Technical Immigration Categories
189 Independent Skilled Migration
The 189 Independent Skilled Migration visa allows applicants to immigrate based solely on their personal education, work experience/professional skills, and language proficiency, without needing any sponsorship. It is a direct pathway to permanent residency. Applicants can apply from within Australia or from overseas. Successful applicants can live, work, and study in any part of Australia.
190 State-Sponsored Skilled Migration Visa
The 190 State-Sponsored Skilled Migration visa is suitable for applicants who score only 60 points on their own. Whether they can receive an additional 5 points for state sponsorship depends on whether their assessed occupation is on the state’s sponsorship list and whether they meet other state requirements (such as IELTS score, work experience, job offer, or registration).
After obtaining state sponsorship, the immigration department will invite the applicant to apply for the visa. Each state’s government sets its policies and the occupations it sponsors, which are closely related to the state’s development needs. The list of eligible occupations and the sponsorship conditions are subject to frequent changes. The 190 visa can be applied for both from within Australia and from overseas.
491 Regional State-Sponsored Skilled Migration
As of November 16, 2019, the 489 Regional State-Sponsored Temporary Visa has been replaced by the new Regional Skilled Visa (subclass 491). The 491 visa is a 5-year temporary transition visa. Applicants who live and work in a designated regional area for 3 years and meet the income requirements can apply for permanent residency. This visa is particularly suitable for applicants with an EOI score of only 50 points (excluding the additional 15 points from 491 state sponsorship).
There are two types of this visa:
- Family sponsorship
- State or territory government sponsorship. The requirements and eligible occupations differ, but applicants must first meet the basic requirements for the 491 visa set by the immigration department.
Australia defines regional areas broadly; most areas fall under this category. With the introduction of the new 491 visa, the definition of regional areas has been simplified to include all areas of Australia except Brisbane (QLD), Melbourne (VIC), and Sydney (NSW). This includes popular immigrant cities such as the Gold Coast (QLD), Canberra (ACT), Perth (WA), Adelaide (SA), and Geelong and Ballarat (VIC).
887 Regional Independent Skilled Migration Permanent Visa
The 887 Regional Permanent Resident Visa (Skilled – Regional (Residence) visa) is for holders of temporary visas in Australia, allowing them to transition from a regional temporary resident visa to a permanent resident visa.
Candidates holding the original 489 Regional State-Sponsored Temporary Visa can apply for the 887 permanent resident visa after meeting the required conditions to obtain permanent residency.
ACT Canberra Regional State Sponsorship
Unlike other states, the ACT government introduced a unique state invitation scoring system called the Canberra Matrix in late November 2018. This system is used to select excellent applicants who meet the requirements of the Canberra region. In addition to meeting the immigration department’s EOI score requirement of at least 65 points, applicants must achieve a certain score on the Canberra Matrix to receive a state sponsorship invitation.
The ACT government issues invitations based on scores from highest to lowest. In case of identical scores, invitations are issued based on the order of submission. If the number of invitations issued in a fiscal year exceeds the demand, the ACT government may restrict or suspend nominations for certain occupations at any time. If you are currently in Australia, you must live in Canberra before applying for ACT state sponsorship.
NT MINT Northern Territory Innovation Migration Program
The Northern Territory Innovation Migration Program (MINT) is a fast-track immigration investment project that includes visa categories such as the 190 State-Sponsored Skilled Migration visa, the 491 Regional State-Sponsored Skilled Migration visa, and the 188 and 132 Business Migration visas. This program is very suitable for overseas candidates.
Eligible skilled and business visa applicants must invest AUD 515,000 in the Paspalis Innovation Investment Fund designated by the Northern Territory government to obtain state sponsorship. The MINT program will assist them in obtaining permanent residency in Australia.