Migration Pathways After Graduation

A common enquiry we receive from recent graduates is migration pathways post-graduation. Most of them hold visa subclass 485 but their visas are ending. They feel the road to migration in Australia is too long, and they are in the middle of nowhere. If you feel like this, read on! This article will introduce you to the pathway of skilled migration.

Skilled migration is always the main choice for most graduates looking to stay in Australia. However, it is very difficult to get skilled migration visas. Currently, to get an invitation to apply for the visa, one must score high on the points test. Nevertheless, the number of invitations per month is only around 2,500. We recommend finding a reliable immigration lawyer before you graduate and plan for immigration as early as possible. Here are some steps if you are considering applying for a skilled migration visa.

First, identify the nominated occupation for your degree and undertake the skills assessment for that occupation. This is the most important step for skilled migrants. The Immigration Department and State governments have published occupations lists on their websites which correspond to different visa types. Choosing the right visa to apply can greatly reduce the obstacles on the road to migration. For example, in the November 11th EOI invitation, Mechanical Engineering 2335 maintained a record of 70 points to be invited.

The second step is to gain the points you need, which has increased. In the new fiscal year, the minimum EOI invitation score for skilled immigrants rose to 65 points. Students of both popular and non-pro rata occupations have to score higher and higher. The biggest impact of this change is the 190 and 489 state sponsored visa applicants. Previously, for the 190 visa, you only needed to score 55 points as the state government's nomination grants you another 5 points. Similarly, for the 489 visa, you only needed 50 points as the regional state government's nomination grants you another 10 points. Now the score is equivalent to a promotion of 60 points and 55 points respectively. Worse yet, it is now more difficult for overseas applicants to score points. Migration policies change quickly so do not hesitate! Common ways to have more points include: IELTS/PTE 7 even 8, NAATI, Professional Year, spouse points and work experience points. We have a client who is a graduate in accounting, who got 75 points already, but was busy working in the two years of the 485 visa, and did not plan to earn other points. Now accounting of 75 points cannot be invited, what is worse, she only has 485 visa with three months left. It is a long way to gain these points, it takes a lot of time and efforts, we strongly recommend that students should have a clear plan after graduation. We will continually update the invited scores for different occupations to help clients take the advantage of the two-year working visa after graduation.

The third and final step is to submit the application. A visa is a person's future. We understand that no detail in a visa is insignificant. Every document, every form, every checkbox, we pore over to make sure there are no errors. Many people try to apply for their visas themselves but get refused. We have applied for many visas with a high success rate. We have the knowledge and the experience. For skilled migrants, we offer a comprehensive range of services including: planning migration pathways, helping with skills assessments, applying for state sponsorship, submitting visas, helping train you in English/NAATI/PY, and getting employer recommendations. Contact us as soon as possible so we can help you obtain the fastest and most economical visa. Consult with us to stay one step ahead and get a permanent residency as soon as possible!

Stay tuned! In the next article, we will detail other popular immigration methods.