Immigration SA in Australia introduces changes to General Skilled Migration program

In view of the Coronavirus pandemic that has affected many countries including Australia, Immigration SA which is a State Government agency and is part of the newly formed Department for Innovation and Skills and is responsible for skilled and business migration to South Australia has announced changes to the General Skilled Migration program in South Australia.

Immigration SA works with the Australian government to bring in eligible skilled and business migrants through visa programs that are state nominated. State nomination acts as a pathway to permanent residency in South Australia.

Here is a list of changes introduced by Immigration SA in certain visa programs. The changes are intended to help the state governments in South Australia respond to the COVID-19 crisis more effectively. The change will prioritize the visa nomination and processing of health and medical professionals whose services are most required when dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic. The changes effectively reduce the work experience requirements for these professionals.

International graduates of South Australia - medical and health professionals:

Medical and health professionals who have graduated from a university in South Australia and are working in their nominated or closely related occupation will be exempt from the three-month work experience requirement. Applicants who want this work experience requirement will only be eligible for nomination for the provisional 491 visa nomination.

Applicants who are currently working as a medical or health professional in South Australia:

Medical and health professionals who are currently living and working in South Australia in a nominated or an occupation closely related to their occupation will be exempted from the region’s current work experience requirements. But they will be eligible only for a provisional 491 visa nomination.

Medical and health professionals who are working in a nominated or closely related occupation in South Australia require a minimum of 65 points including nomination points from the state and competent English.

The five-year work experience requirement for registered nurses working in an occupation or closely related occupation in South Australia has been removed.

Medical and health professionals with Subclass 190 nomination eligibility:

Medical and health professionals who are working for the past 12 months in a nominated occupation or an occupation closely related to their profession will be eligible for a permanent visa under Subclass 190.

Priority processing:

The visa processing of health and medical professionals will get priority processing keeping in view of their critical requirement during this pandemic.

The changes listed above will be effective for state nomination applications submitted after March 27, 2020.

The Coronavirus pandemic has put the focus on the requirement for healthcare and medical professionals in Australia and the recent changes introduced by Immigration SA is a step in the right direction.