As part of the Australian Governments strategic reform to the General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program, the Minister for Immigration & Citizenship, the Hon Chris Bowen MP, announced the introduction of a New Points Test for certain skilled migration visa applications.

It is expected that the new points test will come into effect from 1 July 2011 and will only affect skills visa applicants who seek to migrate without an employer sponsor after that date.

If you are considering applying for a skilled migration visa from overseas, you can use our FREE Visa Eligibility Assessment to find out more about the basic visa criteria and your likely points award under the new points test. 

If you are considering applying for a State sponsored skilled migration visa from overseas, you can use our FREE 176 State Sponsorship Search Tool to find out instantly if your nominated occupation is included on any of the available State or Territory Migration Plans.

Employer Sponsored and Business Skills visa categories are not affected by the new points test or former international students subject to transitional arrangements.

The introduction of a new points test is part of the strategic reform direction for the skilled migration program announced by the Australian Government in February 2010.  These reforms are aimed at ensuring the skilled migration program is more responsive to Australian labour market demands.  Central to these reforms is a revised points test which reflects the outcomes of the reforms to date and sets the direction for the objective and consistent selection of highly skilled Australian migrants. For a table summary of the proposed new points test click here.

It is intended that the new points test will only apply to skills visa applications made after the 1 July 2011 for the following General Skilled Migration visa subclasses:

• Subclass 885 Skilled Independent
• Subclass 175 Skilled Independent
• Subclass 176 Skilled Sponsored
• Subclass 886 Skilled Sponsored
• Subclass 487 Skilled Regional Sponsored
• Subclass 475 Skilled Regional Sponsored

The new Australian immigration points test has been designed to remedy the skewing of applications towards a small number of occupations and a growing pipeline of applicants waiting for a skilled migration visa generated under the existing points system.

According Mr Bowen ‘these changes to the points test are an important next step in the series of reforms to the skilled migration program announced by the Government in February this year’

‘The reforms set the foundations for a skilled migration program that will be responsive to our economic needs and continue to serve Australia’s interests in the medium to long term’

The Australian Governments review of the current points test system found that it was not able to adequately select migrants with the necessary skills and attributes able to make an optimum social and economic contribution to Australia.

The new points test seeks to address the short comings of current skills points system by delivering highly skilled migrants through its increased emphasis on:

• better English language levels;
• more extensive skilled work experience;
• recognition of higher level qualifications obtained in Australia and  overseas; and
• different age ranges.

Study in Australia, community languages, partner skills and completing an approved Professional year will continue to be awarded points under the new points test regime.

Significantly, skills visa applicants will still be required to nominate an occupation on the applicable Skilled Occupation List, however, points will no longer be awarded on the basis of an applicant’s occupation. The Australian Government has determined that those occupations on the new Skilled Occupation List are all occupations for which the Australian economy will have a medium to long term need and are therefore of equal value, eliminating the need to award occupation points.

It is proposed that under the new points test, the number of points awarded to a skilled visa applicant in respect of his/her particular attributes such as Age, English language ability, Qualifications and Work Experience will be changed to better meet Australia’s need for highly skilled migrants who are able to contribute to socially and economically.

Specific operational aspects of the new points test will be made available closer to the intended implementation date.

Other Related Points Test Articles:

• Points Test for Skilled Migration
• Future Trends in Australian Immigration Policy & Procedure
• Australia Migration and the New Points Test for U.K. Residents
  
• New Points Test Table Summary | Australian Skilled Migration
• No Permanent Australian Family Sponsorship Under New Points Test
• General Skilled Migration (GSM) New Points Test Review