Australia Launches New Skills In Demand Visas

Did you know the Australian government has introduced a new Skills in Demand visa to replace the Temporary Skills Shortage (Subclass 482) visa? Yes, you’ve heard correctly.

In December 2023, the Australian Government unveiled its new migration policy, outlining the fundamental reforms required to restore Australia’s dysfunctional immigrationsystem. The strategy outlines eight important actions, with a focus on the education sector and temporary skilled migration.

In the case of temporary skilled migration, the Department of Home Affairs intends to close the skills gap and enhance labour force participation. Currently, the country hasaround 800,000 open vacancies for talented individuals, giving them the highest chance of landing a job in their dream country.

“Major Update: Applications for the Skills in Demand Visa (Core Skills pathway) will probably start before the end of 2024.”

So, if you intend to migrate to Australia, you must first grasp the talents of the Demand Visa, its three tiers, the application process, and how it gives a clear path to permanentresidency. This blog post gives a complete overview of the abilities required for the Demand Visa.

What is the Skills in Demand Visa?

The Skills in Demand Visa will replace the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa with a three-tiered system based on applicants’ annual income and employment. The new“Skills in Demand Visa” addresses labour market demands by introducing a number of notable modifications for temporary skilled migrant workers.

It includes making it easier to apply for permanent residency and giving employees more time to find a new sponsor if their jobs are terminated. Employers will be more driven toattract and retain competent individuals now that skill shortages have been officially validated.

Advantages of Skills in Demand Visa

The Skills in Demand visa provides various benefits, including increased worker mobility, simpler labour marketing testing, improved visa processing, and a clear path topermanent residency. These benefits are described in greater detail below.

Duration: All visa streams are valid for four years.
Flexibility: Holders of Skills in Demand Visas will have the option to change sponsors. They can locate a new sponsor within a 180-day timeframe.
Visa Processing: Visa processing will be speedier, with a median processing time of 21 days.
Route to Permanent Residency: The Skills in Demand visa offers a straightforward and simple path to permanent residency. Working for a recognized employer will counttoward the criterion for permanent residence. In addition to employer-sponsored paths, Skills in Demand visa holders will be able to pursue self-nominated independentpermanent pathways.
Streamlined Labour Market Testing: The labour market testing (LMT) requirements will be simplified. Advertising on Workforce Australia is no longer essential. The CoreSkilled Occupation List will gradually replace LMT as a result of improvements to Jobs and Skills Australia’s data on skills shortages.

So that was everything about the main details and benefits of skills-in-demand visas. Now, learn about the primary visa pathways for this stream.

Different Pathways for Skills in Demand Visas

In order to attract qualified professionals, Australia aims to implement a new skills in Demand visa in 2024. The visa will have three distinct paths. These avenues are likely toreplace the 482 visa. In theory, they may be a rebranded version of the 482 visa, but there are a few noticeable differences. The three-tiered strategy consists of the followingpathways:

Specialist Skills Pathway
Core Skills pathway
Essential Skills Pathway

Let’s go over these three categories in further detail to gain a better understanding.

1. Specialized Skills Visa Pathway

Here are the key parts of the specialist skills pathway:

There will not be an occupational list for the specialist skills visa pathway.
Every year, 3,000 open positions will be available through this channel.
Tradespeople, labourers, drivers, and machinery operators will be ineligible for this visa.
This pathway promises an annual salary of at least AUD$135K, which will be enhanced annually.
This method will provide visa applicants with priority processing and a promise of a seven-day median visa processing time.

2. Core Skills Visa Pathway.

The main highlights of the core skills pathway are:

Jobs and Skills Australia will issue an updated list known as the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).
The core skills pathway focuses on occupations that are currently experiencing a labour shortage in the country.
The core skills visa pathway ensures an annual income of about AUD 70K–135K, which meets the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT).

3. Essential Skill Pathway

Let’s look at the main points of the essential skills journey;

The parameters of the core skills visa pathway have not yet been determined.
This pathway is intended for workers who work in essential skill occupations but earn less than AUD$70,000 per year.
This route is likely to be industry-specific, with minimum criteria, a stronger regulatory structure, and ongoing assistance from Jobs and Skills Australia.
Application Procedure for Skills in Demand Visa
The application process for skills-in-demand visas involves the following steps:
Choose the appropriate pathway based on your occupation and eligibility.
Register on an official website and submit your application.
Prepare and gather the necessary documentation to validate your abilities, income, and certifications.
Pay the visa application fee via the approved payment platforms.

Reforms and Future Development

Given the increasing flexibility afforded to visa holders to change occupations, the government is considering collecting Training Australian Funds (SAF) in smaller increments over time. The objective is to investigate a monthly or quarterly payment schedule, resulting in smaller and more frequent payments.

So that’s how things are. You should now have a thorough understanding of the Skills in Demand visa. But wait a minute, because it is insufficient for a successful visa application. Given the recent modifications to the migration policy, the Australian visa application procedure has become extremely confusing and unpleasant. As a result, adhering to the most recent rules is critical, and you cannot do this without professional assistance.

Australia Launches New Skills In Demand Visas