When your aim is to gain permanent residence in Australia and the occupation you nominate for your General Skilled Migrations application is on the current SOL, the Skilled Independent Visa is the first option you should look at, because this visa allows you to remain permanently in Australia to live, work and study and, if you wish, gain Australian citizenship.
Requirements for the Skilled Independent Visa
While the Skilled Independent Visa does not require you to have the sponsorship or support of either a state or regional body or a family member, it does require you to have a score of at least 65 points in the Points Test and that is usually the most difficult condition for people to meet.
The full requirements for the Skilled Independent Visa are slightly different for the two subclasses, but what they have in common, generally speaking, is that you must be under 50 years of age and have adequate English.You must prove this by providing the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score required for your nominated occupation. You will also need to have formal professional qualifications in your nominated occupation.Your nominated occupation is the occupation for which you have a Skills Assessment. Whether you are, or are not, a professional in your nominated occupation is determined by the assessing body designated by Australia The Skilled Occupations List published by DIAC shows which assessing body you need to approach for your particular occupation. to assess your skills and qualifications.
Subclass 175 or Subclass 885 - offshore or onshore
Which visa subclass you can apply for depends on where you are when you submit your application - "outside Australia" or "in Australia". This is a bit of a simplication, though it is probably true for most situations: your visa application can be lodged inside or outside of Australia, but the application will be considered an "offshore" application, unless you meet the 2-years full-time study in Australia requirementIn other words, the Subclass 885 visa is the appropriate visa primarily for international students who have gained a qualification after 2 years study in Australia.". This is, in fact, the main difference: Subclass 175 applicants must have had a paid job for 12 months in the last 2 years, while Subclass 885 applicants must instead meet the 2-years full-time study in Australia requirement.
