Subclass 191 visas in the Regional Provisional Stream allow migrants to Australia to live and work anywhere in the country permanently. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have been living in a designated regional area, and not have left Australia for longer than a 12-month period.

Other eligibility requirements include taking part in a relevant skills assessment, being aged 44 years and under, being nominated by a State or Territory and being able to score 65 points or more on the Department of Home Affairs points test.

The visa offers those wishing to progress to permanent residency status a very good option if they want to stay in Australia, with a thriving economy, low unemployment rate and gorgeous landscape, it definitely makes a compelling case to those looking for safety, security and a comfortable lifestyle.

The federal and state governments made it clear in their mid-year budget that they want more skilled permanent migration to the country, increasing the cap on visas issued by 35,000 places to 195,000 in 2022/23. 

Border restrictions threw a spanner in the works for many wishing to migrate to or stay in Australia, the country is now seeing massive skills shortages and the time has never been better to secure your future in the lucky country.

For those lucky enough to hold a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 491) or Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (Subclass 494) visa, the Subclass 191 visa presents a golden opportunity to migrate permanently. 

Official applications involving thousands of dollars should never be left to chance and the agents and lawyers at Easy Migrate bring over 40 years of collective experience to the table. 

Call them now and take the next step on your Australian journey.

The post Subclass 191 Visa Begins, Offering Permanent Residency Pathway to Thousands of Migrants appeared first on Easy Migrate.

Migrate to Perth, Western Australia

Words by Emma Gallagher

Australia is one of the largest countries on our planet, and Western Australia (known as WA) is the largest state. WA covers an impressive third of Australia’s landmass. The Indian Ocean borders WA to the west and north, the Great Australian Blight and the Southern Ocean to the south, South Australia to the southeast and the Northern Territory to the northeast. 

The States capital Perth, is known for being one of the most isolated cities in the world. The closest city is Adelaide in South Australia, which is a short 2,200km away. Perth may be isolated, but this has not stopped Perth becoming one of Australia’s fastest-growing cities over the last decade.

Due to the mining boom, Western Australia is full of young people from all over the world working in every industry and profession.

Why you should move to Perth

Perth has fantastic public transport, excellent bicycle/pedestrian paths that run for hundreds of kilometres along some of the world’s most beautiful coastline. There are numerous vast open spaces throughout the city and suburbs alike filled with walks, lakes, parks and shaded areas to escape the midday sun. Try to imagine what it would be like to live in a city where the public facilities are better than fantastic, free hot showers at the beach and free sizzling barbecues to use at the many beaches and parks.

Regional Area and Regional Visas

Western Australia is a regional area (including Perth), meaning that you can apply for the new regional visas subclass 491 and 494. To apply for a State Nominated Skilled visa (subclass 190 or 491), you must be nominated by a State or Territory such as the Government of Western Australia (WA). To be eligible for WA nomination you must meet both the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) criteria for the nominated visa and the WA criteria for State nomination.

DAMA Area

Western Australia’s Goldfields region currently has an active Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) agreement. DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a regional, state or territory authority. It provides access to more overseas workers than the standard skilled migration program. 

Study Pathways

Western Australia has world-class education institutions like Edith Cowan and Curtin Universities. It is to see why thousands of international students come in their droves not only they receive some of the education in the world, but they provided with a safe environment to study and has a strong economy. It is a resource-rich growth state, providing the opportunity for industry work experience and part-time work while you study. Not mention some students may be eligible for Graduate visas pathways which can lead to Australian permanent residency once they complete their studies.

With over 2 million people, including a mix of cultures from all around the world, speaking over 170 languages and practising over 100 religions, you’ll always feel welcome and respected in Western Australia.   

Western Australia is not the only part of Australia that allows valid applicants to apply, The Gold Coast, Queensland, Northern Territory, Regional Victoria, Regional New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania all are open to immigration applications.

If you would like more information on getting started on your journey to Australia, please fill in our initial Online Assessment form to see if you qualify. You can book a face-2-face appointment, telephone or Skype with one of our Registered Migrations Agents through our online booking calendar.

The post Western Australia Now Open for Migration appeared first on Easy Migrate.

The South Australian government has now released its 2019-2020 Skilled Migration Occupation Lists, if you have previously applied or are now interested in applying for state nomination in South Australia under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program, now could be your chance.

As stated on the Government of South Australia website, there are now 275 occupations available on the State Nominated Occupation List (SNOL) for applicants currently residing offshore or for those already residing in South Australia.
Some occupations now available on the State Nomination occupation list include, Health, Engineering, ICT, Teaching and STEM and Trade occupations.

In addition to the 275 occupations available on the State Nominated occupation list, there are also a further 233 additional occupations listed on the Supplementary Skilled List (SSL). The occupations listed on the SSL are available to four categories of applicants who have a strong commitment to South Australia or are highly qualified in their nominated occupation.

Why Choose South Australia

South Australia is a great place to live and is a beautiful part of the Australian Landscape. It is home to the iconic Kangaroo Island, an internationally renowned wildlife heaven.
If you’re a wine lover, you may have even heard of the famous Barossa Valley wine region. Barossa Valley is Australia’s richest and most well-known wine region in Australia. Not only will you find Barossa Valley in South Australia, but you will also find other wine regions such as the Clare Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra as well.

Adelaide is the capital of South Australia. It is a beautiful city and has achieved many accolades. For example it was recently ranked one of  the globes ‘Most Friendly Cities’ in the World and ‘Most Liveable’ cities.

Adelaide has many trams roaming through the city CBD giving the city a pleasant village vibe. The city also offers many free transport services including buses and the free hire of bicycles. Adelaide’s has a great foodie scene with draws global praise with the Adelaide Central Market recently listed on Lonely Planet’s ‘Ultimate Eatlist’.

South Australia is an ideal place for young families to migrate to with reasonable rental prices, lots of job vacancies and fantastic schools. Some positions available for Skilled Migrants looking to apply for regional pathways subclass 491 Skilled Work Regional Visa and subclass 494 employer sponsored regional provisional visa are;

• Sales & Marketing Manager
• Human Resource Manager
• Construction Project Manager
• Cafe or Restaurant Manager
• Hotel or Motel Manager
• Customer Service Manager

You can view the full list of occupations available here.

If you would like to find out if you eligible for migration to South Australia please contact our team of experts by calling +61 8 9221 4888, completing our online assessment or booking an appointment online with one of our RMA’s

Online Assessment form

The post South Australia Migration Now Open appeared first on Easy Migrate.

Words by Emma Gallagher and Victoria Cassey

Have you ever wanted to Migrate to Australia and live on the Gold Coast, but haven’t been able to because your occupation wasn’t on the required state list, or the Gold Coast wasn’t a specified regional area? Now is your chance.

Since the Gold Coast is now considered a regional area in Australia, you may be eligible to apply for an Australian Visa under the Subclass 190 or the new Subclass 491 Visa streams

Reasons why you should move to the Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is a coastal city in Queensland and a premier holiday destination for people from all over the world. The Gold Coast is approximately 70 km from Brisbane (the City Center).
The Gold Coast is a major tourist destination with its sunny subtropical climate and as a result, has become widely known for its stunning surfing beaches, high-rise dominated skyline, exciting nightlife, and even a rain-forest hinterland. The city is part of the nation’s entertainment industry and has been attracting Australian families for many decades as well as many international travelers wanting to explore the sun, surf and sand that our Gold Coast has to offer.

Apart from the stunning beaches on the Gold Coast, there are many theme parks to be visited as well for a fun-filled family day out. Some of these include Sea World, Warner Brothers Movie World, Dreamworld and Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World, to name a few.

There are also many multicultural events held every year, such as Harmony Day in March and Multiculturalism Month in August. The famous Chinatown also hosts street markets and cultural festivals regularly throughout the year.

Living on the Gold Coast is surprisingly affordable. As listed on realestate.com.au, you can find a rental for as little as $280 per week, while some shared houses are starting at as little as $165 per week.

The Gold Coast also has many schooling options available for your little ones, from Daycare to Kindy and Primary School, right through to High school and even beyond to go onto University.

Did you know that there is currently a shortage of skilled workers on the Gold Coast? The Australian Government introduced new provisional regional visas on November 2019 through the Department of Home Affairs. The new visas replaced the subclass 489. The new visas are

• Subclass 494 – Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa; and
• Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional Visa

Some of these shortages are for occupations such as Automotive Electricians, Bricklayers, Plumbers, Cooks and Chefs as well as Teachers and Nurses. Both visas have a transitional pathway to permanent residency. The old points system has now been changed, and people should have current points score revised. You can read more about the new points test here.  These changes and new sub-classes is a positive step for anyone looking to come work in Australia.

Check to see if your occupation is listed on either the Queensland onshore or the offshore Queensland Skilled Occupation lists?

Queensland Skilled Occupation ONSHORE List
Queensland Skilled Occupation OFFSHORE List

The Gold Coast is not the only part of Australia that allows valid applicants to apply, Perth, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Regional Victoria, Regional New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania all are open to immigration applications.

If you would like more information on getting started on your journey to migrate to Australia, please fill in our Initial Online Assessment form to see if you qualify.

The post Gold Coast Migration Open New Visas Available appeared first on Easy Migrate.

Pros and cons of the newly announced visa for the Australian regional areas

Two new regional visas, came into force this month, have opened the door for qualified immigrants to obtain permanent residence and ultimately citizenship. 

The new regional pathways are excellent news for potential migrants who want to live in Australia, but there is one problem: you have to live and work in a specific or regional area.

If you meet this requirement, this could open the door to obtain permanent residence. After a few years, you may even be eligible for citizenship.

The Australian government announced that eligible immigrants would receive two new temporary visas that started on 16th November 2019. The list for these visas includes hundreds of occupations, including real estate agents, journalists, accountants, paramedics, filmmakers, historians, among other things, will be able to apply for this visa.

Persons who have been granted a regional visa may apply for permanent residence if they demonstrate that they have lived in a given area for at least three years.

The two new visas are:

• (Skilled Work Regional) Visa – Subclass 491
• Employer-Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa- Subclass 494 Skilled

Pros and Cons

“States are very interested in this because it creates the motivation to live in small cities,”

The Government has also simplified the definition of Australia’s territory. With the exception of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane metro postcodes, all Australia has been reclassified for immigration purposes.

This means that skilled immigrants can settle in satellite cities such like Wollongong, Newcastle or Geelong not far from Sydney or Melbourne. Other options include the Gold Coast, an hour’s drive from Brisbane and Perth the capital city of Western Australia.

Immigration agent Cyus Mistry say that these cities are ready to benefit more from the new changes.

Cyrus also said that regional visa holders will also

“qualify for health insurance, which will reduce the cost of living for families States are very interested in this because it creates the motivation to live in small cities .”

Benefits for International Students

For international students, students studying in Australia, the “Postgraduate Visa” can be extended to “three or four years” or, in some cases, if the student takes a two-year course in a regional city, the visa can be extended to “three or four years”. Conditions apply.

Most importantly, “the vast majority of states have permanent residency nomination programs for their graduates, so the study becomes the way to permanent residence.”

Mr. Mistry said these are “particularly exciting programs” in Perth.

Online Assessment form

The post Pros and Cons of New Regional Visas appeared first on Easy Migrate.

By Emma Gallagher

On 16th November 2019 Australia launched its new regional migration scheme. Scott Morrisons Government announced in March 2019 that it was “stepping up its commitment to regional Australia” by ensuring that the Australian migration system encourages skilled migrants to live and work in smaller cities and regions.

From Saturday 16th November 2019 most locations of Australia outside major cities (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) are classed as designated regional areas for migration purposes.

The designated regional areas will be split into two categories:

1. Cities and major regional centres
2. Regional centres and other areas

Each category will have access to regional benefits:

• 25,000 dedicated regional places
• regional visa applications will have priority processing
• more occupations will be added to Regional Occupation List
• international graduates with a bachelor or higher qualification from a regional campus of a registered institution will be eligible for an extra year in Australia on a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
• Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) can also be negotiated for some region-specific regional centres and other regional areas.

Cyrus Mistry Comments

Cyrus Mistry is the founder of EasyMigrate, where he has been specialising
in Australian migration for 20 years.

It is good to see this bold initiative by the Federal Goverment. There will be 504 “occupations” avaiable for the new subcalss 491 and about 650 occupations for the company sponsored subclass494.

We are hoping that the State Governments support this initiative by including these occupations for state-nomination. (Only Victoria has said “yes” to the listat the time of writing this article). I encourage prospective migrants to look seriously at this new option that has opened.

The subclass 491 & subclass 494 visas are provisional visas for five years and you can get “permanent residency” after three years of living and working in “Regional”

New Regional Postcodes

The Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) has a list of postcodes that specify designated regional areas.

The list of postcodes applies to the following visas:

Regional visas:

Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 494)
Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 489)* – designated regional areas only apply to visa holders nominated by a State and Territory government agency whose visa was granted after 16 November 2019.

Skilled visas:

Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)

Employer sponsored visas:

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 187)
Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186) – only if the position is located in regional Australia, the nomination fee is waived.
Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482) – if using an occupation on the Regional Occupation List for this subclass.

Business investment visas

Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa (subclass 888)
State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner visa (subclass 892)

Online Assessment form

The post New Designated regional areas in Australia appeared first on Easy Migrate.

More skilled migrants look set to fulfil their dream of living in Australia if they consider moving to regional area….

Emma Gallagher (EasyMigrate marketing manager), has had an article about relocating to regional Australia featured in this months edition of the UK’s Australia New Zealand magazine. 

POINTS-TESTED MIGRATION

Skilled Migration visas are by far the most common migration pathway to Australia. These visas allow foreign nationals who are successful in their respective occupations to live in Australia as permanent residents.
To be eligible for a skilled visa pathway, you must meet certain criteria. For
instance, your occupation must be on one of the skill shortages lists, and you must thave scored a minimum number of points. Points are based on age (and they decrease the older a person is), qualifications, work experience, an English test and a state-based points system, depending on the kinds of skilled workers each state requires.
From July 2018 the “pass mark” increased from 60 to 65 points. In
addition to this, the number of applicants and the competition from this, means that for many, it is unlikely that they will get an invitation unless they have over 70 points.
Perth-based migration agent Cyrus Mistry says that getting enough points is
particularly difficult for older people with trade skills, which he said are the
occupations most in-demand in some areas of Australia. He regularly sees UK applicants on waiting lists for up two years.

❛ The number of applicants means that it
is unlikely that they will get an invitation
unless they have over 70 points❜

Anthony Kelly from Northern Ireland was one of these people. Anthony says that he had enough points to apply for an EOI back in August 2017. He lodged his EOI, and in his mind, he would be in Australia by August 2018, and he could not have been more wrong. Anthony had 60 points, which were the minimum back in 2017. He received an email last month (August 2019) from the Australian Skill Select department telling him that his EOI had expired.
Unfortunately, thousands of people who lodge an EOI receive this email after waiting two very long years. Fortunately for Anthony, he is now in
Australia as he had a regional 489 visa granted through the Northern Territory January 2019. Anthony says that he wanted to be in Perth, Western Australia, as his brothers and their families are located there, but when he realised he might never get an invitation he decided
to look at other options. Anthony says that he considered giving
up on Australia entirely and was going to try for New Zealand, but he was advised him to apply for the Northern Territory. Anthony lodged his EOI to the Northern Territory Government September 2018; he received an invitation October 2018 and his visa was granted January 2019.
The 489 visa is a provisional visa for four years, and provided Anthony meets the conditions of living in the Northern Territory for one year, and working in the state for two years he can then apply for permanent residency. Anthony says that he is happy at the outcome, and as he
sees it, he could be still in the UK waiting for an invitation, but he is in
Australia and has nearly completed his first year in the Northern Territory.

REGIONAL PATHWAYS

The current Australian Government is tackling the impact of increasing
population in its biggest cities, like Sydney and Melbourne, by promoting
Regional Australia as a more assessable migration option. Designated Area
Migration Agreement (DAMA) applications have increased, with the
Northern Territory, the Western Australian Goldfields, Victoria’s Great
South Coast, the city of Adelaide and Regional South Australia, the Orana
region of New South Wales and Far North Queensland all having DAMAs
in place.

❛A DAMA labour agreement is between
the Government and endorsed
employers within an eligible region❜

Cyrus Mistry says that a DAMA labour agreement is between the Australian
Government and endorsed employers operating within an eligible region.
Under DAMA, employers in the designated areas experiencing skills and
labour shortages can sponsor skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers.
The Goldfields region in Western Australia currently has an active

DAMA agreement covering 73 occupations. The City of Kalgoorlie-
Boulder, which is located just under 600 kilometres from Perth, want migrants to come and live in their community.
Kalgoorlie-Boulder offers a family orientated, small-town “old-school
Australian” lifestyle. According to John Walker, the CEO of the City of
Kalgoorlie-Boulder, the town has an estimated 1,500 job vacancies in a range of industries, including mining, engineering, construction, childcare,
hospitality and healthcare, among others. Earlier this year, the Australian
government announced two new regional (provisional) visas. The Subclass 491 Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa will have 14,000 places to allocate each year and the Subclass 494 Skilled Employer- Sponsored visa will have 9,000 places to allocate each year. These will come into
effect November 2019.
Anthony Kelly says that people should not be discouraged by regional Australia but see it as an opportunity to fulfil their dream of living in Australia.
He said: “I am nearly one year in and it has gone so quick. After two years, if I want to, then I can go back to Perth.”
Fiona Ward, who migrated to Kalgoorlie-Boulder from the UK eight
years ago, said that she thought she would prefer Sydney o r Melbourne, but they were too big and fast-paced. She has made Kalgoorlie her home and runs a successful construction company with her husband,who is also from the UK.

Online Assessment form

The post Why Choose Regional Australia appeared first on Easy Migrate.

Effective 16 November, the Australian Children’s Education & Care Authority, (ACECQA), will become an authority for assessing applications for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional subclass 494 visa scheme in the child care centre manager and child care worker categories. 

The change comes amidst the replacement of the old 187 visa with the new potentially more attractive 494 visa which has been designed to incentivise more overseas skilled workers to migrate to Australia and settle in regional communities where skills gaps exist. 

The change will be of interest not only to those working in these roles and seeking to immigrate to Australia, but also to those with a responsibility for HR functions within the early childhood education and care (ECEC) context. 

Under the previous rules Trades Recognition Australia were the key assessing body responsible for providing an assessment service for people with trade skills gained overseas for the purposes of migration when it came to child care related roles. Moving forward ACECQA will assume responsibility for this function. 

Successful applicants will need an employer to commit to offering a suitable position to the candidate for at least three years, and have at least three years relevant skills experience approved by ACECQA. 

Should these core criteria and other secondary criteria be met the applicant will receive a five year 494 visa and the option to apply for permanent residence after three years.

ACEQCA have highlighted their new responsibilities in an update on their website which can be found here and committed to providing full details, including application forms and assessment requirements ahead of the changes taking effect on 16 November 2019.  

The legislation confirming the change can be found here. 

The post ACECQA to become migration assessing authority for new-look regional visa scheme appeared first on Easy Migrate.