General Skilled Visa

The General Skilled Migration (GSM) Worker Visa to Australia is a Permanent Resident (PR) Visa to Australia that is issued by the Australian government and authorizes qualified foreign nationals and their eligible family members who accompany them to live, work and study legally and long-term in Australia. Since the GSM Worker Visa to Australia is a Permanent Resident Visa, holders of this visa may continue to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely, as long as they comply with the terms of the visa. This is in contrast with a temporary Australian visa which places limits on how long a visa holder may live in Australia and what they may do while temporarily residing in Australia.

Another major difference between a GSM Worker Visa to Australia and a temporary Australian visa is that an eligible foreign national who has been issued a GSM Worker Visa to Australia (i.e., Permanent Resident Visa to Australia) may apply for Australian citizenship after as little as four years. Applicants must obtain a minimum of 65 points on a points assessment to be eligible to apply for a Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) and must be nominated by a participating State or Territory government in Australia.

The purpose of the Skilled Migration Program is to attract highly employable people for migration to Australia. It is the most common form of migration to Australia, and it is one of the core areas of Acacia’s expertise.

Skilled Subclasses

There are a variety of skilled migration options:

Skilled Independent Subclass 189

Permanent visa option, the skilled independent does not require sponsorship by a relative or state/territory government

Skilled Nominated Subclass 190

A permanent visa requiring nomination by an Australian State or Territory government

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491

This is a 5-year provisional visa that requires holders to live, work, and study in regional Australia. You would need to be nominated by an Australian State or Territory government, or sponsored by an eligible Australian relative. The 491 visa replaces the 489.