Getting an Australian Working Visa
The first thing to consider when looking for a job in Australia is, obviously, getting into the country. For people of working age (men under 65 and women under 60) this can be done through four categories:
1. Skilled Independent Migration.
2. Employer Nomination Scheme.
3. Business Migration.
4. Holiday Working Visa.
The first of these categories operate on a points system and applicants will have to achieve a certain score before they are considered. This is to show that they will be able to join the work force quickly and support themselves without government help.
Since the beginning of 1992 the Australian Government has reintroduced the pool system for people wishing to migrate to Australia. The pool system, first introduced in 1989 to give the Government flexible management of their migration policy, gives potential migrants more than one chance to emigrate. Once they achieve the entrance mark to join the pool they are either accepted for emigration because they have enough points to reach the priority pass mark, or if they do not reach this mark, they can remain in the pool and have their points total assessed against any new pass marks which will allow them to emigrate. Further information on emigration can be found at these Web sites: www.australia.org.uk and www.fed.gov.au
Skilled Independent Migration
The current score for skilled independent migration, at the time of writing, to join the pool system is 105. The score for a priority pass mark is 110. In addition to categories for skills, age and language skills there are also categories for areas such as Australian qualifications and bonus points.
Employer Nomination Scheme
The Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) allows Australian Employers to fill certain 'highly skilled positions' with non-Australian citizens or residents. This can be done on a permanent or a temporary basis.
There are two stages in the ENS process:
- Nomination by the employer.
- Nominee's application for a visa.
Business Migration
In February 1992 the Australian Government introduced new rules and regulations governing business migration. The new category, Independent- Business Skills places greater emphasis on the skills of potential business migrants rather than the previous method of judging them solely on how much money they can take with them. They will also have to pass a similar points test to other migrant categories.
Holiday Working Visa
These are available to single people, or childless couples, between the ages of 18 and 30. The main idea behind the Holiday Working Visa is to provide young people with a chance to see Australia and supplement their travels with periods of casual employment.
