Immigration to Australia

Australia — A Land of Opportunities

According to statistics, about a quarter of Australia's residents are immigrants from other countries. In 2019, the population of the continent is approximately 24.9 million people. Among them is a significant number of various ethnic groups and representatives of diverse religions.

Australia consistently ranks high in global ratings for livability and business conditions. Cities in Australia frequently appear in the top 10 rankings of the most comfortable cities to live in, and the capital of Victoria, Melbourne, has been named the best city in the world to live in for 5 consecutive years over the past 5 years.

Alongside residents from other countries, citizens from across the post-Soviet space are eager to move to Australia.

Credit must be given to the Australian government for creating accessible immigration programs, particularly for skilled professionals.

Australia makes significant efforts to build a flexible and dynamic economy. It actively participates in international organizations and establishes trade relations with foreign partners. All of this creates additional conditions for the influx of migrants who can contribute to the development of the state.

There are three most relevant ways to immigrate to Australia for permanent residency with the possibility of obtaining citizenship.

Main Professional Immigration Programs to Australia

1. Independent Skilled Visa (Subclass 189). This program allows you to work and study in Australia, obtain permanent residency, bring your family, and eventually apply for citizenship.
2. Nominated Skilled Visa (Subclass 190). This program provides the same benefits as the previous one, with the difference being that you must receive an invitation from one of the regions in Australia.
3. Regional (Temporary) Skilled Visa (Subclass 489). The main distinction of this program is temporary employment in Australia for up to 4 years in a specific region of the country.

Professional immigration remains the most accessible and popular type of immigration for potential immigrants from the CIS countries. For professional immigration to Australia, good English is primarily required — you must pass an English language exam. In addition to IELTS, other exams are now accepted: TOEFL iBT, Pearson Test of English, Cambridge English.

For professional immigration, the required results are:
IELTS — at least 6 in each component;
PTE — at least 50 in each component;
Cambridge English — at least 169 in each component;
TOEFL iBT — 12 in listening, 13 in reading, 21 in writing, and 18 in speaking.

For medical professionals, accountants, architects, teachers, and social workers, a higher English language score is required (for example, IELTS 7 Academic in each component). Education and work experience will also be necessary. For some professions, immigration may be possible without work experience.

There are lists of in-demand professions that are regularly updated.

There are many professions available, so almost any candidate can find a suitable one. Next, you need to score 60 points. Points are calculated based on age, education, work experience, and English proficiency.

The system is designed so that preference is given to candidates aged 25 to 40 with good English and higher education. For example:
age from 25 to 32 years — 30 points;
IELTS 6 — 0 points (points are awarded for an IELTS score of 7 in each component and above);
8 years of work experience in the profession — 15 points;
higher education — 15 points.
Total: 60 points.

If you meet all the above requirements, you can be the primary applicant for one of the skilled visas and include your spouse and dependent children in your application. The entire family will receive permanent visas valid for 5 years. After 4 years, you will all be able to obtain citizenship and Australian passports, provided you reside in the country for those 4 years.

Requirements for Participation in the Professional Immigration Program to Australia

Relevance of the profession. Australia has a specific list of in-demand professions (Skilled Occupation List), which foreigners can rely on for employment. The list of professions for immigration to Australia in 2019, as well as maximum quotas and the current level of fulfillment by specialists, can be viewed in the Occupation ceilings section.

Language proficiency. The level of English proficiency must be confirmed by IELTS or TOEFL certificates.

Age. Generally, foreigners wishing to immigrate this way must be no older than 45–50 years.

Education and work experience. Requirements may vary depending on the type of program. Qualification verification is usually handled by specialized organizations. Education obtained in Australia is a significant advantage.

Absence of criminal records and serious health issues.

For each of these points, the candidate receives a certain number of points. Therefore, the higher the skills, the greater the chances of success. The minimum number of points required to participate in the program is 60.

Business Immigration

There are quite a few immigration opportunities for businesspeople. This is due to the fact that the Australian government promotes business investments, innovative projects, and entrepreneurship.

Firstly, there are several business visas for successful entrepreneurs who already have experience running a business abroad, personal savings, and assets totaling at least 800,000 Australian dollars, with a business turnover of at least 500,000 Australian dollars per year. For immigration, you will need an idea for an innovative business that you wish to establish in Australia. This idea must be approved by the government of one of the states. Additionally, there are visas for investors willing to invest in the development of government-approved projects, starting from 1.5 million dollars.

Secondly, there is a budget immigration scheme for entrepreneurs through the establishment of a new business or the purchase of an existing business (or share) in Australia, which does not require significant assets and investments.

In general, the immigration process through the entrepreneurial scheme will consist of the following stages:
1. Analysis of your work experience, qualifications, knowledge, and preferences in the business sector.
2. Analysis of the local Australian market, determining the direction of the business and its compliance with immigration requirements.
3. Development of a business model with the candidate and preparation of a detailed business plan or finding existing business projects or enterprises for sale that match the candidate's experience, wishes, and immigration requirements of the department.
4. For new businesses, assistance is provided with full registration, obtaining licenses, finding required premises and equipment, selecting staff, and local business partners.
5. For existing businesses, assistance is provided in organizing the purchase of the enterprise, including a full audit and verification of the existing business, as well as the documentation for the purchase.
6. Issuance of a temporary work visa (Subclass 457) for you and your family members.
7. You arrive and start working in Australia according to the previously developed business plan.
8. After 2 years of working in the business, you and your family members receive a permanent visa (Subclass 186/187). After another 2 years, you can obtain Australian citizenship and passports.

Immigration Through Study

For young people wishing to immigrate to Australia, immigration through study is a suitable option.
Essentially, this is a form of professional immigration.

Although one of the conditions for obtaining a student visa is the foreigner's willingness to leave the continent after completing their studies, in practice, having an Australian diploma makes it much easier to participate in one of the professional programs and obtain permanent resident status in Australia.

There is a whole range of student visas specifically for foreigners in the country. For example, a visa for studying at a university (573), for entering a master's or doctoral program (574), for intensive English language study (570).

Australia has special agreements in the field of education with many countries around the world, which significantly simplifies the visa application process. Unfortunately, the CIS countries are not on this list. Each university may set its own admission conditions, but the general norms are as follows.

Main Requirements for Foreigners to Study in Australia
1. Knowledge of the English language, confirmed by a certificate.
2. A certificate of complete secondary education equivalent to the Australian one (12 years). For example, a one-year Foundation program is popular, which operates at almost every university.
3. Financial resources to cover tuition and living expenses in Australia.
4. Absence of serious health issues and special medical insurance (OSHC).

It is worth noting that education in Australia is paid. The amount is less than in the UK or the USA, but you will need to pay at least 10,000 euros per year, plus living expenses.

For immigration through study, it is important to have a clearly thought-out action plan in advance and to choose the right specialty. Suitable specialties are those that do not require several years of work experience for their confirmation.

For example, professions such as architect, teacher, accountant, engineering, and some medical specialties do not require mandatory work experience for immigration. There are also some specialties that require work experience, but finding a job is easy, or employment is provided by the educational institution.

For example, IT specialties or chef.

After completing the course, you can apply for a graduate visa, which is essentially a work visa valid for a period of 1.5 to 3 years. The duration of the graduate visa depends on the course: 1.5 years after college, 2 years after a bachelor's degree, 3 years after a master's degree, and 4 years after a doctoral degree. During this time, you apply for one of the permanent visas from Australia and await the visa also in Australia.

There are also two more ways to obtain citizenship in Australia.

Family Immigration

Having family ties or marital relationships with Australian residents allows you to obtain one of the family visas. Typically, a sponsorship procedure is used, guaranteeing financial support for new immigrants after arriving in the country.

1. Spouse of an Australian resident. Condition — the marriage must have lasted at least 1 year.
2. Fiancé/fiancée of an Australian resident. The visa is issued to individuals outside of Australia. A marriage must be formalized within 9 months after moving.
3. Partnership. Issued to foreigners who have been in a close relationship with an Australian resident for at least 12 months.
4. Parents. The visa is available to individuals whose children reside permanently in Australia.
5. Children. School-aged individuals can visit the continent for up to 12 months, provided there is an Australian resident among their relatives or close family friends.

Typically, a family visa allows for the granting of permanent resident status in Australia after two years of living in the country.

Immigration as a Refugee

Australia is an active participant in international organizations concerning refugee protection, including from Syria and Iraq. In cases of serious persecution in their home country or significant human rights violations, foreigners have the right to request refugee status in Australia or utilize a special humanitarian program (SHP).

However, it should be noted that due to the migration crisis, the number of such applications from 2015 to 2018 significantly exceeded the limits of issued visas.

In summary, the aforementioned methods of immigration to Australia indicate that the government has created all conditions for proactive and educated foreigners to simplify the process of relocation and obtaining permanent resident status.

More detailed information can be obtained on the websites:
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/
https://www.border.gov.au/

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