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Migrants today fall into two main categories for a place in the Migration Program: half
the 70,000 places each year go to skilled migrants as Australia seeks those migrants
who have skills and qualifications to improve the Australian society and economy.
These categories are:
The other half of the Migration Program places go to family reunion and resettlement
of former residents and citizens, and for the families of New Zealanders. These
categories are:
Family Migrants
Special Eligibility
Skilled Migrants
There are five categories of migrants in the Skilled Scheme.
1. Independent Skilled Migrants.
For qualified persons in an approved occupation in Australia
Must be under 45 to apply
2. Skilled Migrant - Australian Linked.
Applicants who have close family members in Australia able to sponsor them.
Applicants are assessed on age, qualifications, English & other language
abilities.
3. Distinguished Talent.
This is a small category for especially talented people, particularly in the arts or
in sports.
4. Employer Nominated Migrant
Employers may nominate skilled people from overseas to fill an Australian job
vacancy when no one local has suitable skills for the job.
Age, qualifications and English abilities are assessed.
5. Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme
If your Australian employer, who wants to nominate you, is in a remote area
outside metropolitan districts, he or she can sponsor you through this scheme.
Business Migrants
Business Migrants come under the Skilled Migrants Stream, but there are so
many special provisions for them that Australian Visas puts them in separate
categories.
Business Skills Migration
This information is about migrating to Australia as a business person.
The Business Skills visa class of Australia's migration program encourages
successful business people to settle permanently in Australia and develop new or
existing businesses.
Business owners and investors can apply for a visa under the Business Skills
category
Under the two-stage arrangements, business migrants are granted a Business Skills
(Provisional) visa for four years and, after establishing the requisite level of business
or maintaining their eligible investment, are eligible to make an application for a
Business Skills (Residence) visa.
A direct permanent residence category will still be available for high-calibre business
migrants sponsored by State/Territory governments. This is known as the Business
Talent visa.
The Business Skills program is divided into four categories:
business owner: for owners or part-owners of a business;
investment: for investors/business people willing to invest in Australia;
business talent: for high-calibre business people who have sponsorship from a
State/Territory government.
Factors aecting Business Skills migrationThe Australian Government
implemented a two-stage visa arrangement for business people
Most people interested in coming to Australia under the Business Skills
category will need to apply for a Business Skills (Provisional) visa.
After successfully establishing the requisite level of business activity or
maintaining a designated investment in Australia, holders of a Business Skills
(Provisional) visa will be eligible to lodge an application for permanent
residence in Australia.
State/Territory government sponsorship will be available at both the provisional
and permanent residence stages, with significantly lower requirements when
sponsored.
A direct permanent residence category will still be available for high calibre
business migrants sponsored by state/territory governments. This will be
known as the Business Talent (Migrant) visa.
Family of New Zealand citizens - for dependents of New Zealand citizens who have
settled or intend to settle permanently in Australia.
Work visa
Work Visas are only available in certain circumstances. The options are:
Working holiday maker visa - The main intention of your trip should be recreation, but
you will be allowed to do part-time and temporary work to supplement your income.
This is available to citizens of the following countries: Canada, Japan, Ireland, Korea,
Malta, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Applicants must be between the
ages of 18 and 26. Note: This visa is not available to South African citizens.
Temporary residence visa with work rights - this visa is for applicants wishing to work
in Australia for up to 4 years. Employer sponsorship is the main requirement. Your
employer must arrange this from Australia. Only when the sponsorship is approved
can you apply for a temporary residence visa.
Purpose
411 Exchange
415 Foreign
Government Agency
418 Educational
419 Visiting
Academic
420 Entertainment
421 Sport
Temporary stay of
Temporary stay of
professional lecturers or
subject experts invited to
make public presentations.
442 Occupational
Trainee
* Permission in writing can only be obtained from the nearest State, Territory or
Regional oce of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Aairs in
Australia.
Students
Australia's student visa program provides for the entry of overseas students who
wish to undertake full-time study in registered courses in Australia.
Work rights for students have been made available so that students can supplement
their income, rather than it being their sole source of finance.
Work rights, while their Australian institution is in session, are limited to 20 hours per
week. There are no limits while the institution is not in session.
Business people
If you need to visit Australia to conduct business - a conference, site inspection,
negotiations or perhaps an exploratory visit - there are a number of visa options. For
example:
The Business (Short Stay) visa allows the bona fide business person unlimited travel
to Australia. Visits can be up to three months and you can choose the period of time
the visa is valid up to the life of your passport or five years, which ever is longer.
Visitor visas
If you are the citizen of any country other than Australia and New Zealand, you will
need a visa (or in some cases an Electronic Travel Authority) to visit Australia.
On a standard visitor visa you can stay up to 3 months from the date of entry. The
visa is for multiple travel and can be used to enter Australia for 1 year from the date
of issue. You are not permitted to work on this visa. You can also apply for a long
stay visa. This is usually granted for stays up to 6 months.
Applications are generally processed within 24 hours.
If you are eligible to enter Australia on an ETA if you meet the following conditions:
you hold a passportapproved for ETA
you visit to Australia is for tourism,
visiting relatives,
business meetings,
a convention or conference, or
a short term project or event requiring a high level of skill;
you will not work in Australia if you hold a tourist ETA;
you will not stay in Australia for more than three months;
you are in good health and have no criminal convictions.
Types of ETA
There are 3 types of ETA:
if you are travelling for tourism or to visit friends or relatives, and wish to stay
for up to three months on each visit within a twelve month period, you should
apply for the Visitor/Tourist ETA (976). There is no Australian Government
charge for this ETA;
if you are travelling on a business visit, and wish to stay for up to three months
on each visit during the life of your passport, you should apply for the Long
Validity Business ETA (956). There is a fee of AUS$60.00 for this ETA. Payment
is by credit card only;
if you are travelling on business and intend just one visit to Australia, you may
apply for the Short Validity Business ETA (977). This ETA is free of Australian
Government charges and entitles the holder to one visit to be made within 12
months and permits a stay of 3 months from date of arrival.
All ETA holders are provided with a copy of the leaflet Electronic Travel Authority
System ETAS - Information for ETA Holders at the time that an ETA is issued. The
leaflet will provide ETA holders with concise information about ETA arrangements
(including conditions and validity and that a visa label or stamp is not required).
ETA Countries
ETA arrangements are currently available to '32 eligible passport holders'. They apply
to these passport holders:
Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Canadian
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japanese
Liechtenstein
Luxemburg
Malaysia
Malta
Monaco
Netherlands
Norway
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan*
UK - British Citizen
UK - British National (Overseas)**
USA
Vatican City