Migration guide: Immigrating to Australia from South Africa in 2021

Are you in South Africa and willing to migrate to Australia? Let’s check out how to do that in 2021. Australia immigration and the prospects to work in Australia and settle there are very much available for you. Just learn about the pathways and processes and you are good enough to decide how to get to this amazing country.

Subclasses for Permanent Residency in Australia

• Subclass 132 - Business talent visa
• Subclass 891 - The Investor visa
• Subclass 890 - Business visa
• Subclass 491 - Skilled work regional visa
• Subclass 190 - Skilled nominated visa
• Subclass 189 - Skilled independent visa
• Parent visa
• Partner visa
• Child visa

Here are the steps involved in the process of getting permanent residence in Australia:

• Choose the right visa category to apply for by taking the help of an expert immigration agent
• Cross-check if you are eligible for the visa sub-category selected
• Keep the required documents ready in digital form for submission which again depends on the type of visa you are going for
• File an application for the visa online
• Be patient and wait for the decision on your visa application, which can take from weeks to months
• Upon getting approved, procure your visa

Some steps to improve your chances to get an Australian PR visa

• Pursue a higher education
• Refine your English language skills
• Check your age
• Apply with your partner
• Gain a remarkable employment experience

Eligibility criteria for immigration to Australia

• The candidate must be in the age range of 18 to 50 years.
• The candidate mustn’t have any kind of criminal record in the past or present.
• The candidate must have sufficient language skills and must have a proof for it (E.g., an IELTS scorecard).
• The candidate must have an overseas degree or work experience which will give him/her an added advantage to increase the chances of immigration to Australia.
• The candidate mustn’t have health issues of any kind.

Different types of Australian visa

GSM visa

The GSM (General Skilled Migration) visa lets talented people migrate and live in Australia. The main features of the visa are as follows:

• Skilled workers, investors, and business professionals from across the world can immigrate to Australia.
• No sponsorship from any Australian state or territory is necessary.
• GSM visa holders can sponsor their family members for Australian PR.
• GSM visa holders can utilize Australia’s medicare facilities.

Employer-Sponsored visa

Australian employers can sponsor skilled talents to move to Australia and meet their business requirements.

Visitor visa

With this visa, foreign citizens can visit and stay in Australia for up to 12 months’ time. The visa can be used for vacation or to meet family members in Australia.

Partner visa

This visa lets the spouse or partner of an Australian citizen, an eligible New Zealand citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia migrate to Australia. Its 2 subclasses are Subclass 820 (temporary) and Subclass 801 (permanent).

Parent visa

With this visa, an Australian citizen, an eligible New Zealand citizen, or Australian PR can bring their parents to Australia. The 6 sub-classes of this visa are:

• Parent visa subclass 173
• Parent visa subclass 143
• Parent visa subclass 804
• Parent visa subclass 103

Temporary Activity visa

This visa lets individuals arrive in Australia and meet a temporary purpose or do a short-term activity. E.g., cultural programs, sports, academic projects, etc.

Protection visa 866

This visa is meant for those who need protection from nationality, religion, race, and political issues in their home country. It’s a valid visa with which they can enter Australia whereafter they can live freely and work anywhere in the country. The medical benefits offered by the government are also accessible to these visa holders.

Business & Investment visas

Individuals intending to establish and run a business in Australia can use this visa. The visa’s major sub-classes are:

• Subclass 457 - Business visa
• Subclass 188 & 888 - Business innovation & investment visa
• Subclass 132 - Business talent visa

Different types of Australian PR visas

Subclass 189 – Skilled Independent visa

This visa is a points-based visa meant for skilled professionals to immigrate to Australia. It’s a non-sponsored visa.

Subclass 190 – Skilled Nominated visa

Similar to Subclass 189, the only difference is that sponsorship is required for this visa. The candidate must be nominated by the government of any Australian state or territory so that he/she gets Australian PR.

Subclass 489 – Skilled Nominated or Sponsored Provisional visa

This is a 4-year visa that lets talented professionals live and work in a specific area or territory in Australia. This visa isn’t available for new applicants and is now replaced by Subclass 491 visa.

Subclass 186 – Employer Nomination Scheme visa

It’s a permanent resident visa with which applicants possessing a specific set of skills could immigrate to Australia. The applicant will possess a certain skill as desired by the Australian employer who nominates this candidate. The 3 streams associated with this visa are the labor agreement stream, direct entry stream, and temporary residence transition stream.

Subclass 188 - Business Innovation & Investment Provisional visa

This is a temporary visa. It provides skilled business owners the opportunity to migrate to Australia and start their business activities in the country. The candidate can apply for permanent residence if he/she wishes to continues stay after staying in Australia for 4 years on this visa.

Subclass 457 – Australia Shortage Work visa

A visa that requires the applicant to be sponsored by an Australian employer is a popular choice for skilled individuals willing to work in Australia. The candidate will however have the right to work only for the sponsoring employer.

Subclass 888 – Business Innovation & Investment Residence visa

This is a permanent residence visa meant for business owners who already hold a Subclass 188 visa. The Subclass 888 visa comes in handy for them when they want to continue living and doing business in Australia.

Subclass 132 – Business Talent Migrant visa

This visa is for professionals with sufficient funds and is looking to start a business in Australia. The applicant will need a nomination from the government of an Australian state or territory. The candidate must also meet the requirements for health and character to get the visa.