What this visa lets you do
- Work in Australia for your sponsor for up to 4 years
- Bring eligible family, who can live, study and work in Australia
- Study (without government assistance)
- Travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid
- Apply for permanent residence, if eligible — for example through the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)
Key requirements
- Be nominated for a skilled position by an approved sponsor
- Have the skills, qualifications and employment background to do the job
- Have at least 1 year of relevant work experience in the occupation or a related field (Core Skills stream)
- Complete a skills assessment if one is mandatory for your occupation
- Meet the relevant English language requirements
- Hold adequate health insurance for your whole stay
- Meet health and character requirements
Streams
Core Skills streamFor most skilled occupations nominated by an approved employer.
Specialist Skills streamFor highly skilled specialists.
Labour Agreement streamFor workers nominated by employers who have a labour agreement with the Government.
Your obligations
You must work only in your nominated occupation and only for your sponsor (or, in some cases, an associated entity). You must start work within 90 days of arriving in Australia, or of the grant date if you were granted the visa in Australia. You can't extend this visa — your employer needs to lodge a new nomination and you need to apply for a new visa.
Never pay for sponsorshipAsking for, offering, receiving or providing a benefit in return for visa sponsorship is against the law, and can stop you getting this visa.