Point Based Skilled Migration Visa to Australia (one of the Australian PR visas)

Amidst a sea of information in the Internet which only serves to create more confusion, I have tried to present only the important aspects of Point Based Skilled Migration to Australia as briefly as possible.

What is the application process?

Step (i) EOI

Submit the online form of EOI (Expression of Interest) with genuine information.

Link: https://skillselect.gov.au/SKILLSELECT/ExpressionOfInterest/PreReg/Start

Step (ii) APPLICATION

The submitted EOI is ranked on the basis of claims made in the EOI. Invitation for application will be issued to those prospective applicants who achieve the highest rankings. Authentic documents as per the claim made in the EOI must be annexed to the application.

Are there subclasses of the Skilled Migration Visa?

Yes, there are:

    Subclass 189 (Skilled independent – Permanent)

    Subclass 190 (Skilled nominated – Permanent)

    Subclass 489 (Skilled regional – Provisional)

What is the basis of ranking (Point System)?

As per the claims made in the EOI, points are assigned. The threshold for eligibility, currently is 60.

Factor	Standard	Points	Remarks
Age at the time of invitation	18-24	25	The age is inclusive, for instance 24 years 11 months falls in 1st category earning 25 point. If you are above 50 years, you will not be eligible leaving some exceptional cases.
	25-32	30
	33-39	25
	40-44	15
	45-49	0
English language	Competent English- IELTS 6 / OET B	0	For eligibility, competent English is the obligatory.
	Proficient English- IELTS 7 / OET B	10
	Superior English- IELTS 8 / OET B	20
Overseas employment	Atleast 3 years	5	The years will be counted only if they are within the 10 years immediately prior to receiving an application
	Atleast 5 years	10
	Atleast 8 years	15
Australian employment	Atleast 1 year	5	The years will be counted only if they are within the 10 years immediately prior to receiving an application
	Atleast 3 years	10
	Atleast 5 years	15
	Atleast 8 years	20
Educational qualification at the time of invitation	Doctorate degree	20	The doctorate and Bachelor’s degree must be awarded by any recognized educational institute. The Diploma and Trade Qualification must be awarded by an Australian institute.
	Bachelor’s degree	15
	Diploma	10
	Trade qualification	10
	Qualification for nominated occupation	10
Professional year	Atleast 1 year	5	Must have completed a course specified by the Minister in Australia within 4 years prior to receiving an application
Australian qualification	One or more degrees, diplomas or trade qualification awarded by an Australian educational institute	5	Must meet Australian Study Requirement
Other factors	Credentialled community language	5	The partner must be eligible on grounds of age, English language ability and nominated occupation
	Study in regional Australia or in a low population growth metropolitan area	5
	Partner skill qualification	5
Nomination / Sponsorship at the time of invitation	Nomination by State or Territory government	5	For visa subclass 190 only For visa subclass 489 only
	Nomination by State or Territory or sponsorship by an eligible family member for residing and working in a specified area	10

What is the cost of the visa?

Cost of the visa is dependent on several factors. For Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189), the overall cost for a single applicant is Australian dollars 5280.00

Link: http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/Pricing-Estimator.aspx