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Australia is one of the most popular destinations among overseas aspirants. The 'Land Down Under' promises high quality of living, world-class health facilities, top education and lucrative employment opportunities. If you are seeking an opportunity to live and work in Australia, you must know the eligibility criteria for Australia Skilled visa in 2021.

However, there are many streams under the 'skilled' visa category, in this post, we will concentrate on the most sought after visas under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) category.

Let's talk about the different subclasses of General Skilled Migration Visa:

Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189) - it is a point-based stream. Skilled migrants under Subclass 189 visa are permitted to live and work anywhere in Australia permanently.

Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) - it is a permanent residency skilled migration visa. This visa nominates professionals already residing in Australia for permanent residents.

What Activities Are Permitted in Subclass 189 and 190 Visas?

Subclass 189 and 190 visas allow you to-

• Live, Work and study anywhere in Australia
• Stay as permanent residents
• Sponsor relatives
• Enrol in medicare
• Become a citizen, if eligible
• Multiple entry visa for up to 5 years

Australia Skilled Visa: Eligibility Requirements in 2021

The eligibility requirements for Australia General Skilled Migration are based on the following factors:

1. Invitation

Most importantly, you can apply for subclass 189 and 190 visas if you receive an invitation to apply. Without an invitation, you are not eligible. Therefore, to begin your process to move to Australia on a subclass 189 and 190 visas, you must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) on SkillSelect.

Any overseas skilled professional or business person looking to migrate to Australia must go through SkillSelect. There are no charges to create or submit EOI and they can only be submitted online. Profiles of applicants in SkillSelect are evaluated against each other. Therefore, invitations are sent according to the rank of the profile. Moreover, EOI has validity for 2 years. This means you can apply for Australia permanent residency for the second time on the same EOI if rejected the first time.

2. Skill Assessment

Skills assessment is the second most important factor in the General Skilled Migration program. It assists in selecting the right immigrant with relevant qualifications. The candidates can only be eligible to apply for permanent residency in Australia after an assessment of his/her skills. To get the assessment in your favour, you must have the relevant experience and credentials.

The assessment authority will examine factors such as your work experience, education, nominated occupation, visa category and English proficiency level.

3. Age Guidelines

Age per the age requirements:

1. You must not over 45 when you received an invitation to apply for Australia visa
2. You are still eligible if you turn 45 after receiving the invitation
3. You cannot apply if you turn 45 during the submission of EOI

4. Get 65 or Above Score

You must score 65 or above to qualify under the Points-tested programs. Points are granted based on the following factors:

• Age- candidates with age between 25 to 32 score the most and candidates above 45 years do not gain any points.
• English Language Proficiency- candidates must take the IELTS test to prove their proficiency in the English language. If you get 8 or more bands, you can score 20 points.
• Skilled Employment- if you have worked in one of the skilled occupations that are in demand in Australia you can earn points based on the years of experience.
• Educational Qualification- to earn a point in this category, your qualification must be relevant to your nominated occupation. You can get a maximum of 20 points if you get a doctorate.
• Australian Education- you can earn five points for Australian education.
• Regional Study- an addition of five points is awarded to candidates who have lived and studied in a low population area.
• Community Language Skills- you can gain another five points for having interpreter/translator level skills in one of Australia's community languages.
• Spouse/partner Qualifications and Skills- if your spouse is meeting all basic requirements under General Skilled Migration, then you can score more points based on their credentials.
• Professional Year- you can access another five points if you have undergone a structured professional year in Australia.

Remember, the more you score the better the chances are for getting invited.

5. English Language Ability

Applicants must have a competency level of the English language. Also, they must provide documents proving the same.

6. Occupation

Your occupation should be mentioned in the list of eligible skilled occupations.

7. Health Requirements

Usually, all visa candidates have to undergo certain health examinations. Get your health documents ready to apply. These examinations may include:

• General full body check-up
• HIV test
• And, examination for other diseases

8. Character Assessment

The applicant and accompanying family members must meet the character requirements to migrate to Australia.

9. No Debt to the Australian Government

Make sure you have paid back any government money you or your family members owed from the Australian government.

10. Australian Values Statement

You must read yourself and respect the Australian Values Statement. Since people immigrate to Australia from around the world, the Life in Australia booklet is available in several languages, including Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, Italian etc.

11. No Visa Cancellation in the Past

You are not eligible to apply for this visa if your profile shows a visa rejection in the past while you were living in Australia. This is the most common ground for visa cancellation/refusal.

Get Set Australia

Australia is a great place to settle down with your family. It has no language barrier and welcoming immigration policies. Therefore, Australia has much to offer immigrants from around the world. If you and your family are exploring migration options for 2021, Australia can be it.

Don't wait for too long as Australia is now accepting immigration applications. If you are looking for more information regarding Australia General Skilled Migration visa, connect with Aspire World Immigration. Our experts will guide you in the right direction and make your process hassle-free.