Skills In Demand Visa
The new Skills in Demand Visa is designed to address Australia’s critical skill shortages. The visa allows employers to sponsor overseas workers for in-demand roles while providing migrants with a clear and accessible pathways to permanent residency.
Key highlights of the SID Visa include:
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- Work Experience Adjustment: SID visa applicants only require 1 year of relevant work experience to be eligible for the visa, compared to the 2 years required under the TSS Visa.
- Extended Stay Duration: Most SID visa holders can stay for up to 4 years.
- Direct Pathway to Permanent Residency: All the SID Visa pathways lead to the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 Visa.
- Consistent English Language Requirements with the previous TSS medium-term stream
VISA PATHWAYS
The SID Visa offers three distinct streams tailored to different employment conditions:
Specialist Skills Stream:
- For high-income earners (AUD 135,000+ annually); and
- in any occupation in the ANZSCO 2022
- except ANZSCO Major Group levels 3, 7 and 8 (trade workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers)
Core Skills Stream:
- For workers earning the Core Skills Income Threshold of AUD73,150 (indexed annually)
- Applicant’s occupations must be listed on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).
Labour Agreement Stream:
- For workers nominated under employer Labour Agreements with the government.
- This stream will transition to the “Essential Skills” stream in the future (currently under development)
VISA ELIGIBILITY CRITIERON
To qualify for the SID Visa, applicants must meet specific criteria based on their chosen pathway. Here’s a summary:
Requirement | Core Skills Stream | Specialist Skills Stream | Labour Agreement Stream |
Age Requirement | No age requirement | No age requirement | As per the Labour Agreement |
Employer Sponsorship | Required | Required | Required |
Income Threshold | AUD 73,150 | AUD 135,000 | As per the Labour Agreement |
Occupation | Must be listed on CSOL | Skilled sectors (excludes ANZSCO Major Group levels 3, 7 and 8 (trade workers, machinery operators, drivers and labourers) | As defined in the Labour Agreement |
Work Experience | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year |
Other Conditions | Must meet health and character criteria | Must meet health and character criteria | Must meet health and character criteria |
MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SID AND TSS PATHWAYS
The SID brings simpler processes and fewer requirements compared to the TSS Visa. Here’s a quick comparison of the key changes:
Below s a comparison of key changes:
Feature | TSS Visa | SID Visa |
Work Experience Requirement | Minimum 2 years | Minimum 1 year |
Stay Duration | 2–4 years, depending on occupation | Up to 4 years |
Pathway to PR | Limited | All streams lead to PR |
Income Threshold | AUD 73,150 (TSMIT) | AUD 73,150 (Core Skills Stream) |
Occupation List | Multiple lists | Single Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) |
PATHWAYS TO PERMANENT RESDIENCY
All SID Visa holders have a clear pathway to permanent residency through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Subclass 186 – Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream.
WHAT IS THE SUBCLASS 186 – TRT STREAM?
This pathway allows skilled workers employed full-time for at least 2 years under a subclass 457, TSS, or SID Visa and nominated by an Australian employer to apply for permanent residency.
BENEFITS OF SUBCLASS 186 – TRT STREAM
- Reduced Work Experience Requirement: Applicants only need 2 years of work experience to qualify, compared to the 3 years previously required under the TSS Visa.
- Flexibility in Work Experience: All periods of sponsored employment under subclass 457, 482, or SID visas count toward the 2-year requirement, even if the applicant has worked for multiple sponsoring employers.
How Does This Work in Practice?
For example:
- If you worked under a subclass 482 visa for 1 year with Employer A and then switched to Employer B under a SID Visa, both periods of employment will count toward the 2-year requirement for your Subclass 186 – TRT visa application.
The above new arrangement will allow a smoother transition for skilled workers aiming for permanent residency in Australia.
CORE SKILLS OCCUPATION LIST (CSOL)
The Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) simplifies skilled migration by replacing the three separate occupation lists under the TSS Visa.
What’s New?
- More Occupations: The new CSOL will have 456 eligible occupations (an increase of 189 new roles in key sectors from previous TSS visa occupation lists), addressing critical skill shortages.
- Expanded Pathway to PR: Occupations on the CSOL are eligible for the SID Visa’s Core Skills Stream and Subclass 186 Direct Entry Stream, which offers a direct route to permanent residency.
- Caveat 14: Some occupations in the CSOL will be subjected to caveats.
TRANSITION FOR TSS APPLICATIONS
Applications for the TSS visa closed on 6th December 2024 – here’s how the transition from TSS to SID visa will work:
- For all TSS nominations and visa applications submitted before 7 December 2024: the visa will be processed according to the rules applied at the time.
If an employer lodged a TSS nomination but didn’t submit a TSS visa application by 7 December 2024: If the nomination is approved, the approved nomination will automatically
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If you’re ready to explore your options with the Skills in Demand (SID) Visa or need guidance on your pathway to permanent residency, we are here to help.
We’ll simplify the process, answer your questions, and provide tailored advice to your circumstances.
Contact us today and take the first step towards securing your future in Australia!
Author
Joshua Ferreira is from Portuguese and New Zealand heritage and his family is also based in Far North Queensland.
Qualifications
Joshua studied business at James Cook University, graduating with a Bachelor in Business and completed a post-graduate course in migration law at Australian National University in 2012. In the same year, he became a registered migration agent with OMARA, operating under registration number 1276739.
Professional Experience
A registered migration agent with more than 8 years of professional experience, Joshua was instrumental in the development of the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) and also focuses assisting partner and family visa applicants to obtain permanent residency in Australia.
Expertise
Employer Sponsorship, Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA), Partner and Family Visas