What is Australia’s points-based immigration system ?

 

To qualify for a range of Australian skilled visas, people must satisfy a points-based assessment. Points are awarded in a number of categories.

 

Age requirements :

Applicants must be under 50. Any applicants aged between 25 and 32 automatically start with half of the required 60 points. Those aged between 45 and 49 start with zero.

 

Competency in English :

All applicants must demonstrate a basic competence in English. But they are only awarded points if their language skills are deemed « proficient » or « superior ».

 

Qualifications and experience :

The remaining points to achieve the minimum 60 are awarded for certain qualifications and employment histories (…). A doctorate from an institution recognised by Australia is worth 20 points, for example.

 

Occupation :

For some visa subclasses, sponsorship by an employer or family member or nomination by a government is required.

If an applicant is not sponsored by an employer, their occupation must be on an approved list. For each occupation, there is a limit on the number of applications that can be accepted. For the 2015-16 intake, Australia has already approved all 1,000 available visas for auditors, company secretaries and corporate treasurers ; the 1,788 industrial, mechanical and production engineers ; and 1,000 other engineering professionals.

But if you are a (non-primary) school teacher, a vet or a cartographer, there are still thousands of places left.

 

Source : The Guardian, 1 June 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/01/what-is-australia-points-based-immigration-system-brexit