All the different visas

[Riekie]

Does anyone know all the different visa types & what they involve? There's 136 and 457 and ENS...... It's all very confusing! What are they and what are the pros & cons of each? Anyone who can give a short & factual comparison?

[Rialet]

Sterkte, Riekie

I very much doubt it whether someone will be able to give you a short factual description - but I will watch this space!!!!!

This is one of the reasons Migration Consultants and Laywers are so much in business - you open DIMIA's website and often close it within a couple of minutes - very confusing I say!!!!

Rialet

[Dedrei]

Let me try ...

RSMS visa - regional sponsored migration scheme. Employer sponsored permanent visa only for regional Australia

ENS visa - Employer nominated Schem. Employer sponsored permanent visa for use anywhere in oz.

134 (Skilled matching visa) - Permanent visa, if you don't meet the points system for 136 visa, they put you on their matching system and can be nominated by state or employer.

136 (Skilled visa) - normal skilled visa that everyone applies for

137 (STNI visa) - State/Territory Nominated Independent. The state like eg. VIC, SA or WA, sponsors a person on this visa. Your job needs to be on the state's skills in demand list. Permanent visa.

138 - Skilled Australian Sponsored. Family member needs to sponsor you on this visa, but this is only for certain areas.

139 - Skilled Designated Area Sponsored - this visa is to be changed from 1 July 2006. Currently still a permanent visa. Also family sponsored type visa for other areas.

SIR visa - Skilled Independent Regional visa. This is only a temporary visa and for regional australia. Most of the times if you don't qualify for points for 136, but you have 110 points, you can apply for SIR.

That's about those I can think of at the moment.

Then you also get the Skilled Training visa. This visa is like an apprenticeship contract thingy. Don't know too much as this only came out recently.

[Barnone]

the Business Skills Business Owner option is a 2 stage process ...

1st you need to get a temporary residents / provisional visa,

Business Skills (Provisional) visa - valid for four years.

Business Owner (Provisional)(subclass 160) is for people with a successful business career, including senior management or ownership, who have significant business assets and have a genuine and realistic commitment to participate as a principal in the management of a new or existing business.

if you own (or have owned) a business. You should look at applying if you:

· Have had a successful career in business, and for 2 of the previous 4 fiscal years, have at least

10% ownership and assets of at least A$200,000 in a business

· Have been involved directly and continually in daily management of the business, and have

made decisions affecting its direction and overall performance

· Have at least A$500,000 of net personal and business assets lawfully acquired and capable of

being transferred to Australia within 2 years after the grant of visa

· Have had a yearly turnover of at least A$500,000 for at least 2 out of last 4 fiscal years from

your main business(es)

· Are younger than age 45, with enough additional net assets to reside in Australia

· Can notify an Australian State or Territory Government of your business intentions

· Can show that in order to establish or do business you need to be in Australia

· Can maintain substantial ownership in a qualifying business in Australia, and set up or take part

in its active management

· Have high level of vocational English

if you do not fulfill all the requirements such as age, assets, turnover, there are less stringent requirements under the Business Owner - State Sponsored (Provisional)(subclass 163)

Athough I am not sure of what the exact requirements are but it does require (as the name implies) a state or territory sponsorship (each state/ territory has slightly diffirent requirements) but as for as I know it is available to people up to the age of 55, combined business & personal assets of AU$ 250 000.00 available for transfer to australia within 2 years , turnover in at least 2 of the past 4 financial years of at least AU$ 300 000.00 the only draw backs (or advantages ?) are that you have to site your business out of the major cities basicly where the state territory tell you to go and your business is closely monitored by the state / territory authorities (which might be a bit taxing - pun intended !)

The next stage is to apply for Permanent residence ....

Business Skills (Residence) Visa

The Business Skills (Residence) category of visa is the second stage of Business Skills entry providing for permanent stay in Australia with a resident return facility valid for five years from the date of grant.

Business Owner (Residence) (subclass 890) is for people who hold a Business Skills (Provisional) visa and have had an ownership interest in a business in Australia for at least 2 years with significant personal and business assets, turnover as well as a minimum number of employees.

Applicants must have all of the following requirements

· been in Australia for at least one year in the two years immediately before applying.

· Throughout the 12 months immediately before the application is made, your (or your and your

spouse’s) main business/ess employed at least 2 full time employees (Aus citizen, or PR)

· Throughout the 12 months immediately before the application is made, the net value of your

(or your and your spouse’s) personal & business assets in Australia has been at least

A$ 250 000

· Throughout the 12 months immediately before the application is made, the net value of your

(or your and your spouse’s) assets in the main business/ess is at least A$ 100 000

· In the 12 months immediately before the application is made, your main business/ess had a

turnover of at least A$ 300 000

· You had, and continue to have, an ownership interest in one or more actively operating main

businesses in Australia for at least 2 years immediately before application is made.

· For each business, an Australian Business Number (ABN) has been obtained and all Business

Activity Statements (BAS) required by the ATO for that period have been submitted to the ATO,

and are included in the application

· You have not been engaged in a business where the provision of professional or technical or

trade services took up more than 50% of your time.

Neither you or your spouse have a history of involvement in a business or investment activities not a nature not generally acceptable in Australia

If you enter australia on the the state or territory sponsored TR 163 visa above then you could use the subclass 892 which also has slightly less stringent requirements for PR than the 890 namely no. of australians employed only needs to be 1 and profits /turnover requirements is less ...

If that sounds confusing ... it is ! that is why we decided to use the services of an immigration agent, we have started gathering all the necessary documentation as per his "simple" checklist.

All in all a rather tedious process but at least we qualify & we are willing to give it our best

Are there any others who are trying this route ?

all the best from SA

-0 (Barnone)

Edited May 17, 2006 by Barnone

[Cindylou]

Hi all, sorry to but in, just to clarify Dedrei's post:

The 138 (Skilled Australian sponsored) applies to all areas of Australia, however if your relative lives in Sydney, Wollongong, Gosford or Newcastle then your occupation must be on the Sydney and selected areas skills shortage list http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf .

The 139 is for "regional" Australia only.

Barnone, looks as if you could become an agent specialising in Bus Visas.

Great thread guys

Cindylou

[Peterfg]

Please explain the 139 for "regional" Australia only. Are you implying that you are restricted to the area you may live?

[Cindylou]

Hi Peter

Your sponsor must live in one of the designated areas (see http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/skilled/d...nated_areas.htm ) but there is no requirement that you live in that area (as there is for the "regional sponsored" visa)

[Peterfg]

Thanks Cindy. I have this nightmare that after dismantling our lives in Cape Town we arrive in Perth (in four weeks time) and our visas are not valid.

[Cindylou]

Is that the one when you get to the airport and you've forgotten to put your clothes on? Don't panic, I have this nightmare where they decline my application! Good luck with you move. Maybe you could start a thread with your time line - so far no-one's posted regarding the 139 (I'm assuming that's your visa class)

Cheers, Cindy

[Riekie]

Thanks for all the info guys!!