Scientist’s Pathway to Australia

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Scientist’s Pathway to PR

Skills Assessment – Vocational Education and Training Assess (VETASSESS)

Scientist’s Skills Assessment

Requirements

Most science occupations (including all science occupations listed below) are under skill level 1 in ANZSCO (Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations). Under this, applicants must have:

A bachelor degree or higher degree; and
One-year experience in post-graduate employment in the last five years.

Both the degree and the experience must be highly relevant to the nominated occupation.

What does it mean by ‘highly relevant employment’ ?

For employment to be highly relevant, your employment must be;

Paid, meaning volunteer work will not be included; and
Least 20 hours per week; and
Match the tasks usually undertaken by an Australian in a similar occupation.

Tasks include:

Tasks in your employment must match the tasks usually undertaken by an Australian in a similar occupation.

The Skills Assessment authority for Scientist is Vocational Education and Training Assess (VETASSESS).

VETASSESS assess general professional occupations. It is an assessment body that can oversee the skills assessment for the following science occupations:

Life Scientist (General)
Biochemist
Biotechnologist
Botanist
Marine Biologist
Microbiologist
Zoologist
Life Scientists nec
Agricultural Scientist
Environmental Research Scientist
Environmental Scientists nec
Other Spatial Scientist

The below 2 science occupations have a different Skills Assessment authority, being:

Physicist – The Skills Assessment authority for Physicist is both Vocational Education and Training Assess (VETASSESS) and ACPSEM.
Medical Laboratory Scientist – The Skills Assessment authority for Medical Laboratory Scientist is Australian Institute of Medical and Clinical Scientists (AIMS).

Potential PR Pathway

Nearly all of the engineering occupation is on the medium and long-term strategic skills list. This means there are more potential PR visas that you can apply for.

Skilled visas:

Points will be given to you based on the following:

Age
Educational Qualifications
Points for Professional Year
Points for NAATI- Credentialled Community Language
Points for 2 Year Study
Points for English
Points for Regional Study
Points for Work Experience
Points for Specialist Educational Qualifications (STEM)
Points for Partner

How to Apply for your Skills Assessment

• You may obtain further information on how to apply for your ‘Skills Assessment’ via simply clicking on the blue links located on ‘page 8 and 9’ of the APPLICATION GUIDE’ (located in Step 4).

This visa allows you to live, work and study in Australia permanently. It is a points tested visa. The minimum score to apply is 65 points. However, based on the previous round of invitation, you would need to achieve a score of at least 90 points to increase your chance of obtaining an invitation.

Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated Visa

Similar to the Subclass 189 visa, this visa allows you to live, work and study in Australia permanently too. It is also a points tested visa. The minimum points to be eligible to apply is 65 points. For the subclass 190 visa, you must have a state who is willing to nominate you. States have their own occupation list. If registered nurse is on the state occupation list and you meet all the state’s eligibility criteria, you can apply to the state to nominate you.

Subclass 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa

Although this visa is not permanent. It can lead to a permanent visa (Subclass 191 – Skilled Regional Visa). The Subclass 491 visa allows you to live, work and study in a designated regional area of Australia. It is also a points tested visa. The minimum points to be eligible to apply is 65 points. Another criterion of this visa is that you are nominated by a state or sponsored by an eligible relative. To be nominated by the state, you must check the state’s occupation list and meet all the state’s requirements. To be sponsored by your eligible relative, your relative must be a usual resident in a designated regional area of Australia.

Employer Sponsored Visas:

Subclass 494 – Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional Visa)

You can apply for subclass 494 if you have a regional employer who is willing to sponsor you. To be eligible for this visa, you must have at least 3 years of working experience in your nominated occupation and have a relevant skills assessment. With this visa, there is a requirement that you must work for the employer who is sponsoring you.

Subclass 191 -Permanent Residence Skilled Regional Visa

This visa will come into effect on 16 November 2022. It is for people who holds a Subclass 491 visa or Subclass 494 visa who have lived, worked or studied in the designated regional area for at least 3 years with a taxable income at or above $53,900. This visa will allow you to live work and study in Australia permanently.

Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme Visa

If you have an employer who is willing to sponsor you, you may be eligible for a Subclass 186 visa. This visa is permanent and will allow you to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely. To be eligible for this visa, you need to have at least 3 years of working experience in your nominated occupation and a positive skills assessment. Alternatively, if you are a holder of a Subclass 457 or TSS visa, you can apply for Subclass 186 after working for your employer for at least 3 years.