < 50
Family Sponsor inregional area
Willingness to residein regional area
Willingness to be nominated by S/T
Willingness to residein regional area
EOI Minimum Claims - Employer Nominated
Skills Assessment
Subclass 457
IELTS ≥ 6 (waiver available ENS/RSMS)
Age < 50 (potential for exemption)
IELTS ≥ 5
CSOL
3 years experience Willingness to residein regional area
Subclass 187(Direct Entry)
Subclass 186 (Direct Entry)
CSOLANZSCO Skill Level 1-3
ANZSCO 3 Skill 3 Skill Assessment
EOI Minimum Claims - Business Innovation
Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (188)
Business Innovation Investor
$2 250 000 PBA
Business Turnover$500 000
$800 000 Personal and Business
Assets
Age < 55 (potential for exemption)
$1 500 000 PBA$400 000 business
component
* Subclass 888 operates outside of SkillSelect
Business Talent 132
Significant Business History
Venture Capitalist
Willingness to be nominated by S/T
$1 500 000 Personal and Business Assets
$400 000 business component
$1 000 000 funding Australian Venture
Capital Firm
Business Turnover$3 000 000 p/a
Invitation Criteria
Independent
State and Territory Nominated
Employer Sponsored
• Highest score• Occupation on SOL
• Over pass mark• Nominated• Within State Migration Plan
• Sought after attributes• Sponsored
• Email notification and SkillSelect inbox
• Client’s claims in SkillSelect are frozen upon invitation issue
• Direct to eLodgement • Some information unable to be
edited once invite issued• If the client changes any
information in eLodgement that formed the basis of the invitation, a processing flag will be created.
• SkillSelect will record and pass all relevant nomination details for State and Territory Nominated visas via eLodgement.
Visa Application: How does it work?
Benefits of SkillSelect
Meet Australia’s skill needs
Minimise processing times
Respond quickly to changing economic needs
Allocate independent places to the best and brightest
An additional facility for employers to search and contact prospective skilled workers
Streamline and optimise State and Territory migration plans.
Fair and equitable Skilled Migration
program
Current 1 July 2012
Temporary Business Long Staysubclass 457
Employer Nomination Scheme
Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme
Skilled Independent
Specification of Occupations for 457
Employer Nomination Scheme Occupation List (ENSOL)
No occupation list
Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
Skilled – Sponsored and Skilled – Regional Sponsored
State sponsored- see relevant State occupation listFamily sponsored- SOL
Consolidated sponsored occupation list (CSOL)
ANZSCO skill level
1 - 3
Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List
Permanent Employer Sponsored - Reforms
Collapsing existing subclasses from 6 to 2 with 3 streams eachTemporary residence transition; direct entry & agreement streams
Changes to key visa criteria including English language & skills
Raising the upper age limit from 45 to 50 years
Refocussing RCB network on untested direct entry stream - RSMS
Streamlining pathway from 457 to PR (ENS or RSMS)
Introducing one consolidated sponsored occupation list(457, ENSOL, StatSOL)
Permanent Employer Sponsored Program
Direct Entry Stream
Temporary Residence Transition Stream
Agreement Stream
Regional Sponsorship Migration Scheme • Encourage migration to areas outside of the major metropolitan centres
of Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, and Melbourne
• From 1 July 2012 RCBs will provide advice on positions in the Direct Entry stream of RSMS providing a local perspective
• Government announced:– 16 000 places allocated to RSMS in 12-13– Regional Engagement Strategy– Regional Migration Agreements– Top priority in Minister’s Priority Processing Direction
• Visa cancellation and no training requirement retained
Changes to Independent Migration
Points Based Skilled Migration
6 visas consolidated to 3
Simplified visa requirements
Apply through SkillSelect
From I July 2012: 175, 176, 475 closed to new applications 885, 886 and 487 closed from 1 January 2013
• 189 Skilled independent (replaces 885 & 175)
• 190 Skilled nominated (replaces 886 & 176)
• 489 Skilled regional provisional (replaces 487 & 475)
Simplified requirements
1 July 2012simplified eligibility
requirements forpoints testedskilled visas
Invitation to apply for a visa
Onshore, no prerequisite visa required. Inside Australia any substantive visa or
Bridging visa A, B or C
Work experience and Australian Studyno longer threshold eligibility requirement
Can be inside or outside Australia
Points Test factors set to time of invitation
Skilled family sponsored - provisional only
Business Skills Review
Comprehensive review
• Research shows current program settings stifle innovation and risk taking
• Half of all provisional visa businesses are in fast food, cafes and restaurants
• Need to align program to broader strategic objectives of the skilled migration program
• Focus on visa simplification and deregulation
Selecting for and fostering innovation
• Program name will be changed to Business Innovation and Investment Program
• Target migrants with a history of innovation• Facilitate entry of entrepreneurs who have
sourced venture capital funding in Australia• Introduce a points test for provisional visa
applicants, giving weight to innovation• Introduce a new visa stream for Significant
Investors• Incorporate into SkillSelect and entirely state
sponsored
Business Innovation and Investment
Changes to Independent Migration
Business Innovation and Investment
13 visas consolidated to 3
Focus on innovation
Apply through SkillSelect
From 1 July 2012: Subclasses 160-165, 845, 846 closed to new applications. Subclasses 890-893 still open for current provisional visa holders.
• 132 Business Talent (Migrant) (Permanent)• 188 Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) (replaces 160-165)• 888 Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) (replaces 845, 846, 890-893)
Application Process from 1 July 2012
Current program visas
• No new primary applicants for existing provisional visas.
• Existing provisional visas progress to existing permanent visas.
• No change in process (ie: paper lodgement, paper sponsorship)
New program visas
• New provisional visa progresses to new permanent visa
• Visas have streams (eg: business innovation stream, investor stream)
• SkillSelect, electronic lodgement, electronic sponsorship
• S/Ts may grant access for an applicant to extend the provisional visa
“old to old, new to new”
AGE
Range (yrs) Points
18-24 20
25-32 30
33-39 25
40-44 20
45-54 15
ENGLISH
Range Vocational – Proficient
Points
Vocational + 5
Proficient + 10
FINANCIAL METRICS
Net Business and Personal Assets
Points
$800 000 5
$1 300 000 15
$1 800 000 25
$2 250 000 35
QUALIFICATIONS
Level Points
Trade Certificate or higher 5
Bachelor Degree or higher in Business, Science or Technology
10
OTHER
Points
Business Experience over four years
10
Investment Experience over seven years
15Business Skills Points Test
FINANCIAL METRICS
Business Turnover Points
$500 000 5
$1 000 000 15
$1 500 000 25
$2 000 000 35INNOVATION
Points
Registered Patents or Designs 15
Evidence of Trademarks 10
Evidence of Joint Venture Agreements 5
Evidence of Export Trade 15
Gazelle Business 10
Evidence of receipt of grants or venture capital funding
10STATE/ TERRITORY NOMINATION
Special Endorsement 10
More Information
Online Resources:
Skilled visas www.immi.gov.au/skilled
Visa wizard www.immi.gov.au/visawizard/
Booklets www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/
Migration Blog www.migrationblog.immi.gov.au
SkillSelect www.skillselect.gov.au
Agent Gateway www.immi.gov.au/gateways/agents/
FacebookDepartment of Immigration and Citizenship