The General Skilled Migration program is for skilled migrants who have skills in particular occupations required in Australia or within a State/Territory of Australia; and who are not sponsored by an employer.

GENERAL SKILLED MIGRATION (GSM)

Options under the GSM program include:

• applying as an independent migrant (permanent Subclass 189 Skilled Independent visa); 

• being sponsored by a relative (temporary Subclass 489 Skilled Regional visa); or

• being nominated by an Australian State or Territory (permanent Subclass 190 Skilled Nominated visa).

• options also exist for Australian graduates (temporary Subclass 485 Graduate visa).

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

To be eligible to apply for some of the GSM visa options, you will need to lodge an EOI. Your EOI is accumulated from such factors as your age, education, employment experience and English capabilities; and forms the basis of calculating points for the visa (a minimum of 65 points).

The EOI is not a visa application - it is an expression made to the Department of Home Affairs that you would like to be invited to apply for a GSM visa. If you are invited to apply for a GSM visa, you must do so within 60 days of invitation.

Further, you must be under 45 years of age; and hold a positive Skills Assessment.

SKILLS ASSESSMENTS

KTA MIGRATION assists with Skills Assessing Body applications for formal recognition of your skills. These are highly involved applications assessing your qualifications and employment experience. Skills assessing bodies include: ACS; CPAA; CAANZ; IPA; TRA; and VETASSESS.

This information relates to Subclass 189; Subclass 190; Subclass 489 visa; and Subclass 485 visas.