• 2/127 Smith St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
  • 1300 064 472
  • info@migrationaustralia.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Home FAQ’s



If I don’t live in Australia, can I still use your service and ask for help?

You may. Migration Australia has helped people from all over the world, and we are authorized to handle overseas Australian Posts. We will work from Australia, preparing your case and communicating with the various posts. For overseas clients, it is best to contact us via email.

Am I able to work in Australia while I pursue my studies?

You may. Any students who come from overseas to Australia using a student visa are able to receive permission to work as much as 40 hours every two weeks. They can do so during their course time or during vacation times.

When applying for a visa to Australia, who can I include?

The main applicant is considered the person who applies for the visa. When we interview you, we will determine who that main applicant should be. Typically, that’s whichever spouse is the most qualified, has the most work experience or is the most fluent in the English language. If you want to apply for a visa, then these factors as well as your age and some other factors are all important to consider. Those who can be included in the application are:

Resides in the main applicant’s household Depends financially or physically on the main applicant; and Has no surviving spouse or an additional relative beyond the main applicant who is able to care for them within the country in which they reside; and Certain relatives who meet the following qualifications: The main applicant’s spouse The main applicant’s children or spouse’s children. This includes any children who are over 18 years old but who are still pursuing studies and who are dependent on the main applicant for support. The main applicant’s parents or spouse’s parents, if they are financially dependent on either the main applicant or the spouse Certain relatives who: Have never married or who are divorced, widowed or separated from their spouse; and Typically reside in the household of the family head; and Depend on the family head Relative, as defined by Australian Immigration law, means:

A brother, sister, parent, child or adopted child of the individual; or Step-sister, step-brother, step-parent or step-child of the individual Aunt, uncle, grandparent, grandchild, nephew, niece, step-aunt, step-uncle, step-grandparent, step-grandchild, step-nephew or step-niece

Which courses are available for me to study?

Which courses would be right for you to study will depend on the current employment market and where your interests lie. Please contact us to talk to a consultant for current answers to questions like this.

Will the Australian qualifications be recognized in my country?

Thankfully, Australian qualifications are recognized all over the world, at both businesses and educational institutions.You can find out more about how your qualifications will be accepted by visiting the Australian Qualifications Framework.

Can certain medical conditions affect the application process?

Anyone who is included in your visa application has to be able to pass the required medical examinations and dependency tests. Failing a medical test means that the whole application falls apart. If one person on the application fails, then all fail. Anyone who fails the dependency test can be taken off the application and approval can still be granted for the remaining applicants.

There are some heath conditions which may have an effect on the application for migration to or residence in Australia. Some examples of these are tuberculosis, Hepatitis, HIV, cancer and tuberculosis. Everyone who is applying for a visa is required by the Department of Immigration to have a medical examination performed on them. The examining doctor has to be one who is approved by the pertinent embassy. No visa will be granted until this occurs. The criteria for passing health requires the following from each applicant:

That they not have any tuberculosis That they not have any condition that can cause them to be a threat to the public health in Australia or to a community in Australia where they would reside That they not have any medical condition that would cost the Australian community significantly either for health care or for community service. If the medical condition that an applicant has would cost AUD$20,000 or more throughout the applicant’s lifetime, then the cost is considered to be significant, and the visa application will likely be rejected. This cost includes treatment, medication, hospital care and other expenses. There are likely to be delays for anyone with a serious health condition who is applying for a visa to Australia.

If I am on a visitor visa or living in Australia, can I file an application for my partner?

You cannot apply for a visitor visa while in Australia, if your current visa was issue under the condition of “no further stay”. Only under special circumstances would that condition be waived.

Are you able to guarantee that I am approved?

We cannot guarantee your application outcome, according to the law. The DIAC is the only organisation that is able to determine visa application outcomes.

What kind of wait should I expect for visa application processing?

This varies from person to person, and many factors play a part in determining how long the process will take. How complicated the case is, how your visa is prioritised based on category and how many applications are being processed all at once will affect visa processing times.

After the application has been filed, the officer handling the case can provide you with an estimate, taking these factors into consideration.

How much does the visa application cost?

All visa processing fees will be provided to you before you agree to anything. We will give you a fee quote, but please note that some other fees must be paid to outside sources. This can include the cost of obtaining medical records, of obtaining a certificate of good character and other documents and transactions required for visa application.

How will my failure to marry to my fiancé following a Prospective Marriage visa affect my visa application?

You are given a 9-month window following the issuance of the Prospective Marriage visa in which to marry your fiancé. If you fail to do so, then you might not be able to stay in Australia. The basis for the Prospective Marriage visa is that you intend to marry your fiancé. Failure to follow through on that condition may mean that your visa would be cancelled and you would be forced to leave the country.

Who can I consider as my dependant?

Only children may be included as dependents in the partner category visa, in most cases. If you have other dependants you would like to include, you will have to meet additional criteria.

Is it possible to add in family members to my application later if I was not able to include them initially for various reasons?

When a decision has yet to be made on your visa application, additional family members may be included after it has been filed.

Can dependants be included on work visa applications?

The work visa application can include your entire family unit, which is comprised of you, your partner and any dependents. All dependents have to meet the character and health requirements, though, before the visa will be approved.

It is possible to lodge the visa application before having my nomination approved?

The visa applications can be filed ahead of approval for employer nomination. Please note that if your employer nomination is refused, though, then your visa application will also be refused. You will not be able to get back the money you already spent on the visa application, if that happens.

If I live outside Australia, am I able to sponsor employees?

You can sponsor employees while living outside Australia, but you will have to meet the requirements for business sponsors who are not living in Australia.

Am I able to be sponsored by my boss for a cleaner position?

All occupations that are accompanied by sponsorships must be included on the Consolidated Skills Occupations List (known as CSOL), and they all have to meet specific requirements.

For those instances where a boss is sponsoring someone whose occupation is not on that list, a standard business sponsorship agreement would not apply. Instead, a labour agreement would have to be used.

Does a standard business sponsorship work with companies that have begun trading as recently as 5 months ago?

Any business that does not meet the activity requirements will not be allowed to sponsor employees for migration. They must have been actively operating for at least 6 months before a sponsorship will be considered and a nomination can be lodged.

Am I able to apply for a sponsorship visa if my boss is willing to sponsor me?

There are a few different types of sponsorship visas, and each one has different criteria for eligibility. We will look at your eligibility and let you know which kind of visa to apply for.

Am I able to file for a 457 temporary visa right away if my occupation is on the CSOL list?

This kind of visa has to be applied for in three separate stages. You also have to be sponsored with a nomination by a business sponsor before you can apply.

What if my current visa expires before the visa I applied for is approved?

You will be given a bridging visa, if you applied for a subclass 457 visa and are in Australia at the time. That way, you can stay in Australia while your 457 visa application is being processed.

What do I do if I need to travel outside of Australia urgently but my visa application has not yet been approved?

For travel outside of the country while on a bridging visa, you may be permitted a bridging visa B, which will permit you to return to the country. You should advise your agent as soon as you know you need one.

What happens if my visa application is refused?

You can request that your subclass 186 ENS or subclass 187 RSMS visa application be reviewed, if it has been refused. You have to make that request through the MRT (Migration Review Tribunal), though.

What do I do after my RSMS or ENS has been approved?

Once the application has been approved, you will be sent a letter stating so. This permanent resident visa will be active for up to 5 years, and your passport will not need a visa label.

Can you tell me what a Labour Agreement stream is?

This denotes a formal agreement between the Australian government and an Australian employer that permits skilled workers to be recruited in limited quantities from oversees to fill skills deficits that exist in Australia’s labour market.

What does the term “market salary rate” mean?

This refers to the salary that you pay out to your Australian employees that are doing the same work as the visa applicant you are considering and would like to sponsor.

Is it possible to file an Expression of Interest if I don’t yet have all the documents required?

Your ranking for a skilled migration programs that is points based or independent will be based on the points you scored on the relevant tests. You can fill out and file an Expression of Interest regardless of whether you have met the pass mark, but you won’t be invited to apply for a visa at that point.

How much does an Expression of Interest cost?

It costs nothing to file an EOI.

What is the waiting period to select skills after filing an EOI?

You will be notified right after filing an EOI by Skills Select. The EOI will stay in Skills Select for up to 2 years following this confirmation.

You are allowed to update the information on your request at any time. This may be necessary if you have obtained new work experience, achieved greater qualifications, altered your family makeup or improved your ability to speak English.

This new information will be automatically and immediately factored into your ranking and will affect your ability to be considered for migration.

Can I apply for a skills visa if my occupation isn’t on the SOL list?

The only way to apply for a skills points based visa is if you have been invited by the Department of Immigration. You will have to meet certain criteria on order to receive that invitation, and until you do, you will not be able to file an expression of Interest.

What do I need to do to be included in the Business Innovations and Investment category after I have filed my Expression of Interest?

Governing bodies for states or territories will choose skilled investors and business people that they want to nominate. These people may be assessed before nomination. You will receive an invitation to apply if you have been nominated and your points score is above the pass mark.

What follows a filing of an Expression of Interest?

It depends on the type of visa you have expressed interest in, but you could be invited to file a visa application. You may also be contacted by an Australian employer for nomination for sponsorship and employment.

What happens if I am not able to meet the criteria?

You may be eligible for some other subclass of visa, if you don’t meet the requirements, but you will no longer be eligible for points based skilled migration.

Can you tell me what an Expression of Interest is?

The EOI is not considered to be a visa application.

An EOI has to be submitted before you can even receive an invitation to apply for a visa.

It is an online form that permits you to file an expression of interest when you are trying to apply for a visa. You can file a business innovation ort points test after the EOI has been filed. Afterwards. You may be eligible for an invitation to apply for a visa from the Minister of Immigration. An Expression of Interest can be filed for a variety of programs, such as other visa programs and employer nomination programs. The employer sponsored programs will permit an interested employer to contact you about employment opportunities.

Please note that the EOI is not considered a visa application. It only indicates that you would like a skilled visa.

Can you tell me what skills point based migration is?

This program is for business professionals or migrants who are considered skilled workers. It is not for anyone who is sponsored by an employer, but it is for people who have skills that are desirable in the Australian workforce.

Can You Explain Skills Select?

This online service allows people that are interested in going to Australia to work to identify themselves as skilled workers. They can file an Expression of Interest and make the government and various employers aware of their qualifications and interest in migrating. Those who meet the requirements for eligibility may be invited by the government to file an application for a visa.

If I have been given a student visa, will I be able to work in Australia before my courses begin?

No, you may only begin work once your courses have started. If there are any family members that are part of your visa, they too can only work once your courses have begun.

Can I apply for my first student visa while visiting Australia?

Your ability to apply for a visa from inside the country will depend on your Assessment level. Level 1 applicants can apply either from outside or inside Australia. Levels 2-4 have to make their first application from outside Australia.

Are international students allowed to enrol part time?

No, only full-time students will be allowed to apply for a student visa in Australia.

Can I choose the school I enrol at?

You will need to be accepted for full-time study before you can apply for any student visa. Only students with registered courses will be eligible. A registered course is any training or educational course that an Australian educator provides that has been approved by the CRICOS (the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students)

Will I need to be covered by health insurance as an overseas student?

Yes, every international student is required to be covered adequately with health insurance, unless their own country provides that coverage for them.

Which subclass do I apply with?

The student visa subclass you should apply under will depend on the kind of study you will be engaging in. We can help you determine which subclass to register under.

How long will my overseas health coverage last for?

This coverage extends to the entire length of your visa, and visas are only granted up until the end of the coverage.

Will I be allowed to work while I study?

You and any family members who accompany you are permitted to work for up to 40 hours per fortnight. This only applies to when your courses are in session, and when it is out of session, you may work as much as you like.

How do I determine my assessment level?

Your assessment level is determined by the passport you hold.

Can you tell me what a CoE is?

A confirmation of enrolment, or CoE, is required to apply for a student visa. You will receive this from the registered training organisation within Australia.

What is required to study in Australia?

There are minimum academic requirements that any visa applicant must meet. Applicants will also need to have achieved a reasonable level of English language proficiency. In many cases, institutions will assess the individual in question and determine whether they meet the criteria for migration. They will examine the studies and level of education already completed in your home country or that you have completed in Australia.



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