Nominating an ICT occupation for Victoria State Sponsorship?

Skilled (Nominated) visa (subclass 190)

On 1 July 2017, Victoria reopened applications for ICT occupations as well as introduced a new application process specifically for those nominating an ICT occupation. Due to the high amount of interest, Victoria now requires that applicants are invited before they can apply for state nomination. However exemptions to this exist and applicants who fulfil certain conditions may be able to apply directly without an invitation. Before we get ahead of ourselves, the ICT occupations that are available for nomination under Victoria’s state migration plan are:

• [135112] ICT Project Manager
• [261111] ICT Business Analyst
• [261112] Systems Analyst
• [261311] Analyst Programmer
• [261312] Developer Programmer
• [261313] Software Engineer
• [261314] Software Tester
• [262111] Database Administrator
• [262112] ICT Security Specialist
• [263111] Computer Network and Systems Engineer

Applying for a Skilled (Nominated) 190 visa requires that the applicant meets both Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) and state requirements.

DIBP Skilled (Nominated) 190 visa requirements

• Be under the age of 45
• At least competent level English
• Nominate an occupation on Victoria’s occupation list
• Suitable skills assessment for nominated occupation
• Minimum score of 60 points on the points test (inclusive of the 5 extra points you get for state sponsorship)
• Meet state nomination requirements
• Committing to living and working in the state for at least the first two years upon your move to Australia should your visa be granted
• Health and character requirements

Victoria’s nomination requirements

• Meet any additional requirements for the nominated occupation
• Have adequate finances to settle in Victoria
• Have a current job offer in Victoria (if applicable)
• Provide a detailed curriculum vitae (CV)

Adequate finances

Whilst it is not necessary to provide evidence of adequate finances, Victoria does provide ballpark figures of what an offshore and onshore applicant should have to settle in Victoria.

Current Job Offer

If the applicant is currently living in another Australian state, the applicant is must have a current job offer in Victoria to apply for state sponsorship. The applicant is to present a current job offer in their nominated occupation. Employment must be:

• For a minimum of 20 hours a week
• Permanent position
• Work must be for at least 6 continuous months

Evidence should be provided in the form of an offer letter of employment which includes the employer’s Australian Business Number (ABN).

If you have a current job offer that is in your nominated ICT occupation, you will benefit in the application process (see application process below).

Detailed curriculum vitae

All ICT occupations have the additional requirement of work experience. As such it is very important to include a curriculum vitae (CV) that is detailed and shows you off in the best light possible. The CV you provide will not quite be the same you would provide to a potential employer. Victoria requires that an applicant’s CV:

• Is 3 to 4 pages long
• Contains detailed descriptions of relevant tasks and responsibilities
• Contains dates of employer (month and year) inclusive of explanations of gaps in employment
• Contains dates of education and training

“You should take the time to ensure your CV is professionally presented, descriptive and provides our assessors and industry advisors with a comprehensive reflection of your skills, work readiness, employment history and work experience.” (from the Victoria Migration website)

Your application will be refused if your CV is too brief or does not include the details required.

Additional requirements for ICT occupations

The ICT occupations that are available for nomination under Victoria’s state migration plan and their additional requirements are:

Read: English Language Proficiency

Work experience

Work experience must be in your ICT nominated occupation and must be post qualification.

Higher English requirement exemption

ICT occupations all have a higher English requirement of a minimum score of 7.0 in each band on IELTS (or equivalent). Exemptions for higher English exist for:

• Applicants who are currently working in their nominated ICT occupation in Victoria and have been in the last 6 months
• International PhD graduates

Applicants still need to meet the minimum English requirements of competent level of English proficiency; minimum score of 6.0 in each band on IELTS (or equivalent).

Application process of ICT occupations

With the huge amount of interest being received, ICT applicants no longer are able to apply directly to the state and must wait for Victoria to invite them to apply. Applicants nominating an ICT occupation on Victoria’s list must indicate their interest for Victorian nomination on their Expression of Interest. Victoria will consider ICT applicants through the SkillSelect pool.

If an applicant is selected, they will receive an email notifying them of such. On receiving the invitation, the applicant has 14 days to submit their application to Victoria. Remember to check your email regularly, included junk email, and be sure to have all your documents ready to go.

If the application to Victoria is successful, the applicant will then receive an invitation from the DIBP to apply for the Skilled (Nominated) 190 visa, for which they have 60 days to submit their application.

If your application is refused, you must wait for six months after the application has been closed before you are eligible to reapply.

Exemptions from this process

This application process is for ICT occupations only. However, if you are an ICT applicant and currently hold an offer of employment in your nominated occupation in Victoria or hold a PhD, you are exempt from this process and can lodge a Victorian visa nomination application directly without first being selected by Victoria

International PHD graduates also have a faster processing time on applications at 2 weeks instead of the standard 12 weeks.

Non – ICT occupations

Applicants nominating non – ICT occupation will still be able to apply directly to Victoria for state sponsorship. Other lists may be available depending on if you are an international graduate of a Victorian university or PhD holder.

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