Tasmanian 2021-22 Skilled Migration Program provides more opportunities for Tasmanian graduates and skilled migrants with thousands of permanent residency places available.
Tasmania’s Skilled Migration Program update
November 2021: Quota and application numbers update
Australia sets a maximum number of places for its migration program every year. For 2021 and 2022, a total number of 160,000 places will be available for applications. The Australian Government has provided Tasmania with 3,300 visa places:
1,100 places allocated to the Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)
2,200 places have been allocated to the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
600 of these places will be used for applications carried over from the 2020-21 program year (mostly subclass 491)
Up to 500 places will be set aside for offshore invitation/nomination
Australia is set to focus on retaining skills that are already in the country and bring over people from overseas who can make a critical contribution when restrictions are eased.
Access the Guide for Migration to Australia
Tasmania Skilled Migration Visas
Tasmania has designed its skilled migration program for people who have skills in need by the local employers. The state also welcomes applicants with the capacity to settle in Tasmania through skilled employment in the long term.
If you have qualifications that Tasmania requires, the following visas options are available for you as a skilled migrant:
“Applicants who have completed a two-year program registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) in Tasmania and continue to live in the state can apply for the Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190). Additionally, employment is not a minimum requirement for Tasmanian graduates applying under Category 1.” - Hobart-based migration agent Meera Ganeshkumar in SBS Hindi
Changes to nomination requirements
Tasmania only made minor changes to nomination requirements for the 2021-22 program year. You can find additional information on the Migration Tasmania website. A summary of this information is below:
Tasmanian Graduates (Category 1)
International students who have graduated from a tertiary institution in Tasmania after studying in the state for at least one academic year (40 weeks at a CRICOS registered institution) may be eligible for a state nominated visa.
Employment is not a minimum requirement for the Tasmanian Graduate nomination category. However, applicants with occupation on the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List (PMSOL) or the Tasmanian Skilled Occupations List (TSOL) have a better chance of getting a nomination. In short, the Tasmanian Government particularly values people who have studied or have experience in:
Health
Engineering
Digital
Agri-food
Trades and construction
Community services (including aged and disability care).
Additionally, chances improve for candidates who work in their skilled area for an established company or have run their own firm for at least six months. Further weight is given to people who currently live and work outside Greater Hobart and plan to remain there after nomination.
International Student Graduates guidance page
Working in Tasmania (category 2)
Candidates who have a skills assessment for an occupation on the Tasmanian Skilled Occupation List will be eligible for subclass 491 nomination after working in a related position for a minimum of three months.
A period of industry-based training while working with their employer may demonstrate career growth opportunities for lower-skilled employment or serve as a replacement for current qualifications not available in larger cities.
“Last year, I had applied for a visa in Victoria. But due to the pandemic and lockdowns, Victoria gave preference to applicants from medical backgrounds.” - Mr Patel, who completed his masters in Queensland and intends to apply for the 190 visa after his six-month mandatory stay in Tasmania ends, told SBS Hindi
Tasmania Skilled Visa nomination priorities
For its 2021-22 Skilled Migration Program Tasmania has shared a list of nomination priorities. The state will be giving priority to the following candidates:
Applicants with an employment and a skills assessment related to critical roles*
Applicants with an employment and skills assessment related to the Tasmanian Skilled Occupation List
Candidates in other skilled employment (ANZSCO Skill Level 1-3) with a related skills assessment
New business owners who create work opportunities for the Australian residents
All other eligible applicants who can make a genuine contribution to Tasmania through skilled employment.
Existing candidates who are not in critical roles will be considered only after priority applications.
*What are critical roles?
According to the Government of Tasmania, such roles include:
People contracted by the Tasmanian Government who directly participate in Tasmania’s COVID-19 response
General nursing roles and medical positions with the Tasmanian Health Service
Highly skilled and specialised positions in:
infrastructure engineering (dams, transport logistics planning and maintenance, large-/high-complexity bridges, irrigation schemes)
agriculture (artificial insemination technicians, livestock pregnancy scanners) and
the supply of essential services and goods which would be in jeopardy without the candidate.
Lower skilled positions such as delivery drivers, retail workers, harvest labour and warehouse staff are not considered as critical roles.
Tasmania Skilled Visa nomination process
The Tasmanian Government Department of State Growth nominates applicants for Skilled and Business visas but does not issue them. Visas are issued by the Australian Government. The Department of Home Affairs assesses the visa application and decides to grant or refuse the visa.
The Tasmanian Government allocates places over time and does not use all the quota at once. This allows the state to nominate the best candidates throughout the year. In practice, eligible candidates in the first three priority categories will be approved and nominated on an ongoing basis.
Periodically, other eligible applicants who have sufficiently demonstrated their capacity to contribute to economic recovery will be nominated, according to places available at that time.
Quota and application update – November 2021
As of 1st November 2021:
Around 1,320 applications are yet to be determined
Approximately 360 for visa Subclass 190
Approximately 960 for visa Subclass 491
Receiving around 80-90 new applications per week
No cases have been left from the last program year.
Quota | Nominations | Applications Received |
|---|---|---|
Total - 3,300 | 841 | 1,770 |
Subclass 190 | 273 | 638 |
Subclass 491 | 568 | 1,132 |
Advantages of being nominated for a Skilled Migration Visa
There are several benefits to being nominated for a skilled visa by the Tasmanian Government. In contrast to applying for the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189), you will receive:
Extra points
Successful applicants who are nominated by the state receive additional points to help them meet the 65 points threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs:
+ 5 points for the Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190) + 15 points for the Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
More about Australia’s points system
Faster visa processing
Applicants nominated by the Tasmanian Government receive priority processing by the Department of Home Affairs.
No limit on the number of invitations
Tasmanian state nominations don’t have a limit on the number of invitations per occupation. Once you are nominated in SkillSelect you can immediately apply for a visa.
What is the English Language Requirement?
At a minimum, you are required to have a score of IELTS band 6.0 for your nomination application. That’s for both the Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (subclass 491).
However, if you hold a passport and are citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States of America, or the Republic of Ireland, then you don’t need to provide English language test results. If this exemption applies to you, you must provide a copy of the bio page of your passport.
IELTS for Migration
Is an English language test required as part of the visa nomination application?
Yes, you must provide a copy of your English language test when you apply.
The Government accepts all English language tests which are deemed eligible by the Department of Home Affairs. IELTS is trusted by the Department of Home Affairs.
Book IELTS now
Use IELTS for Migration
Your visa options
If you like the opportunity to live, study or work in Australia, there are many visa options available to you. There is a study visa, skilled, sponsored work visa and business visa. Some of these may lead to Permanent Residency (PR) in Australia.
Your IELTS options
The IELTS Academic test has been developed if you wish to study at university or college as an undergraduate or postgraduate student or if you want to join or gain entry into a professional institution. The IELTS General Training test has been developed to test your every-day, non-academic English.
Immigration and the law
Legislation about immigration changes frequently. It’s important to check the Australian Department of Home Affairs website for changes that may apply to you. If you are interested in Australian student visas, work visas, or looking to migrate permanently, you need to lodge an application with the Australian Government. You may want to consider getting support from a lawyer or migration agent. However, you can also get free advice for student visas.