ACT Reopens Sponsorship For Australian Skilled Migration

The ACT reopened nomination under the skilled sponsored program on 31 August. The skilled sponsored program results in a permanent visa for applicants, and is currently processed at the highest level of priority of any general skilled visa. Applicants must have an occupation on the lists of occupations in demand, and apply to the state or territory for nomination.

The ACT has not accepted applications for nomination under this program since July 2009, and so the announcement is a significant boon to people who are wishing to migrate under the general skilled program.

There are some significant changes:

• Most occupations now require a higher level of English for sponsorship - most require at least 7 in IELTS, except for trades where a minimum of 6 applies with 6.5 in speaking
• There are now two lists of occupations in demand - a "SDL Baseline" list and a "SDL Quota" list. To apply under the Quota list, the application must first be cleared with ACT and numbers are strictly limited. For the Baseline list, the number of nominations possible is unlimited
• Higher requirements for international students - most will need at least 3 months of work experience in the ACT, and students completing studies outside the ACT will require 6 months of work experience

There are a large number of occupations nominated in the ACT lists - however many of these are subject to a quota and these will fill quickly. Some of the more interesting ones are:

• A wide range of scientists, in both life and physical sciences
• Accountants
• Engineers
• Sales, marketing and PR
• Personnel and HR professionals
• Teachers - pre-primary, secondary and vocational
• Social workers, Welfare workers and community workers
• Psychologists and counsellors
• Designers & illustrators
• Journalists and copywriters
• Financial investment advisors
• Office managers and program/project administrators
• Hotel managers
• Residential care officers
• A wide range of trades

If you have already lodged a General Skilled application or are able to do so you should begin the process as soon as possible to ensure your application is received before the quota closes.

About the Author:
Mark Webster is the director and founder of Acacia Immigration and a member of the Migration Institute of Australia's NSW Executive. In this capacity Mark has liaised with the Department of Immigration on key policy issues. He was a major contributor to the MIA's submissions on Skills Assessment and Review of the General Skilled Program.

A recognised expert in the field, Mr. Webster has been quoted in print numerous times, including in Phillipe Legrain's 2007 book, Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them (Princeton University Press).

Mark is a contributing author of the current edition of the Immigration Kit (Federation Press), the definitive text on migration law. He wrote the chapters on General Skilled Migration and Temporary Workers.

Acacia Immigration Australia's website (http://www.acacia-au.com/) contains information on the main Australian visa types and updates on Australian Immigration Law. Read the original article at: http://www.acacia-au.com/act_sponsorship_11092009.php.