Step 1: Check the eligibility requirements
Ensure you meet the eligibility requirements.
Check if your occupation features in the list of occupations in demand.
Verify if you have the required points based on the points table.
Points determine your eligibility for a PR visa You must score at least 65 points under the Point’s Grid. The below table describes the different criteria for scoring points:
| Category | Maximum Points |
| Age (25-33 years) | 30 points |
| English proficiency (8 bands) | 20 points |
| Work Experience outside Australia (8-10 years)
Work Experience in Australia (8-10 years) |
15 points
20 points |
| Education (outside Australia)
Doctorate degree |
20 points |
| Niche skills such as Doctorate or master’s degree in Australia | 5 points |
| Study in a regional area
Accredited in community language Professional year in a skilled program in Australia State sponsorship (190 visa) |
5 points
5 points 5 points 5 points |
Step 2: Skills Assessment
A “skills assessment” involves a relevant skills assessing authority determining whether the skills possessed by an individual meet the existing standards laid down for working in Australia in a certain occupation.
Most of the occupations have their own specific skills assessment authority, such as – VETASSESS, Engineers Australia, MedBA (Medical Board of Australia), TRA (Trades Recognition Australia), etc.
The Australian government only accepts a skills assessment that is issued by the relevant assessing authority.
A skills assessment might be needed when applying for the following –
- General Skilled Migration (GSM) visas: Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) — Points tested stream; Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190), Skilled Regional provisional) visa (subclass 489) — Invited Pathway; and Skilled Work Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 491).
- Employer Sponsored visas: Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (subclass 187).
- Temporary Skill Shortage visa (TSS) (subclass 482)
- Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
For securing a skills assessment, an individual will be required to contact the relevant assessing authority and receive their assessment.
Step 3: Take the English proficiency Test
You must have the required score in the English language proficiency. For this you should take the specified English language test. Australian immigration authorities accept scores from various English ability tests like IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, etc. So, you can take any of these tests to get the specified score.
Step 4: Select your occupation from the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
You can select your occupation from any of the following lists:
- Short-term Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
- Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (CSOL)
- Medium and long-term Strategic Skills List (MTSSL)
Step 5: Register your Expression of Interest
Submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) in Australia’s Skill Select website. Please take care to provide all the required information in the online application.
Step 6: Get your Invitation to Apply (ITA)
If your application meets all the requirements, you will get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for your PR visa.
The government of Australia conducts invitation rounds for PR applicants on a monthly basis. The ITAs can vary depending on the number of candidates who have applied for the nominated occupation and the current occupation ceiling and the time of the year.
The invitation numbers can also vary based on the number of applications that are processed by the immigration department in that month.
Invitation process and cut offs: Applicants with the highest score in the points grid are invited to apply for the relevant visa. For applicants who have equal scores, priority is given to those who first reached their points score under the subclass that they have applied for. Similarly, Expressions of Interest submitted at earlier dates are given priority over later ones.
Step 7: Submit your PR application
Submit your PR application within 60 days of getting your ITA. The application must include all the supporting documents for processing your PR visa. These are your:
- Personal documents
- Immigration documents
- Work experience documents
Step 8: Get your clearance certificates
The next step is to submit your police and medical clearance certificates. You must submit your medical clearance certificate after a medical examination.
Step 9: Get your visa grant
The last step is getting your visa grant.
These are the steps involved in submitting your application for Australia PR visa in 2021.