Current Skill Migration/ School Sector Visas/ Parent Visas/ Spouse Visas/ Visit Visas/Business Visas

What are the opportunities for skilled immigrants to enter Australia?

Australia has a continuing skill migration program, people with technical knowledge and skilled employees are welcome to Australia to actively contribute to the workforce of the country. Australian economy requires new people who are skilled to continue the economic growth and economic sustainability.

Who qualifies as skilled migrants?

People of the right age, with degree qualifications, recognized diplomas and trade qualifications and /or people who have continuous experience in a particular field along with the ability to comply with the required level of English will qualify for the skill migration process.

What occupations will have higher demand?

Specially Engineering professionals, IT Professionals, Chefs and Motor Mechanics will have higher demand in comparison to other occupations. We have experienced many clients in these fields securing PR through the skill migration program. However, if a person of any other profession is having the right exposure intends to migrate through skill migration, we are willing to support such professionals first by doing an eligibility test and letting them know what options are available for them and where they stand. However, even if the demand for a particular occupation is relatively low, the right type of sponsorship coming either from an employer or a state could accommodate such a person towards success.

Is there any way that the English requirement can be evaded?

Certainly, People who hold British, Canadian, Irish, US or New Zealand passports are exempted from complying the English requirement. Otherwise, any applicant from any part of the world will require to complete either IELTS or an alternative English examination result to be able to lodge their expression of Interest.

Can someone apply for skill migration independently?

Of course, they can make an application on their own, there is no government restriction that mandates you to have an agent or a lawyer to make most of the applications.

Then what would an immigration lawyer be there for?

Well the skill migration process is not simple as it looks on the website, it requires professional advise on a constructive approach looking at it on a case by case basis. The correct advise comes with years of experience doing applications of varying statuses, ability to efficiently provide legal solutions in calculated circumstances and professionally liaising with the assessment and home affairs department. We have come across a few applicants who have obtained negative assessments and /or in messy situations as a result of submitting applications with less or little knowledge. The tragedy is such clients not only lose their money but the opportunity to make a successful application in future.

How Long has Australia Gateway been in profession and what does it do?

Australia Gateway is recognised as a top tier Australian immigration Legal Advisory established in 2003 in Sri Lanka servicing clients in Sri Lanka and furthering its increasing global clientele in Australian Migration.

Australia Gateway is the Sri Lankan office of FAIRFIELDS LAWYERS a specialist immigration law firm in Melbourne Australia established in 1999. Don Susantha Katugampala, the Founder, Chairman, Accredited Immigration Law Specialist, and the Principal Lawyer of both FAIRFIELDS LAWYERS & AUSTRALIA GATEWAY, along with a team of Lawyers & expert consultants facilitated thousands of individuals and families to Migrate to Australia through various types of visas.

There has been a discussion among public that the quota for skill migration has been reduced. Is this true?

As any other country in the world Australia has decided to restrict the overseas migration intake and now it has come only 50% overseas. The state government and the Federal government are negotiating their quota in relation to occupation list and their migration program for the financial year. If you intend to apply for skill migration and have you got the positive skill assessment right English test results, work experience, then you can apply for your migration to secure your visa in Australia.

But yet the actual migration programs offer more opportunities for people with highly demanded occupations.

Is there any opportunity for students to have education in Australia?

Yes, there is a visa category called school sector Visas where students in Sri Lanka between the age category 7 years 7 to 16 years to apply to go to school in Australia with either their mother /father or guardian. This way a Sri Lankan citizen can let their children benefit from the Australian education system which is the third in the world, with a quality index of 70.5.

Is Australia considerate on the fact that families have to be untied?

Of course, If there are any parents in Sri Lanka with their children living in Australia, we can apply for parent visa and if the husband or wife is in Australia we can apply for spouse Visa and furthermore visit visa can be arranged for any person who intends to visit the country or wants to visit relatives. There will be a few prerequisites for each of the mentioned visas based on the circumstance which we would be happy to work with you in providing the right guidance.