Visa Tips for Teachers Nurses Trades People

Visa Tips for Teachers, Nurses, Trades people

Visa Tips for Teachers, Nurses, Trades People: John McQuaid, Director of Arrive Australia, talks through that tricky old visa system, and just what will get you enough points to stay in Australia. He gives robust Australian visa advice to teachers. McQuaid, originally from Northern Ireland, has been in Australia since the early90ss and now lives in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, so he knows a thing or two about the old migrations business… Visa Tips for Teachers, Nurses, Tradespeople.

Hugh Skill Shortages continue

Australia continues to have huge skill shortages and a buoyant economy with low unemployment, and perhaps a perfect storm for anyone looking to work and perhaps settle in Australia. The government’s 2013-2014 migration program allowed for 190,000 permanent visas to be issued this year. 128,550 of these visas will be for skilled workers, and the trend continues into 2017-18, although various industries are having sponsored visas restricted, following the news that the 457 Visa Program is being replaced by the new Medium to Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).

Visa Tips for Teachers, Nurses,  Tradespeople. This number does not include the tens of thousands of temporary employer-sponsored four-year visas granted every year. To access these skilled visas, you will need to have qualifications or work experience in an occupation that appears on the government’s Skilled Occupations List or CSOL) or MLTSSL. You can check the Skilled Occupation List here.
Please be aware that there have been recent changes (May 2017) to the 457 Visa Programs, and an updated list will be published soon.
See the extract from the official border.gov.au website

Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)

You must nominate an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) if you are applying for any of the below:

• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
• Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489) – Family nominated
• Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) – Graduate Work Stream.

Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL)

There is no separate STSOL list on our website,,e as visa programmes that utilise this list can also access some additional occupations on the MLTSSL. For ease of reference, we have combined both the STSOL and the eligible MLTSSL occupations. See: Combined list of eligible skilled occupations.
You must nominate an occupation on this Combined list of eligible skilled occupations if you are applying for any of the below:

• Employer Nominated Scheme (subclass 186) – Direct Entry Stream
• Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
• Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489)  – State or Territory nominated
• Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)
• Training visa (subclass 407)​​​​ – Nomination eligibility type 2 – Occupational training to enhance skills in an eligible occupation

The CSOL includes Nursing, Teaching and almost all the general trades; let’s have a look at some visa options and how to prepare for them…

Anyone coming to Australia on a one-year working holiday visa has some advantages – it’s the easiest and cheapest visa to come out and see Australia and find work. It’s quite common to see working holiday visa holders with skills being offered sponsorship by employers or applying for permanent residence visas. If you are thinking of looking for long-term work and visas, some planning will go a long way.

Visa Tips for Teachers, Nurses, Trades people

Nurses and Teachers need to get registered in whichever Australian state they wish to work in. You can do this before you come to Australia by applying to the state registration boards in advance. For example, teachers in NSW need to register with the NSW Department of Education and Communities; for more information, visit www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about-us/careerscentre/school-careers/teaching/your-teaching-career/trained-teachers/apply-toteach. The process of getting registered or licensed can take two or three months, so plan accordingly.

Tradespeople do not need to be state-registered to work for construction businesses. Plumbing and Electrical are licensed trades, and in most states, you can work under the license of the employer, but getting local licensing will help with finding better-paid work and can assist with some of the skilled visa applications.

Gather up all your qualifications and any work references you have. Get your CV or resume drawn up. Either bring these to Australia with you or colour scans of all the paperwork and email them to yourself. Then you can easily send it on to prospective employers and have a head start on documents for your visa applications.

So if you’re here in Oz and you’ve found that dream job and want to stay, ask the employer if they will sponsor you. This is often the fastest way to get a work visa for 4 years; these visas can be approved in as little as a few weeks. There will then usually be options to move to a permanent visa at a later stage. If you are a registered nurse or teacher, you will most likely meet the criteria to be sponsored. Tradespeople will need either a trade qualification, UK NVQ level 3, the Irish FETAC level 6-7, or have at least three years full-time experience in the trade. You will need very good evidence of your paid, on-the-job work experience.

If you can’t find or don’t want an employer sponsor, then look at the options to apply through the points-tested “Skill Select” System, including the 189, 190 or 489 visas. The process to get these visas is going to take 6-12 months, so good planning is a must. If you are in Australia, think about getting your second working holiday visa set up so you have more time and start saving. Permanent visa application fees will be $3520 upwards, and more for skills assessment, etc.

Start off by getting your points assessed. You need 60 points to be eligible to make an Expression of Interest (EOI) for these visas. Points are awarded for age, qualifications, English ability and work experience. If you’re aged between 25 and 3,2, you get 30 points for age. A trade qualification gets ten points, and a degree; 15 points. Sitting the IELTS English test and getting a good score of seven or eight will get ten or 20 points respectively. You get five points for three years of overseas work experience or one year in OZ in your occupation.

It’s really important to be accurate with your points assessment; for more information, visit www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect/index/visas/subclass-190/. And if you get stuck, consider consulting a registered migration agent for help with this. Help is available at mia.org.au/.

If you have 60 points or more, the process will be to:1. Get your migration skills assessment (allow three months) 2. Make your Expression of Interest Application 33. Apply to a State Government for Nomination (if needed) 4. Wait to be invited to apply for youvisaa5. When invited, apply for the visa and wait about three months for processing.
If you are in Australia when you apply for your visa, you will get a bridging visa to allow you to stay here while you wait for the new visa processing. Each occupation type has a different assessing body for Migration Skills Assessments – costs range from $300 to more than $2,000, depending on the Tradespeople should check www.industry.gov.au

Nurses go to ANMAC: www.anmac.org.au/international-services
Teachers should look at www.aitsl.edu.au/

Allow $300 to take IELTS English tests, and around $400 for medical and police checks near the end.

For more information or help with your visa, visit: www.arriveaustralia.com.au
Original article by John McQuaid, Director Arrive Australia MARN #0532545
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Even after accounting for differences in the cost of living across nations, we shouldn’t fall into the trap of comparing the wages of teachers in Australia to those in other countries using dollar figures. Australia has a lot of money to spend. According to the EBAs we analysed, the beginning full-time compensation for a classroom teacher is between $65,000 and $70,000 in most Australian jurisdictions. This is an increase from previous years, making it more competitive with the beginning income of a graduate with a degree in engineering, business, or law, all of which have seen increases over the last 15 years.

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