Family Sponsored Migration

What is the Family Sponsored Skilled Migration visa?

Your application to migrate / stay permanently in Australia will have a greater chance of success if you or your spouse have a relative in Australia who is willing to sponsor you and provide financial support.

There are six categories under which you can apply for a Family Sponsored Skilled visa:

• Skilled - Designated Area Sponsored: under this category, a close relative, who lives in certain areas in Australia, must sponsor you. While you do not have to pass the Points test, you or your spouse must still satisfy the basic requirements of age, English language, qualifications, nominated occupation and recent work experience.

• Skilled - Onshore Designated Area Sponsored New Zealand Citizen: This is similar to the Skilled - Designated Area Sponsored visa category but is only available to New Zealand citizens in Australia wishing to apply for permanent residence under this category.

• Skilled - Designated Area Sponsored Overseas Student in Australia: This is similar to the Skilled - Designated Area Sponsored visa category but is only available to eligible overseas students in Australia.

• Skilled - Australian Sponsored: this category is designed for potential skilled migrants whose sponsor lives outside designated areas. You or your spouse must satisfy the basic requirements and pass the points tests.

• Skilled - Onshore Australian Sponsored New Zealand Citizen: this category is similar to the Skilled Australian Sponsored visa category but is only available to New Zealand citizens in Australia wishing to apply for permanent residence under this category.

• Skilled - Onshore Australian Sponsored Overseas Student in Australia: this category is similar to the Skilled - Australian Sponsored visa category but is only available to eligible overseas students in Australia wishing to apply for permanent residence under this category.

Complete details of the categories are contained in the Migration Booklet 6 General Skilled Migration.

See also:
Family Sponsored Categories

What are the basic requirements for a Family Sponsored Skilled Migration visa?

To apply for a Family Sponsored Skilled visa to enter / stay in Australia you, or your spouse, must be able to satisfy basic requirements:

• be under 45 when you apply;

• have sufficient ability in the English language for working in Australia;

• have post-secondary (such as university or trade) qualifications;

• your skills must have been assessed by the relevant assessing authority as suitable for your nominated occupation before you apply;

• nominate an occupation which fits your skills and qualifications when you apply. Your nominated occupation must be on the Skilled Occupations List (SOL). If your nominated occupation is not on the list, you cannot apply;

• If your nominated occupation is worth:

  • 60 points: you must have been in paid employment in any skilled occupation on the SOL for at least 12 of the 18 months before applying;

  • 40 or 50 points: you must have been in paid employment in any skilled occupation on the SOL for at least two of the three years before applying;

  You do not need to meet the work experience requirement if you have completed an Australian post-secondary qualification less than 6 months before lodging your visa application.

• be sponsored by a close family member, living in Australia, who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Complete details of the requirements are contained in the Migration Booklet 6 General Skilled Migration. If you are not able to satisfy these basic requirements, you should NOT continue with a Family Sponsored Skilled Migration application.

Please note: New Zealand citizens and Overseas Students in Australia wishing to apply for an onshore Skilled Migration visa must be physically in Australia before they can lodge a valid application. An application sent from overseas cannot be accepted.

For all applicants, both inside and outside Australia - You MUST lodge your application with the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre. An application sent to the wrong address or to an overseas mission or office will be returned to the sender.

See also:
FAQ - Where do I lodge an application for a General Skilled Migration visa?
FAQ - How do I pay the visa application charge?

Who can sponsor my Skilled Migration application?

Applications for a skilled migration visa may have a greater chance of success if you or your spouse, are sponsored by a close relative who is:

• a non-dependent child - includes natural, adopted or stepchildren; or

  • a parent; or

  • a brother or sister - includes adoptive and step brothers and sisters; or

  • a niece or nephew - includes adoptive and step nieces and nephews;

• living in Australia;
• an Australian citizen or permanent resident;
• living in a designated area of Australia (if applying under a Designated Area sponsored category);
• prepared to sponsor your application;
• prepared to provide support for your first two years in Australia, including accommodation and financial assistance as required; and
• willing to arrange an Assurance of Support.

Even if you have a relative in Australia who is willing to sponsor you, you can still choose to apply as an independent (your chance of success may be less but you do not need an Assurance of Support).

Does my sponsor live in a designated area of Australia?

If you apply under one of the Designated Area Sponsored visa categories your sponsor must live in a designated areas.

For a list of designated areas see: Skilled - Designated Area Sponsored

You must also provide proof of your relationship to the sponsor, and obtain an Assurance of Support. While you do not have to pass the points test under this category, you or your spouse must still satisfy the basic requirements of age, English language, qualifications, nominated occupation and recent work experience.

How do I apply for a Family Sponsored Skilled Migration visa?

Migration Booklet 6 General Skilled Migration contains information on applying for a Family Sponsored Skilled Migration visa. It includes the application forms, sponsorship information, lists the basic requirements that must be met and provides a checklist of supporting documents. The booklet is designed so that you can understand the process of applying for a Family Sponsored Skilled Migration visa, and complete the application form with minimal, if any, help.

You are able to purchase this booklet:

• online:

• in Australia: by telephoning the general inquiry number 131 881; or

• overseas: by contacting your nearest Australian diplomatic office.

When you lodge your application you must ensure that your application is complete, that is:

• application form is signed and every question is answered, in English;

• visa application charge is included. See: Immigration Costs - Information

• supporting documents are attached. It is in your interest to support your application with as much information as possible at the time you apply. A decision may be made on the information you provide at time of application.

Mail or courier your application to the Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre. Note: an application sent to any other address will be returned to the sender.

See also:
FAQ - Where do I lodge an application for a General Skilled Migration visa?
FAQ - How do I pay the visa application charge?

Will I need to pass the Points Test?

If you apply to migrate to Australia under the Skilled-Australian Sponsored category you need to pass the Points test.

If you apply to migrate to Australia under the Skilled-Designated Area Sponsored category you are not points tested, but instead are assessed against threshold criteria only. You should also note that some criteria in these categories have lower thresholds than the points tested ones.

See also:
Points Test

How do I apply to sponsor a skilled family member to live permanently in Australia?

Complete details of the requirements are contained in Migration Booklet 6 General Skilled Migration. It includes the application forms, sponsorship information, lists the basic requirements that must be met and provides a checklist of supporting documents. The booklet is designed so that you can understand the process of sponsoring a relative for a permanent visa for Australia, and complete the application form with minimal, if any, help.

You are able to purchase the migration booklet:

• online

• in Australia: by telephoning the general inquiry number 131 881; or

• overseas: by contacting your nearest Australian diplomatic office.

If you are satisfied that you are eligible to sponsor a relative, complete Application Form 40 Sponsorship for Migration to Australia, which is valid for two years from the time it is signed. The sponsorship form must be lodged with your relative's application for migration. You should include evidence of your:

• relationship with the relative;

• citizenship or permanent residency of Australia;

• age;

• residence in a designated area of Australia (if applying under a designated area sponsored category); and

• approved Assurance of Support.

Will I need to provide financial assistance if I sponsor my family member?

The sponsor of a relative applying for a permanent visa for Australia (except for a permanent humanitarian visa) undertakes to provide support for their first two years in Australia, including accommodation and financial assistance as required.

Sponsorship of family members in the skilled categories also requires lodgement of an Assurance of Support (AOS) and payment of a bond. The sponsor and assurer do not have to be the same person.

An Assurance of Support (AOS) is a commitment to provide financial support to the person applying to migrate so that they will not have to rely on any government forms of support. It is a legal commitment by a person to repay the Commonwealth of Australia any recoverable social security payments made to those covered by the assurance.

The Assurance is in force for two years, from the date of the assuree's arrival in Australia or is granted a relevant visa, whichever happens later. It covers the principal applicant and the family members included in the application.

See also:
Assurance of Support

See also:
Fact sheet 24 Skilled Migration to Australia
Fact Sheet 25 Skilled Categories
Fact sheet 34 Assurance of Support
Information form 959i Migrating to Australia - Skill Migration
Information form 1121i Skilled Occupations List
Migration Booklet 6 General Skilled Migration

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