Are you an international student tingling with excitement regarding the course you’ll be studying in Australia? Being a top destination for education, we completely understand both the thrill and the anticipation of the experience that you must be going through. Afterall, this is definitely a decision that may flip your life 180 degrees and transform all your dreams into a reality. Therefore, if you find yourself in a dilemma to pick the best course for yourself from all the different ranges of courses, this is a beginner’s guide for you. This guide has been designed to provide you with all information required to proceed with this life-changing decision and we hope at the end of this guide you will be more certain with what you need to do.

We understand that as an international student this can be one of the hardest decisions that you may need to make. Since, most of the time the students are not only focused by the course they’ll study, but also the lifestyle that they will be acquiring when they move down under. Many students move here, not only to do the best course that will land them the best job and have the dream career, but it’s also to get a permanent residency to be able to continue living that life. If you are someone who’s thinking of getting a permanent residency after you have spent such a crucial phase of your life in Australia then you have got to be thinking about that from now on.

This is important because everything you do while you are in Australia will help pave your way to obtaining a permanent residency. Therefore, you must have a game plan from the beginning. At this point we must also stress that it’s always prudent to do extensive research and have backup plans, in case the versatile Australian migration law changes the odds against you.

It’s needless to say how complex the Australian migration law can be, in addition to that the requirement for permanent residency is usually changing every year to best fit the economic demands of Australia. Hence, choosing a course only based on getting a permanent residency is not smart, as after 2 or 3 years of study, graduates from your course may not be in demand. Therefore, you must have a more realistic approach to your decision and planning in course selection.

So as not to bombard you with a ginormous mountain of information, we have listed everything in a few simple steps. We hope that this concise and systematic guide will be easier for you to follow and in case you do have further questions, you can always reach out to us.

Step 1: What is your end goal?

Before you start with anything you must figure out what is this one thing that you are really trying to achieve from this experience and most definitely can’t compromise on. Is your end goal:

• The quality education that you’ll be acquiring;
• All the places that you can visit in Australia;
• Landing the best paying job in your field of interest;
• Getting a permanent residency.

The list can go on, but depending on exactly what you want to achieve from this experience of studying in Australia you should do your research. If you are certain about the course or field of study that you’d pursue, we suggest that you look into the following places first:

• QS World University Rankings: This website will provide you with all the information about the universities that are ranking at the top for your field of study. Although knowing about universities’ world wide ranking at the top for your course can be a bonus, let’s enjoy the beautiful feature of looking into top ranking universities from particular countries, let’s say for example Australia! This helps make your search easier and also less overwhelming. P.S the 2022 ranking is already released, therefore, if you are as excited as we are to start this journey, we recommend that you have a sneak peek.
• Quality Indicator for Learning and Teaching (QUILT): This has definitely got to be your go-to place to learn about all the information about what your uni life is going to be. Although, we don’t play any favourites but knowing about the student experience and graduate outcomes for any university definitely helps! Who wouldn’t like to know how satisfied the employers are with the graduates from a particular university? They have all the latest information, collected through surveys from students, graduates and employers to give you a realistic picture and help you make a wise decision.
• University website: This is something we just can’t stress enough, go to all the university websites that interest you and find out all about your course. Since, that’s where you will be studying at the end. Find out about:
  • The course structure
  • The duration of the course
  • And most importantly the cost of the course

Make sure that you are comparing one university program with the other, and if you need more information, never hesitate to reach out to them. The universities in Australia have a whole international student admissions team that are just waiting to connect with you.

In case you are looking to travel more, then we recommend that you look up universities from all the different states and territories with more places to visit. Or see if some university has a partnership with universities located in different states or territories, which will allow you to do a few courses in other states or territories.

If you want to get a permanent residency, then you should know that student who have studied and stayed in Tasmania for two can apply for subclass 190 visa after the completion of their study.

Step 2: Self Assessment 

After you have figured out what your end goal is, you need to undertake a preliminary self assessment to gauge what you already have and what you may need. This helps achieve a more realistic understanding of yourself and how to adjust your goal, if you must.

To conduct this self assessment, we recommend that you carefully go through the following list of questions. At the end of this exercise, we hope you will be more focused.

• What is your current age and the age you’ll turn into when you graduate? 

• • Your age is a crucial factor, especially if you are hoping to get a permanent residency.
  • The skilled migration program in Australia follows a point based system, and in most cases the age is capped at a maximum of 45 years old.
  • Furthermore, depending on your age, you may choose the course with the most feasible duration so as you are not turning 45 when you graduate.
  • If you are not worried about permanent residency or other kinds of visas, then you may ignore the age factor.

• How much is your budget?

• • When you are thinking about budget you also need to factor in the living cost, along with your tuition fees.
  • If you are being sponsored or you are getting any form of scholarship you must also take into consideration any fee hike in upcoming years, particularly if your course is more than a year long.
  • Generally, approximately AUD 21,041 is considered to be an ideal minimum budget to cover your living expenses in Australia.
  • Also make sure you are able to buy a health insurance plan for any health related issues.
• What is your career goal?
  • You can make a list of a couple of occupations that you can pursue after you have graduated.
  • If you are after permanent residency, we recommend aligning your career goals with the occupations on the Skilled Occupation List.

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• • This is an important aspect to factor in, since it will help you stick to your goals. Also why would you want to pursue something you don’t like, especially when you don’t have to.

• How have you prepared for studying abroad?

• • This is where you need to align your current academic background and English proficiency with the minimum requirements of your interested course.
  • If you fall short of any requirements, you can always take steps to fulfill those.

Step 3: Australian Migration Law

While you are so focused on your course and university, it is so easy for one to lose focus of Australian migration law that plays a crucial role in this journey, particularly if you are looking for a permanent residence. The first place we recommend you to have a look into is the Department of Home Affairs website. This will help you get a fundamental understanding. Moreover, you will also find a detailed list of all the different kinds of paper you need to make any application for a visa approval.

Do note that the papers required will vary depending on the state and territory you are planning to go to. Thus, take your time as you carefully navigate your way around this complex maze of obtaining a visa. Along with it, we also recommend that you seek professional advice, just so you are receiving the proper guidance and not missing out on any opportunities.

The Best Course

After you have successfully gone through all the steps, we are certain that you will have a list of courses from different universities that best satisfies and fits into:

• Your interest
• Your budget
• Your skill sets
• Your prospects of getting a permanent residency

This is the best pool that you should consider applying into and pursuing.

If you require consultation on personal circumstances or application, you can also reach out to our team at Path Migration. 

At Path Migration we have assisted students, both onshore and offshore, get the best outcome from their visa application. If you are looking to eventually transition to permanent residence then it’s very important that you initially choose the most appropriate visa category to help you achieve permanent residence smoothly.

At Path Migration, we have a team of immigration lawyers who specialize in immigration law. The team will provide you with all the in-house resources that will help make your applicant a success. If you have already been refused a visa or have had your visa cancelled then you will also be benefitted from your own personalized consultation. If you are unsure whether this visa category applies to you or not, then don’t hesitate to contact us or directly email us at hello@pathmigration.com.

You may also be interest in: 

• Changes In 485 visa that you should know
• Covid-19 408 Visa In Australia
• Skilled Migration Visas For Australia
• Global Talent Independent (GTI) Program: the versatile migration pathway

The post A Guide To Selecting The Right Course To Study In Australia first appeared on Path Migration and is written by sonal

As 150,000 international students are currently stuck outside of Australia, significant changes have been made to the 485 visas to help these students post-study. If you are an international student, and find yourself in this situation, then you might want to be aware of the new changes made by the Department of Home Affairs. To understand what these changes are, we’ll begin by briefly understanding the 485 visa so that you are able to determine if this visa is applicable for you or not. Finally we’ll get into extensive discussion about the new changes made.

Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485) Visa

If you currently hold a student visa then after the completion of your study you might be eligible for this visa. The subclass 485 is a temporary visa that allows you to reside and work in Australia for 1 to 4 years depending on the stream you are applying under and  your qualification. The underlying eligibility conditions that one must meet before they can apply for this visa still mostly remains the same, the few changes that have been made will be discussed later.

To eligible for this visa you need to fulfill the following conditions:

• You cannot be over 50 years old.
• We have already stated that you need to hold a student visa, but it’s important to know that you need to have held that student visa no more than 6 months prior to when you are applying for 485 visa.
• The course that you study has to be CRICOS registered.
• There are three streams under which you can apply for this visa, and while applying for this visa you can apply under only one of the streams.
• There are visa processing fees associated with these visa applications, and the cost varies depending on the stream you are applying under.
• Finally, you have to include all the required and relevant documents as a part of your application.

The Streams

• Graduate Work stream 
  • If you graduate with skills and qualifications that are related to certain occupations demanded by the Australian economy, then you may consider applying for this visa.
  • Once granted, typically this visa allows you to stay and work in Australia for upto 18 months. Exceptions are made for Hong Kong Passport holders who may be granted a 5-year stay.
  • The visa processing fee is AUD 1,680.
• Post-Study Work Stream
  • This stream is suitable for students who are graduating with a degree.
  • Depending on your qualification, the stay period in this visa is between 2 to 4 years. Again, Hong Kong Passport holders who may be granted a 5-year stay.
  • The visa processing fee is AUD 1,680.
• Second Post-Study Work Stream
  • If you have graduated from an education institution that’s located in a regional area, then you may be eligible for this stream.
  • To be eligible for this stream you already need to be holding a Temporary Graduate visa in the post-study work stream, and if this visa is granted you are able to stay and work in Australia for an additional 1 to 2 years.
  • The cost of processing this visa is AUD660.

It must be noted that depending on the streams there are slight differences on the documents required in your application. Therefore, be very cautious while you are applying for this visa, making sure that you are choosing the correct stream. This visa also allows you to bring your family members as dependents, thus you also need to be aware of the documents required for dependents.

If you deem yourself to be eligible for this visa, but are concerned how it affects you given Covid-19 restrictions then you can check the following section. The changes have been made to better help accommodate all the international students studying offshore and onshore.

The New Changes Introduced

• Online study is counted towards your minimum onshore study hours: The Australian Study Requirement has been made more flexible so that students studying online both onshore and offshore are able to apply for this visa. This change is applicable for both new students and existing students. Therefore, even if you are stuck overseas that does not bar you from applying for this visa, however, you must still meet the other underlying criteria for this visa.
•  Online study outside Australia is counted from the time of Student visa grant: This means that even if you are offshore you still need to hold a valid student visa before you are able to apply for this visa.

• Flexible Time-frames: As discussed, you need to attach all the required and relevant documents as a part of your application. However, if you are affected by Covid-19 restrictions that are delaying you obtaining any of your required documents (such as: English proficiency certificate, bio-metrics and health check-up) then the Department of Home Affairs will be considerate of your situation. But you still need to attach your booking confirmation on your ImmiAccount  to show that you have taken the reasonable steps to book your appointment.
• Student Visa Conditions: Due to Covid-19, you might choose to defer your course. If your deferral is approved by your educational institution, then you will not be held to be in breach of your student visa conditions. In addition to that, if you are working in sectors that allow you to work more than 40 hours per fortnight, that is not a breach of your student visa condition either.
• Notifying the Department of Home Affairs: If you decide to return to your home country or have chosen to defer your study then you do not need to notify the Department of Home Affairs. Also these changes in your circumstances, definitely do not change your student visa, unless your student visa is formally expiring or you have indulged in any questionable activity that may have incriminated you to have led to the cancellation of your visa.
• Financial Difficulties: International students who are in Australia can also avail financial assistance if they are undergoing difficulty. The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment has been introduced for anyone who is required to self-isolate or care for someone with COVID-19. International students are also eligible for this payment. Moreover, you can also seek COVID-19 Disaster Payment if you have been adversely affected by lockdown.
• Concerns regarding getting a 485 visa for the second time: Previously there has been talks regarding limiting the 485 visa as one time visa. This means that if you have previously been granted a 485 as a dependent and now you wish to apply for a 485 visa as the primary applicant then you will not be eligible for it the second time, regardless of you being the primary applicant. However, please be assured that as of yet, that change has not been made. Therefore, even if you have been granted 485 visa previously as a secondary applicant, you are still eligible and able to apply for it as a primary applicant.
  • That being said, only the people working and living in regional areas can extend their 485 visa by applying for the Second post-Study work stream, as discussed in the previous section.
• Hold student visa 6 months prior to application rule: One of the requirements to apply for this visa is that one must hold a student visa no more than 6 months prior to that time you are lodging the application. However, if you were outside of Australia between 1 February and 19 September 2020, then you are granted an exception to this rule. If you have held a student visa within the 12 months then you can still apply for this visa.

For more information on the eligibility conditions and the documents required to apply for this visa, it recommended that you check the Department of Home Affairs’ guideline. If you require consultation on personal circumstances or application, you can also reach out to our team at Path Migration.

At Path Migration we have assisted students, both onshore and offshore, get the best outcome from their visa application. If you are looking to eventually transition to permanent residence then it’s very important that you initially choose the most appropriate visa category to help you achieve permanent residence smoothly.

At Path Migration, we have a team of immigration lawyers who specialize in immigration law. The team will provide you with all the in-house resources that will help make your applicant a success. If you have already been refused a visa or have had your visa cancelled then you will also be benefited from your own personalized consultation. If you are unsure whether this visa category applies to you or not, then don’t hesitate to contact us or directly email us at hello@pathmigration.com.

You may also be interest in: 

• New South Wales Skilled Migration Program for 2021-2022

• South Australia’s Skilled Migration Program from 2021-2022

• Victoria’s Skilled Migration Program for 2021-2022

• Australia’s Travel Exemption

The post Changes In 485 Visa That You Should Know first appeared on Path Migration and is written by sonal

Following the announcements on 14 July 2020, New South Wales (NSW) has been allocated 4000 places for Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) and 3640 places for Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491) as a part of it’s Skilled Migration Program 2021-2022. Relative to other states and territories, NSW has the highest number of place allocation for both Subclass 190 and Subclass 491. Therefore, it represents an opportunity for anyone looking to stay and work in Australia.

Thus, to understand how the NSW Migration Program 2021 – 2022 works, you need to know a couple of important things. First you need to understand the minimum requirements to help you determine if you are eligible to apply for this visa category or not. Secondly, it is vital to distinguish between Subclass 190 and Subclass 491, so that you can pin the correct visa category applicable for you. Finally, you can learn the application process in a step-by-step guide discussed later in this blog, to assist you in the simplest way possible when you are ready to start your application.

Minimum Eligibility

When it comes to applying for Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491), one must take into account a couple of important factors. Unlike other visa categories, one must receive an invitation from the state first before you are able to apply for Subclass 190. That’s mainly because a selection-based invitation process is used by NSW to make sure that the nominees are meeting the state’s skill demand for the economy.

Therefore, below is a brief outline of the minimum eligibility requirements for Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190). 

If you deem yourself to be successfully meeting all the underlying minimum eligibility requirements then it would be recommended that you check out the application procedure discussed in the later section. However, if you find yourself lacking a few mandatory conditions then it’s worthwhile to see if you meet the requirement to apply for the Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491).

Although, Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491) is a provisional visa, it is a great pathway for obtaining a permanent residency visa via the Skilled Regional visa (Subclass 191). Therefore, the next section briefly discusses the  Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491) to give you the fundamental idea about the visa category to help you determine if it’s worthwhile for you to consider that visa.

Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491)

It must be understood that the minimum eligibility requirements of Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491) are slightly different from that of Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190). This, of course, is inevitably due to the fact that both these visa categories are designed to systematically target different objectives and mitigate the economic needs of the state.

There are three streams that one needs to consider, while applying for this visa category.

• Stream 1- Living and working in regional NSW: You will be deemed applicable for this stream if you fulfill the following criteria.
  • First the occupation you are wishing to nominate should be on the nominated region’s occupation list. If it is on the list, you then need to obtain a valid skill assessment for that occupation.
  • You need to be living in a designated regional area of NSW. You should be residing there for a minimum of the last 12 months, before you apply under this stream.
  • You need to be working for a minimum of the last 12 months in the occupation you are nominating or in a closely related field,  the designated regional area of NSW.

• Stream 2: Recently completed study in regional NSW: You will be deemed applicable for this stream if you fulfill the following criteria.
  • Like the previous stream you also need a valid skills assessment for your nominated occupation.
  • You need to have completed your study or education with an education provider that meets the following conditions:
    • The study must have been completed no more than the last 24 months;
    • The education provider is based in a designated regional area of NSW.
    • Your study meets the underlying Australian Study requirements as outlined by the Department of Home Affairs.
    • Finally, your qualification needs to be at least closely related to the occupation you are nominating.
  • Lastly, but not the least, you have lived in the designated regional area of NSW for the whole duration of the study.

•  Stream 3: Hold skills in an occupation required in Regional NSW: You will be deemed applicable for this stream if you fulfill the following criteria.
  • Hold a valid skills assessment for an occupation that appears on your nominated region’s occupation list.
  • Be currently residing in an Australian state or territory

To determine if you qualify for any of the above streams you need to check if the regional area of NSW you currently reside is participating or not. The list of  participating regional NSW can be found here. If you meet the regional area check, along with all the underlying requirements discussed above, you can move on the application procedure discussed below.

Application Process

Both Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional Visa (Subclass 491) require an invitation from the state before you are able to apply for these visas. Before, it must be understood that this process involves a variety of paperworks, can get quite complex and can be time consuming. Therefore, you must harbour a lot of patience as you commit to undertake this important journey.

To keep it concise and easy to understand for your the steps have been broken down into the following:

1. Expression of Interest Submission
   • The first thing you must do is to submit your Expression of Interest (EOI) on SkillSelect. During this step if you are applying for nomination from NSW, do select NSW as your desired state.
   • It’s important to remember that an EOI is not a visa application and there’s no cost or fees involved when submitting your EOI in SkillSelect.
   • After you have successfully submitted your EOI, it will be valid and stored for two years.
   • During this period, you can update any changes to your circumstances on your EOI.
   • If your personal circumstances change for the better, then do know that any changes made on your EOI will also be reflected through a higher point score. That will help you rank higher and increase your chances of getting an invitation.
   • Do remember that your application will be directly refused if you provide any false or misleading information, hence, you must duly remember to update your application accordingly.
2. Invitation to Apply
   • If your application is successful then you will receive the invitation from SkillSelect.
   • During this period, it’s important to keep track of time, as from the day of invitation grant you have only 60 days by when you must apply for the visa with the Department of Home Affairs.
   • In case your application has not been approved, then unfortunately, you won’t be notified about that. Rather, the department releases the minimum score points for the EOI select bar, that point will be an indicator for you to conclude if your application has been accepted or not.
3. Application
   • Once you have all the documents that you need you can apply for the visa that you have been invited to apply for.
   • You apply for the visa through your ImmiAccount.
   • On your ImmiAccount application you need to attach all the documents.
   • During this phase, you also need to pay the required visa processing fee. Your visa application will not be processed unless you have made the payment.
   • After you have successfully received your application, you will be notified about the receival of the application via email. You will also be notified of any Bridging visa that may also be granted to you.

For your benefit the whole application procedure has been presented here in the most simplified manner. At Path Migration, we have a team of immigration lawyers who specialize in immigration law.

Given the mammoth of experience the team brings in, we provide feasible and practical counselling on your successful pathway to Australia. The team is well adept with knowing what helps increase the chances of success for your application.

If you are unsure whether this visa category applies to you or not or if you are looking to be successfully nominated, then don’t hesitate to contact us or directly email us at hello@pathmigration.com.

You may also be interest in: 

• Employer’s Guide For Foreign Workers Sponsorship under the 482 Visa Stream

• Australia’s Travel Exemption

• Australian Business Innovation and Investment Program

• Global Talent Independent (GTI) Program: the versatile migration pathway

The post New South Wales Skilled Migration Program for 2021-2022 first appeared on Path Migration and is written by sonal

The Temporary Graduate Work Visa is meant for international students who have completed about 2 years of study in higher education. There are 2 streams for this visa: Post study work visa and Graduate Entry stream. It’s valid for 18-24 months and gives you unrestricted work and travel rights. To read more about this visa CLICK HERE.

The 485 visa is often seen as a “pathway visa” towards Permanent residency in Australia. Hence the application in itself can be quite complex – please note, not difficult, but complex.

Based on our extensive experience we’ve prepared a list of tips and tricks you can use to avoid receiving a rejection and possibly also fast-track the processing time of your application.

1. Keep your documents ready:
Even before commencing the application, make a note of the mandatory documents and keep them ready in a folder. If you’d like to receive a comprehensive LIST OF DOCUMENTS, please email us on hello@pathmigration.com and we’d be happy to provide you with one.

Most documents such as passport, visa grant letter etc. are easy to procure. However certain document have either time or access restrictions. They are as follows:

CAVEAT DOCUMENTS:

1. Education Documents (Access restriction):
– Letter of completion
– Final Certificate
– Final transcripts

More often than not, the universities do not produce these on time before the student’s visa is about to expire. Hence its imperative that you email your university about this right after your results are out.

2. Medical check (Time restriction)
Your health check will typically be provided AFTER you submit your 485 application. Please note there’s a separate application for procuring your HAP ID.

3. Police Check (Time restriction)
The AFP clearance is also a separate application. Typically you should submit this application before lodging your visa, and if you don’t receive the actual certificate in time, you can use the “receipt number” at the time of visa lodgment. Thereafter, once you receive the Police clearance certificate, you can upload it on the portal or ask your agent to do so.
To read more about the police check CLICK HERE

4. English Exam (Time and access restriction)
English exams such as IELTS and PTE can be cumbersome. Firstly, there’s a long wait time to get a test date (2-5 weeks), thereafter it may take up to 1-2 weeks to get your result and just in case you don’t get the required score, you’ll have to re-take the exam and go through the whole process again. Hence its vital that you book your exam as soon as you finish your studies.

5. Health Insurance:
In Australia, you’re required to have an adequate health insurance at all times. During your student visa you’ll typically be on an OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) whereas once you apply for a 485 work visa you will need to transition on and OVHC (Overseas Visitor Health Cover). At Path Migration, we help you take care of this step, hassle-free with no additional cost.

2. Duration of stay in Australia:
Ensure that the total duration of your stay in Australia is at least 16 months. This time must come under the commencement date and completion date of your course – Check your offer letter for the exact dates.
Contact an immigration lawyer such as Path Migration especially if you have completed your course early (due to exemptions etc.), completed your course late or have spent time overseas (over 8 weeks).

3. English Exam
Proof of English Language proficiency is essential to the 485 visa application. Many students leave this to the last minute resulting in a direct rejection of their visa. Main reasons being, there are long  waits (2-5 weeks) for simply getting an exam date; and if the student doesn’t get the required score they have to re-take the exam.
PLEASE NOTE: If you’ve done your exam and haven’t gotten the result at the time of visa lodgement, you can simply use the “receipt number” and upload the result document once you receive it.
To read more about the English Exams CLICK HERE

4. Choosing the right stream
The 485 visa has 2 streams- post study work visa and graduate entry stream (READ MORE). If you chose the wrong stream, you may risk your chances of getting a PR through the correct pathway. Essentially the main difference between the two streams is that Graduate work stream is for student’s who’s occupations are there on the skilled list (and thereby require a skills assessment) and Post study work visa is for students who’ve done courses that do not lead to any skilled occupation (thereby do not require a skills assessment).

Other differences include but are not limited to:
1. Validity:
PSWV is valid for 2-4 years depending on your completed qualification whereas GWV is valid only for 18 months.

2. Pathway to PR
In most cases students on GWV have a designated pathway to PR whereas PSWV has no “apparent” pathway.

3. Skills Assessment
As mentioned above, a skills assessment is required for GWS, hence the applicant must find an a but not for PSWV applicants.

4. Educational Qualification
You will only be eligible for a post-study work visa if you’ve completed a higher education course – such as a bachelors, masters or Phd. However, you may still be eligible for the graduate entry stream if you’ve completed a vocational training course such as a Certificate IV, Diploma etc. provided you can get a positive skills assessment.

5. Skills Assessment

Attention: Graduate Work Stream applicants!

a) Obtaining a skills assessment is mandatory only if you’re applying for the Graduate Work stream.

1. b) You must nominate the correct occupation based on the course you’ve completed. This is important because once nominated, you can not change the occupation. Even if you get a rejection from the skills assessment body, you may re-apply but you still can’t change your occupation.
2. c) At the time of your visa decision, you must have a positive skills assessment. Otherwise your visa application can be rejected – in which case you’ll need to appeal to the AAT for the grant of some more time till you get a positive outcome for your skills assessment.

   In case of rejection:

   In case your 485 visa application gets rejected and you are still onshore (in Australia), you may have to leave the country.

   As 485 visa is to be applied upon the completion of your course, chances are that by the time you receive an outcome (in this case rejection), your student visa would’ve expired and you most probably would be on a bridging visa.
   The law states that in case you’ve received a rejection for a substantial visa, while you’re on a bridging visa, you may NOT apply or re-apply for a substantial visa while you’re onshore.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Contact us on hello@pathmigration.com for a Free Assessment and advice on your options for migrating to Australia.

OR

Book a Consultation now!

We are always happy to help! ?

NOTE: The information provided in this blog can not be construed as “legal advice”. You should not act based on the information provided here without consulting a registered MARA agent. Migration law is complex and changes very frequently, while we ensure our content is accurate, we can not vouch for how concurrent it is. To clarify any of your doubts call us on +61 2 8815 8135

The post TIPS AND TRICKS to avoid a 485 visa rejection first appeared on Path Migration and is written by sonal

If you are an international student who knows their next step to permanent residency in Australia is to apply for a skilled visa, then this blog is for you!

Years of experience has helped us in standardizing this process and making is FAST and EASY for international students.

1) English Language Proficiency

Most skills assessment authorities require a certain level of English Language Proficiency. Even if they don’t, the immigration department will demand it.
First thing to do is either book an exam or if you already have the desired score, keep your score report ready.
Although immigration department accepts IELTS, PTE, OET and TOEFL, certain assessment bodies are very particular about the tests the accept. Make sure to either check the assessment body’s website or ask your MARA registered lawyer before submitting your application.
Read: PTE v/s IELTS which one is easier?

2) Education Documents: Australia
Having all your Australian qualification documents in place is vital step. REMEMBER: you do not need to have your final certificates to apply for this visa. You can apply right after receiving your final results.
Keep the following documents ready:

1) Final transcript

2) CoE (Confirmation of enrollment)

3) Credit exemption letter – if any

4) Request a “letter of completion” from your university

3) Skills Assessment
Getting a positive skills assessment is the most tricky part of this visa stream. Before applying for General Skilled Visa, make sure you have a positive skills assessment in hand. Certain things to take into consideration are:

1) Which assessment body will you be applying with

2) Have you chosen the right occupation in the list?

3) Do you fully understand ALL the requirements of the skills assessment?

4) You can also consider lodging a skills assessment in multiple occupations.

5) You can use overseas qualification and experience towards your skills assessment.

6) What to do if your overseas qualification/work experience is not the same as your Australian qualification?

It is always advisable to get professional help especially when it comes to lodging a skills assessment application. The processing time can take up to 3 months, so start the process ASAP.

NOTE: The 485 post study work visa does not require you to have a positive skills assessment at the time of lodgement – THIS IS NOT A GENERAL SKILLED MIGRATION VISA. The 485 visa will give you a bridging visa which will be valid for 2 years or until your general skilled visa comes into affect.

4) EOI Invitation through Skills Select
In order to apply for general skilled migration, you must get an invitation through SkillSelect first. The processing time of the EOI invite will depend mainly on your points at the time of lodgement and your English score.

Please Note: Merely applying for an EOI will not grant you a bridging visa. You MUST get an invite and apply for your general skilled visa before receiving a bridging visa. We have seen many cases where students do not have enough time on their student visa to complete this process before their student visa expires/ 485 comes in to affect.

Email us on hello@pathmigration.com to receive the full document checklist for free!

Related Blogs:
1) Tips on achieving the MAXIMUM points
2) What is Professional Year?

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NOTE: The information provided in this blog can not be construed as “legal advice”. You should not act based on the information provided here without consulting a registered MARA agent. Migration law is complex and changes very frequently, while we ensure our content is accurate, we can not vouch for how concurrent it is. To clarify any of your doubts call us on +61 2 8815 8135

The post Tips for international students applying for General Skilled Migration first appeared on Path Migration and is written by sonal