SkillSelect Visa (Skilled Migration category)
SkillSelect is an online service that helps Australia manage its skilled migration program. It helps to ensure that the skilled migration program is based on Australia’s economic needs. It supports the government in managing who can apply for skilled migration, when they can apply and in what numbers. As a result, the time taken to process a visa application is significantly reduced.
SkillSelect also helps address regional skill shortages. SkillSelect allows intending migrants to indicate if they are willing to live and work in regional Australia. This is of particular benefit to employers experiencing regional skill shortages and state and territory governments attempting to settle migrants in regional Australia.
How does SkillSelect work?
- Submit an EOI
- Login to SkillSelect
Skilled workers and business people interested in migrating to Australia can be considered for a skilled visa by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect. An EOI is an indication that you would like to be considered for a skilled visa. An EOI is not a visa application.
You will be asked to provide a range of information in your EOI depending on the visa you want to be considered for, such as:
- basic personal information
- nominated occupation
- work experience
- study and education
- level of English skills
- details of a skills assessment, related to your nominated occupation
- business and investment experience.
These skilled workers and business people can then be found and nominated for skilled visas by Australian employers or state and territory governments, or they might be invited by the Australian Government to lodge a visa application. All people interested in the points based skilled migration or business investment and innovation visa programs will need to submit an EOI and receive an invitation in order to lodge a visa application.
For more detail on what questions and information you will need to supply in your EOI, you should refer to the webpage of the visa you are interested in.
Which visas can be applied for? The following five visas must be applied for following submission of a successful Expression of Interest (EOI through SkillSelect:
- Business Talent (Permanent) visa (subclass 132)
- Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)
- Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
- Skilled – Nominated visa (subclass 190)
- Skilled – Nominated or Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclass 489).
The following three visas can be applied for following an invitation by a SkillSelect-approved Australian employer:
- Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
- Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186)
- Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 187)