Skilled Migration and SkillSelect (Australia)

SkillSelect is the Australian Government's online system for skilled workers. It is where you tell the government that you are interested in migrating. You do not apply for a visa there. You submit an expression of interest, called an EOI, and the government decides whether to invite you to apply.

This is different from employer sponsorship. You do not need a job offer to submit an EOI, although your occupation and circumstances have to meet the rules for the visa you want.

Home Affairs lists three skilled visas that need an EOI before you can be invited:

• The Skilled Independent visa, subclass 189
• The Skilled Nominated visa, subclass 190
• The Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa, subclass 491

The first is independent, which means you are not nominated by an employer or a state. The second needs a nomination, and the third is a provisional visa for skilled work in a regional area. The details of each visa, including how nomination works, are on the visa pages, so read the page for the visa you plan to use.

The EOI process has five steps, according to Home Affairs:

• Start your EOI and save your personal details.
• Add all the information the form requires.
• Submit the completed EOI.
• Wait to receive an invitation.
• Lodge your visa application online.

You can update your EOI at any time before you receive an invitation. That matters, because your circumstances change. If you pass an English test, gain more work experience or get a new qualification, update the EOI so that it reflects the best accurate version of your profile.

Submitting an EOI requires personal information but no uploaded documents. You will need to provide evidence later if you are invited.

For a points-tested visa, you must meet or exceed the points threshold of 65 to be invited. The pass mark is the minimum, not a promise. Home Affairs states plainly that there is no guarantee you will receive an invitation, even if you meet the threshold.

In practice, how competitive you are depends on how your score compares with others who have submitted an EOI for the same occupation. Use the official points calculator on the Home Affairs site to see how your profile is scored. Be honest when you enter your details, because you will have to prove every claim if you are invited.

If you are invited, you have 60 days from the date of the invitation to complete and submit a visa application online. Applications are lodged through ImmiAccount.

Sixty days sounds like a long time, but gathering police certificates, health checks, translations and evidence of work can take weeks. Prepare as much as you can before an invitation arrives, so you are not starting from nothing.

Your occupation has to be on the relevant skilled occupation list for the visa. Home Affairs names the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List, the Short-term Skilled Occupation List and the Regional Occupation List, which use the ANZSCO 2013 classification and apply to the other skilled visa subclasses. The Core Skills Occupation List applies to the Employer Nomination Scheme and Skills in Demand visas.

Lists change, so check the current version before you spend money on tests or assessments. Home Affairs also says that removing an occupation from a list does not adversely affect pending applications.

The SkillSelect page itself does not describe skills assessments, so check the page for your visa and occupation to find out whether you need one and which body does the assessment. Gather your evidence early: passports, qualifications, employment references, English test results and any assessment outcome.

If you plan to rely on work experience, keep payslips, contracts, tax documents and reference letters that show your duties and dates.

Consider your own situation before choosing. If you have a good score and an occupation that is in demand, the independent visa may be the simplest option because it does not depend on a nominator. If you are willing to live and work in a particular state or region, nomination or a regional visa may open options that your score alone would not.

The regional visa is provisional, which means it is a stepping stone, and you should read the conditions on the official page.

Do not treat the 65 point threshold as a guaranteed pass. Do not overstate your points, because evidence checks will find the difference. Do not wait until you receive an invitation to start gathering documents, and do not forget to update your EOI when something changes.