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Visa and skills overview – South Africans who want to immigrate to Australia

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If you’ve emigrated or are planning on moving abroad, you’ll undoubtedly want to know what the visa requirements are and whether or not your skills will secure a job abroad. We take a look at one of the most popular countries for South African emigrants – Australia.

South Africans moving to Australia – about skills and visas

Visa types

There are quite a few visa options available to foreigners, and the visa you apply for and use will depend on your individual needs, your activities in the country and your length of stay.

The visas available to foreigners include:

  1. Carer visa (subclass 116):
    for individuals who need to move to Australia to take care of a relative due to long-term or permanent medical conditions
  2. Temporary work skilled visa (subclass 457):
    for skilled workers who will work in their nominated occupation for an approved sponsor up to 4 years.
  3. Electronic travel authority (subclass 601):
    for individuals who want to visit Australia for business purposes for up to three months over a period of one year.
  4. Skilled independent visa (subclass 189):
    for individuals who are not sponsored or nominated but qualify for work and residence due to their points-test score.
  5. Partner (provisional) visa (subclass 309) and Partner (migrant) visa (subclass 100):
    for spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens to travel and live in Australia.
  6. eVisitor (subclass 651):
    for people wishing to conduct business in Australia for up to three months at a time over 12-months.
  7. Visitor visa (subclass 600):
    for individuals who want to visit Australia for work or leisure purposes for up to three, six or 12 months.
  8. Business innovation and investment (permanent) visa (subclass 888):
    for individuals who want to own and manage a business, continue their business and investment activity or continue entrepreneurial activity in Asutralia.
  9. Resident return visa (subclasses 155 and 157):
    for current or former Australian permanent residents and former Australian citizens.
  10. Working holiday visa (subclass 417):
    for young people who want to attend working holidays for up to 12 months.
  11. Prospective marriage visa (subclass 300):
    for individuals who want to visit Australia to marry their prospective spouse.
  12. Work and holiday visa (subclass 462):
    for young people who want to work and holiday in Australia for up to 12 months.
  13. Training visa (subclass 407):
    for people who need to attend workplace-based training to enhance their skills, study or expertise and those who want to participate in professional development training in Australia.
  14. Medical treatment visa (subclass 602):
    for those who need to visit Australia for medical treatment or consultations, to support others who need such treatment or to donate an organ.
  15. Partner visa (subclasses 820 and 801):
    for spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens.
  16. Temporary activity visa (subclass 408):
    for individuals who want to visit Australia temporarily to work in entertainment, participate in events by Australian organisations, participate or observe research, work under a staff-exchange arrangement, participate in sports competitions or training, do full-time religious work, be employed as a superyacht crew member, do domestic work for senior foreign executives, participate in government events.
  17. Business talent (permanent) visa (subclass 132):
    for individuals with significant business history or venture capital entrepreneurs who want to continue their business in Australia.
  18. Temporary work (short stay specialist) visa (subclass 400):
    for individuals who want to do short-term, specialised work in Australia.
  19. Business innovation and investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188):
    for individuals who own and manage businesses in Australia, conduct business and investment activity in Australia or undertake entrepreneurial activity in Australia.
  20. Temporary graduate visa (subclass 485):
    for international students who have recently graduated from Australian institutions.
  21. Special category visa (subclass 444):
    for New Zealand citizens who want to visit, study and work in Australia.
  22. Student visa (subclass 500):
    for individuals who want to study full-time in Australia.
  23. Aged dependent relative visa (subclass 114):
    for older people who rely on eligible Australian citizens for financial support.
  24. Contributory parent visa (subclass 143):
    for parents of children who are Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens who have settled in Australia.
  25. Contributory parent (temporary) visa (subclass 173): for parents of children who are Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens who have settled in Australia who are visiting up to two years.
  26. Remaining relative visa (subclass 115):
    for individuals whose only close remaining relatives reside in Australia.
  27. Parent visa (subclass 103):
    for parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens. (This visa can take up to 30 years to approve).
  28. Adoption visa (subclass 102):
    for adoptive children entering Australia from other countries to live with their Australian adoptive parents.
  29. Former resident visa (subclass 151):
    for former permanent residents and people who have served on the Australian Defence Force.
  30. Orphan relative visa (subclass 117):
    for orphaned children who need to relocate permanently to Australia to live with a sponsoring relative.
  31. Child visa (subclass 101):
    for children living outside Australia who want to live with their parents in Australia.
  32. Global special humanitarian visa (subclass 202): for people who want to live, work and study in Australia or sponsor people for permanent residence.
  33. Employer nomination scheme (subclass 186):
    for skilled workers who want to work in Australia under the temporary residence transition stream, direct entry stream or agreement stream.
  34. Skilled nominated visa (subclass 190):
    for points-tested skilled workers nominated by a state or territory government agency.
  35. Refugee visa (subclass 200):
    for refugees who want to stay indefinitely in Australia.
  36. In-country special humanitarian visa (subclass 201):
    for refugees who want to live, work and study in Australia who enter Australia from their home country and are being persecuted.
  37. Distinguished talent visa (subclass 124):
    for individuals who excel at a certain skill or talent such with exceptional achievements in their profession, sport, arts, academia and research.
  38. Woman at risk visa (subclass 204):
    for women who live outside their home countries without male protection who are in danger of victimisation, harassment or serious abuse due to their gender.
  39. Regional sponsored migration scheme visa (subclass 187):
    for skilled workers who want to work in regional Australia under the temporary residence transition stream, direct entry stream or agreement scheme who have been nominated by an Australian employer. Must be under 50 years, meet skills qualifications and not apply in Gold Coast, Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong or Melbourne.
  40. Emergency rescue visa (subclass 203):
    for individuals who are subject to persecution in their home country and have an urgent and compelling need to travel to Australia.
  41. Temporary work (international relations) visa (subclass 403):
    for temporary visitors who visit Australia in relation to a Government Agreement stream, to represent a foreign government, teach a foreign language, do domestic work for a diplomat, due to having statutory privileges and immunities or to participate in seasonal work.
  42. Investor retirement visa (subclass 405):
    for retirees who meet minimum income requirements, have no dependents and want to retire in Australia
  43. Dependent child visa (subclass 445):
    for children who need to travel to and from or stay in Australia until their parent’s permanent partner visa is finalised.
  44. New Zealand citizen family relationship (temporary) visa (subclass 461):
    for non-New Zealand family members of New Zealand citizens to live and work in Australia for up to five years.
  45. Skilled-recognised graduate visa (subclass 476):
    for recent engineering graduates or recognised institutions to gain up to 18 months skilled work experience. Must be under 31 years of age.
  46. Skilled regional (provisional) visa (subclass 489):
    for skilled workers to move to specified regions of Australia for up to four years under the invited pathway, extended stay pathway or family members of individuals with subclass 489, 475, 487, 495 or 496 visas.
  47. Transit visa (subclass 771).
    for individuals and dependent children who need to transit through Australia for no longer than 72 hours.
  48. Child visa (subclass 802):
    for children sponsored by eligible parents who want to stay in Australia.
  49. Aged parent visa (subclass 804):
    for older parents already in Australia of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand residents who have settled in Australia.
  50. Remaining relative visa (subclass 835):
    for sponsored individuals who are already in Australia and whose only near relative live in Australia, are Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens.
  51. Carer visa (subclass 836):
    for individuals who have relatives requiring long-term or permanent medical care in Australia and have arranged an assessment with Bupa Medical Visa Services.
  52. Orphan relative visa (subclass 837):
    for children who need to live with their sponsoring relative in Australia permanently.
  53. Aged dependent relative visa (subclass 838):
    for older people who rely on Australian relatives for financial support.
  54. Distinguished talent visa (subclass 858):
    for individuals of distinguished talent who want to get permanent residency for outstanding achievements in their profession, sport, the arts, academia and research.
  55. Business owner visa (subclass 890):
    for individuals with a provisional business visa who have managed business in Australia for two years.
  56. Investor visa (subclass 891):
    for individuals with an investor (provisional)(subclass 162) visa with a designated investment of AUD $1 500 000 for four years.
  57. Skilled regional visa (subclass 887):
    for people who have lived and worked in specified areas of regional Australia and hold skilled subclass 489, 495, 496, 475 or 487 visas.
  58. Contributory aged parent (temporary) visa (subclass 884):
    for older parents want to live in Australia for up to two years of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens.
  59. Contributory aged parent visa (subclass 864):
    for older parents of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens
  60. Protection visa (subclass 866):
    for individuals who engage Australia’s protection obligations and did not arrive in Australia as illegal maritime arrival or unauthorised air arrival.
  61. State/territory sponsored business owner visa (subclass 892):
    for individuals with qualifying provisional visas who are sponsored by a state or territory authority.
  62. State/territory sponsored investor visa (subclass 893):
    for individuals with a state/territory sponsored investor (provisional) (subclass 165) visa who have held designated investments of AUD 750 000 in Australia for four years.
  63. Maritime crew visa (subclass 988):
    for crew or parent or dependent child of crew member of non-military ships on international voyages who enter Australia by sea.
  64. Temporary protection visa (subclass 785):
    for people who arrived in Australia illegally and are invited to apply for temporary protection visas having lodged a valid Form 866 and been assessed as engaging in Australia’s protection obligations.
  65. Safe haven enterprise visa (subclass 790):
    for people who entered Australia illegally and have been invited to apply for a Safe Haven Enterprise visa having lodged a valid Form 790.
  66. Student guardian visa (subclass 590):
    for guardians of international students younger than 18 years studying in Australia on a student visa.

Australian migration skilled points test

If you want to immigrate under a skilled immigration subclass, you will need to score a minimum number of points (60 minimum for skilled visas, subclasses 189, 190 and 489) on the immigration points test.

Points are rewarded for answers relating to:

Points are calculated as follows:

Skilled occupation list

The following jobs currently qualify as skilled occupations in Australia:

If your job is not on the list above, you can choose your position from the Australian Consolidated Sponsored Occupation (CSOL) list if you are applying for skilled migration via nomination by a State or Territory Government.

CSOL includes:

Need help with your finances?

We hope the pointers above will make the immigration process to Australia a bit easier. If you need help with other aspects of your migration, such as forex, retirement annuity transfer or policy changes, feel free to contact finglobal.com for a no-obligation consultation. Just leave your details below.
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