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MIGRATION FOR NONGS
Victoria State Sponsorship
Applying for a Skilled Nominated 190 Visa with Victoria

Melbourne is well known for its culture, its coffee and its nightlife. What a city! Another state for which state sponsorships are hotly contested. As such, meeting the minimum eligibility criteria for Victorian state nomination is the first step in the assessment processes, however it does not guarantee an application will be successful.

These are the conditions you must fulfil for state sponsored 190 visas require:
  • your nominated occupation to be present on the state's occupation list(s)
  • a suitable skills assessment in that nominated occupation
  • satisfying the state's eligibility criteria
  • meeting the minimum Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) score of 60 on the points test (inclusive of the 5 extra points you get for state sponsorship) and other base requirements such as a health and character conditions
  • committing to living and working in the state for at least the first two years upon your move to Australia should your visa be granted

Victoria has three separate occupation lists - Victoria's occupation list
, Victoria's occupation list for graduates and the Consolidated Sponsored Occupation List (CSOL). The latter two are solely for those who have studied and graduated in Australia.

Outside the basic DIBP requirements, applicants are asked to submit their CV, and not just any CV. The Victoria state migration site states:

Every application for state nomination is assessed individually with a focus on your ability to address a number of assessment criteria, including:
  • your ability to meet the minimum eligibility criteria,
  • the demand for your particular skills and expertise, and your ability to find work in Victoria,
  • the suitability and transferability of your qualifications, skills and experience - including any specialist capabilities - to the needs of Victoria's labour market, and
  • your ability and commitment to establishing yourself, and any dependants, in Victoria with a view to your prospects for long-term settlement in Victoria.

It is not made clear how they determine the above but they do emphasize that one's CV is integral in assessing an applicant's suitability to Victoria. Your CV will need to be professional, detailed and fully showcase your skills and experience. Any employment gaps should be explained. Victoria asks that your CV read 3 to 4 pages long, which is longer than the modern business standard of a sharp, concise 1-2 pages.
  • detailed descriptions of relevant tasks and responsibilities performed within all employment
  • dates of employment (including month and year)
  • dates of education and training

Here, in the "Detailed Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)" section, you will even find a sample CV from the state which should act as the minimum standard. We have to insist that you not only follow this format but go above and beyond where possible. It would also be wise not to use that template directly - don't stick to the same graphic or fonts, that would truly make you look lazy - put in some genuine effort!

Applicants are also required to provide an offer of employment in Victoria (minimum contract of 6 months at 20 hours/week) if:

Whilst you will not be required to provide evidence of your financial capability, it is expected that you are capable of funding your move. The Victoria state migration site provides this guide:


The average processing time is currently 12 weeks. Your application must be prepared to the best of your ability. A refusal will result in your not being able to reapply for 6 further months.


Victoria's Occupation List

This list has it's own English ability and work experience (post qualifications) conditions with some occupations demanding additional criteria be met such as registration or having worked in a specific industry before. It is important to go through these requirements carefully as they could be different to the DIBP's minimum eligibility requirements. Applicants who are currently working in their nominated occupation in Victoria and have clocked at least 6 months on the job may be exempt from meeting higher English language requirements (above the DIBP minimum of competent) imposed on their nominated occupation.

Those who have been working in Victoria on temporary work (skilled) 457 visas, have access to Victoria's occupation list. They will have to have worked for at least a year out of the last three in Victoria, and can include more than one employer in their documentation. Applicants on this stream would have their processing times reduced to just 2 weeks. Read more here.


International Graduates

This list has it's own English ability with some occupations demanding additional criteria be met such as registration or having worked in a specific industry before. 

The occupation list for graduates is quite limited, however work experience conditions for those who can use this list are waived. Unfortunately as an international graduate who is not qualified to nominate an occupation on this graduate list, they would not be entitled to work experience waivers and will need to look for another substantive visa such as the graduate 485 visa or temporary work (skilled) 457 visa to stay and gain work experience so as to have access to the Victoria occupation list. Read more here.


International PhD Graduates

International PhD graduates also have a diminished processing time of 2 weeks as opposed to the standard 12. If you have graduated from Victoria in the last 5 years, you will have access to the CSOL. Applicants with PhDs from recognised overseas universities or universities in other states of Australia in the last 5 years will only have access to the Victoria occupation list. Either which way, PhD holders are exempt from work experience requirements, needs only meet the DIBP minimum standard of a competent English ability. There is no other exemption on requirements otherwise stated if you are only eligible for the state's occupation list - registrations, for example, still apply. Read more here.


In all the above cases where you might be eligible for exemptions, please remember that skills assessments are non-negotiable. English ability and work experience requirements set by your the assessing authority for your nominated occupation is separate from the Victoria state. A suitable skills assessment requires your fulfillment of conditions set by the assessing authority and no provisions can be given from the state.

It does seem quite tricky to be considered for state sponsorship by Victoria, and the many different requirements on an applicant's circumstances does make it a bit confusing to navigate. What is most disappointing is that benefits to international graduates do not run far with the list available being so very short. Again we see a greater appreciation for academic 'high-performers', which is unfair to other professions, in particular those in trades. We think it is a poor measure of the quality of a person.











 


By Karl Konrad
Managing Director & Migration Agent (MARN: 9904238)
Australian Immigration Law Services 
 
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