Assessment Questions

You can only migrate if your skills are in demand in Australia.

Certain occupations are on the federal government’s list and are in demand all over Australia, and other occupations are on state government lists and in demand in specific regions.

If your occupation is in demand there are real jobs waiting for you.

VisA On-line lists all occupations in demand in Australia on both federal and state lists. If you do not have an occupation on the list, VisA On-line will not let you continue with the assessment.

To migrate to Australia, you or your partner must be accredited in an occupation in demand. To be accredited you must have qualifications, and in many cases, work experience in a listed occupation. You must also pass a visa points test.

You score points on the visa points test for your qualifications.

Trade or vocational qualification = 10 points
Degree level qualification (undergraduate or masters) = 15 points
PHD level qualification = 20 points

VisA On-line automatically credits you with the correct points for your qualification and a state nomination.

To apply for accreditation, you must have completed all the academic requirements for the award of the qualification, including any thesis or internship.

While you do not need to have attended your graduation ceremony, you need the final qualification certificate or letter from the institution stating that you have finished all of the academic and graduation requirements.

In some cases, you may need post-graduate work experience in your occupation to be accredited.

If you are a pasante in some Latin American countries, you are not considered to have graduated.

To migrate to Australia, you or your partner must be accredited in an occupation in demand. To be accredited in certain occupations you need recent work experience in your occupation.

This question asks you to indicate the number of years you have worked in your occupation in the last five years.

Different occupations are in different demand in different parts of Australia. If your occupation is in demand in a particular Australian state, that state will nominate you for a Skilled visa.

Advantages of state nomination

Firstly, there are more occupations on state nomination lists than the federal government’s list. This means more occupations and more people can apply for a Skilled visa with state nomination. Secondly, state government nomination gives you additional points on the visa points test. Thirdly, state nomination results in an automatic invitation to apply for the visa.

These are significant advantages in state nomination given you may need state nomination to migrate to Australia.

Nomination requirements

The nomination requirements are different for each state including the occupations that are nominated, the English level required, and work experience requirements. You may need to study in Australia for 12 months to be able to apply for state nomination and apply for a Skilled visa.

In certain cases you may need to live in regional Australia for the first three years you are in Australia. Regional Australia is anywhere that is not Brisbane, Melbourne, or Sydney, and includes Adelaide, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart and Perth, and other regional areas.

State nomination requirements are constantly changing, and you absolutely need to request advice from VisAustralia about the best state for you to apply to.

VisA On-line automatically credits you with 15 points for electing to live in a region where your skills are in demand.

To migrate to Australia, you need to be 18 years old and less than 45 years old. If you are outside this age range you should take VisA Online on behalf of your partner, as he or she may be more eligible for a visa than you.

You score the following points for your age:

18-24 years = 25 points
25-32 years = 30 points
33-39 years = 25 points
40-44 years = 15 points

VisA On-line automatically accredits you with the correct points for your age. If you are not in the right age group, VisA On-line will not let you continue with the assessment.

To migrate to Australia, you need to have at least Upper Intermediate English. This is a level that would allow you to work in your occupation in Australia.

If you do NOT have this level, VisA On-line will not let you continue with the assessment. You should do VisA Online on behalf of your partner, as he or she may be more eligible for a visa than you.

International English exam

Your level of English is determined by the results you obtain in an international English language exam.

There are four different English language tests you can take: the General IELTS exam, the TOEFL iBT, the Pearson Academic, or the Cambridge Advanced.

Each exam has four components that test four language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. You need to reach a defined pass mark on each part of the exam to pass the test.

It does not matter which test you take, and you can take the test as many times as you want. For comparison, the IELTS test is marked out of 9, and to pass the IELTS test you need to reach the score of 6 out of 9 on each of the four language components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

The basic requirement for the visa is Good (Competent) English.

You also receive points for your English on the visa points test.

Good / Competent English = 0 points
Advanced / Proficient English = 10 points
Near native / Superior English = 20 points

VisA On-line automatically accredits you with the correct points for your level of English if you self-assess accurately.

If you or your spouse including same-sex partner are eligible for a visa, then you and your immediate family members are eligible for a visa.

If you are married, in a de facto relationship, committed to marry or in a same-sex relationship, you should also do VisA Online on behalf of your partner, since he or she may be more eligible for a visa than you.

You receive points on the visa points test for your civil status.

1. Single, divorced or separated and expect to divorce shortly = 10 points
2. Married or in a committed de facto relationship with an Australian citizen or permanent resident = 10 points
3. Your partner has qualifications on the List, is less than 45 years old, and has good English = 10 points
4. Your partner has a good level of English = 5 points
5. None of the above = 0 points

VisA online automatically credits you with the correct points for these factors.

If you or your partner have an occupation on the Federal Government’s list of occupations in demand in Australia AND have a relative who is an Australian permanent resident or citizen living in regional Australia, your relative may be able to sponsor you for a skilled visa.

Regional Australia is defined to mean any part of Australia excluding Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane. If your family sponsor lives in one of these major cities he or she cannot sponsor you.

The ability to sponsor also depends on the degree of the relationship and your occupation.

Parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, uncles, aunts, and first cousins can all sponsor you. Friends and more distant relatives cannot sponsor you.

If you have a family sponsor living in regional Australia you score an additional 15 points in the points test.

VisA On-line automatically determines whether your relative can sponsor you and allocates the correct number of points for the sponsorship.

If you complete two years of study in Australia, you receive an additional 5 points in the visa points test. If you study in regional Australia (anywhere except Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane) you receive 10 points for your Australian studies.

Graduate visa

Depending on your studies, you may be able to apply for a two, three, or four-year Graduate work after finishing your course. This allows you to live and work in Australia and build your eligibility for a a permanent visa.

If you study a trade qualification related to an occupation on the Federal Government’s list of occupations in demand all over Australia, you receive an 18-month Graduate visa.

If you complete a two-year university degree you are eligible for a 2-year Graduate visa, and if you study in regional Australia this becomes a 3-year visa. If you complete a PHD you are eligible for a 4-year Graduate visa.

In some cases, you can apply for a skilled visa after studying in Australia for 12 months.

WARNING: Not all courses lead to the ability to apply for a Graduate visa or a skilled visa. If you are thinking of studying in Australia, or are about to finish your course, it is imperative you contact VisAustralia immediately for advice on your best visa strategy.

VisA On-line automatically credits you with the correct points based on your Australian studies.

If you have worked in your occupation or a closely related occupation over the last 10 years you receive points on the visa points test.

Your work experience needs to be AFTER the date you were formally awarded the qualification, noting this may be different from the date you completed your course studies. You need to be working at least 20 hours a week and you need to prove this through a detailed reference letter and evidence you were paid for your work.

If you have worked outside Australia you receive the following points:

3 of the last 10 years = 5 points
5 of the last 10 years = 10 points
8 of the last 10 years = 15 points

If you have worked inside Australia (after finishing your studies) you also receive the following points:

1 of the last 10 years = 5 points
3 of the last 10 years = 10 points
5 of the last 10 years = 15 points
8 of the last 10 years = 20 points

You can combine your overseas and Australian work experience but cannot score more than a total of 20 points for your work experience.

VisA On-line automatically credits you with the correct points based on your responses.