Many international students who study in Australia choose to apply for permanent residency after they finish their studies. International students can express their interest in applying for permanent residency through Australia’s SkillSelect migration program.
SkillSelect is an online service that allows intending migrants to lodge an online Expression of Interest (EOI). The EOI contains information about their skills and attributes, which will be assessed through a points test (resulting in a points score). Once an EOI is lodged, intending migrants may be invited to lodge a skilled visa application or nominated for a skilled visa by Australian employers or government departments.
There are different types of permanent residency visas, but this section focuses on skilled migration for students who have graduated from Australian study and are not being sponsored by an eligible relative or employer, or nominated by an Australian state or territory. For information about other visa options that create pathways to permanent residency for international students, visit the SkillSelect section of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.
In order to qualify for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189), you must satisfy the following basic requirements:
In addition to the requirements above, applicants must meet the points test pass mark in order to gain permanent residency. The pass mark is currently 60 points for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189). For more information about the points test, see the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) section of the SkillSelect website.
Applicants score points according to different criteria at the time of invitation relating to:
Before applying, you should research your visa options and prepare the information and supporting documentation required, such as skills assessments and English language test results. You should also check to see whether your occupation is listed on the relevant SOL, that you meet the basic criteria and that you meet the points test pass mark. You can submit your EOI for the Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) online through the SkillSelect website, from within Australia or overseas.
When you complete an EOI, the system will give you a points score and results based on your claims, which will then be processed by SkillSelect. If you are invited to apply for a visa, you will receive an invitation to apply from SkillSelect. You will have 60 days to make a valid visa application online before the invitation expires. Because more people want to migrate to Australia than there are places available, not everyone who submits an EOI will receive an invitation to apply for a visa. Your EOI will remain in the SkillSelect database for a maximum of two years after submission. During this time you can update it if your circumstances change — if you gain any additional qualifications or experience, for example. Any changes will be taken into account and may increase your ability to be invited.
For most people, working on a visa application alone can be overwhelming. There are detailed instructions to keep in mind, and you want to make sure everything is done perfectly. Hiring a migration agent can lessen a lot of the burden. They’re experts in their field, have up-to-date knowledge on Australian migration law, and have helped numerous other people with successful visa applications.
Since migration agents follow a Code of Conduct, they’re also obliged to act in your best interest. This means they’ll provide you with professional immigration advice throughout the whole visa process, and should be just a phone call away whenever you have any questions.
