Not everyone who wants to live in Australia is able to do so. The Australian Government has very strict legislation in place to determine who can be granted a visa and what criteria they must meet.
Many people think that having a relative in Australia makes them eligible for a visa, which is not necessarily the case. Having a spouse, partner, fiancé or child who is permanently resident in Australia may make you eligible for a Family Migration visa.
However, for General Skilled Migration there are other determining factors, such as skill, age, English language ability, employment experience, qualifications. If you do have a close relative in Australia who is willing to sponsor you, it may increase your total points score but it will not make you eligible for a visa if you cannot meet the other criteria. The age band for this visa category is 18 to 44 years. Once you turn 45 you cannot apply for General Skilled Migration regardless of whether you have relatives in Australia or are able to meet any of the other criteria.
For General Skilled Migration it is also necessary to reach a specific points total to have any realistic chance of succeeding with a visa application. Points are awarded for some of the determining factors mentioned above but there are also other ways to add points to your total, such as financial investment or if your spouse has suitable skills. In some instances it is possible to be sponsored by a particular State or Territory, instead of a close relative, but this would generally be linked to specific skill shortages in that State or Territory.
For those considering a Retirement visa, the age band is 55+, you must have sufficient income and/or capital available for transfer to Australia and have no dependants. For this category, you may benefit from having a child permanently resident in Australia as this means the income/capital threshold you have to meet is set slightly lower.
If you think you may be able to meet the criteria for any of the above visas,
please ring either Sheila or Shirley on 0161 776 9839 for a free initial assessment.
For more general information try the Dept of Immigration and Multicultural
and Indigenous Affairs website at www.immi.gov.au
and www.australia.org.uk
Essential Information |
Permanent Visa Information |
Temporary Visa Information |