Immigration
Points-tested skilled migration through SkillSelect invitations
A points-tested skilled migration system under the Migration Act 1958, run almost entirely through the online SkillSelect expression-of-interest process. Nearly every visa class is capped and invitation-based rather than first-come.
Key rules
- Deadline — Skilled visa application must be lodged within 60 days of an invitation to apply
- Deadline — Citizenship by conferral generally requires four years' lawful residence including 12 months as a permanent resident
Governing law
- Migration Act 1958 (Cth) (s. 65)
- Migration Regulations 1994
- Australian Citizenship Act 2007
In practice
Skilled migration runs through SkillSelect: a candidate lodges an expression of interest, is scored against the points test (age, English, skilled employment, qualifications, state nomination) and waits for an invitation. Points are necessary but not sufficient — invitations are issued against occupation ceilings, so a passing score in an oversubscribed occupation may never be invited. Employer-sponsored routes require the employer to be an approved sponsor and to satisfy labour market testing. Decisions are reviewable by the Administrative Review Tribunal, which replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in October 2024, and there is a strict statutory time limit for seeking review.