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December 27, 2011 – Planning to apply visa to Australia in order to work there? Time to act now!

With the Australian visa requirements for skilled working Australia visa set to undergo one of the biggest changes to the Australian immigration system in years, work visa in Australia applicants are advised to act now.

It’s now or never for working visa in Australia applicants as the latest Skilled Migrant Selection Model of 2012 is set to be implemented this July 2012.

Last May 10, 2011, Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen MP announced the Australian government’s decision to implement a new way to manage its Skilled Migration based on an Expression of Interest (EOI) and subsequent invitation to apply.  The new program is called SkillSelect and is set to be implemented on 1 July 2012.

Under the current skilled immigration programme, as long as an independent or state/territory sponsored migration work visa applicant meets the requirements, then the applicant can submit an immigration application right away.

Starting July 1, 2012, all new prospective visa applicants for Independent skilled, Family Sponsored skilled, State or Territory Sponsored skilled, or Business Skills programs are required first to submit claims for skilled migration through an online EOI before they can lodge their visa application. SkillSelect will then connect state and territory governments and Australian employers with potential skilled workers through its central database of intending skilled migrants.

Subsequently, these Australian skilled migration visa applicants may then be invited to make a visa application.

Until a prospective skilled migrant is either sponsored by an Australian employer or is granted a visa on the basis of an invitation and subsequent application, the applicant’s EOI will remain active in SkillSelect for two years.

After being invited, SkillSelect will ensure a match between the number of applicants and the number of available places.

In this way, there will be a greater certainty for visa applicants and streamlined processing times.

Prospective applicants who are invited to lodge a visa application are given 60 days to lodge that application using the department’s online application system through SkillSelect. The processing of the appropriate visa will then follow the procedures in place at the time the application is lodged.

Mr. Bowen further announced that first round of invitations is expected to be sent on August 1, 2012.

The Immigration Minister likewise stated that the government will introduce the new model for selecting skilled migrants to better target Australia’s future skill needs as it is critical that Australia’s skilled migration program is driven by Australia’s skills needs, rather than the desires of prospective migrants.

For those who have lodged a working visa in Australia application before July 1, 2012, Australian immigration will process the application in accordance with any priority processing direction in effect at that time.

Source:
workpermit.com