Alan Collett

Thanks Steven.

I guess the DIMIA weblink below will become functional
when the Department's website has been updated with info about this new
visa.

Best regards.




Originally posted by Steven O'Neil

    > ISCAH Migration Newsletter
    > (Copyright 2004)
    > Edition Number
71(extra #3)
    >
    >
    >
    > 17th June 2004
    >
    >
    >
    > Dear Readers
    >
    > This
is the latest information now on this regional visa, guess you are all
getting bored with it now ..
    >
    > The regulations were signed by the
governor general on friday and further details will then come out next
week.
    >
    >
    > Skilled Independent – Regional (Provisional) visa -
Question and Answers
    >
    > 1. What is the Skilled Independent Regional
(SIR) visa?
    > The SIR visa is designed to attract highly skilled people
who wish to live in regional Australia but are unable to meet the
criteria to be granted a permanent visa. Applicants, who can meet the
lower passmark for the SIR (Provisional) visa, are granted a three-year
visa. After living for at least two years, and working for a total of at
least 12 months, in regional Australia, SIR (Provisional) visa holders
are eligible to apply for residence through one of the existing
“regional� permanent residence visa classes without leaving Australia.

    > 2. Who can apply for the SIR visa?
    > In broad terms, to be
eligible to apply for the SIR (Provisional) visa, you must:
    > - be under
45 years of age at the time you apply,
    > - have “vocationalâ€?
standard English,
    > - nominate an occupation on the Skilled
Occupations List, and
    > - have been assessed by the relevant Australian
assessing authority as being suitable for that occupation,
    > - have
recent work experience in a skilled occupation, OR are eligible for a
waiver of this requirement because you have recently completed an
Australian qualification after a minimum of two years study in
Australia,
    > - meet the SIR (Provisional) visa passmark; and
    > -
have sponsorship from a relevant State/Territory authority.
    >
    > 3.
How do I get a State/Territory authority to sponsor me?
    > You should
first visit DIMIA’s SIR visa website at
http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/skilled/sir.htm. This
website will have links to the various State and Territory authorities
and details on any regional initiatives in their State or Territory.
You will be required to obtain sponsorship for your SIR (Provisional)
visa from a relevant State/Territory authority before making your
application. The sponsorship form to be used is form 1244.
    >
    > 4.
Is the SIR (Provisional) visa points tested?
    > Yes. The current
passmark for the SIR (Provisional) visa is 110 points. This is a lower
passmark than currently applies to the Skilled - Independent (Migrant)
visa classes, which is 120 points.
    >
    > 5. I have a student visa
can I apply for the SIR visa as soon as I complete my studies?
    > Yes,
provided you can meet the basic criteria for the SIR visa as set out in
Question 2 above.
    >
    > 6. I have a Skilled – Independent (Migrant)
application that has been “pooled�, can I apply for a SIR (Provisional)
visa?
    > Yes. DIMIA will be writing to “pooledâ€? applicants who have
attained a score of at least 110 points to apply for a SIR (Provisional)
visa. You will need to obtain sponsorship from a State or Territory
Government before you can lodge your SIR (Provisional) visa application
and pay a reduced visa application charge (VAC). If you wish to take
advantage of this opportunity, you must lodge your SIR (Provisional)
visa application on, or before, the date specified in your invitation
letter.
    >
    > 7. Do I need to have health and character checks to be
granted a SIR (Provisional) visa?
    > Yes. All SIR visa applicants are
required to satisfy health and character tests for permanent residence
(ie full migrant medical).
    >
    > 8. Can I add a child, spouse or
other dependant to my SIR (Provisional) application after it has been
lodged?
    > A dependant may be added to your application without charge
provided a decision has not been made on the application. If the
application has been decided, then your dependant will need to lodge his
or her own application and pay the prescribed application charge.
    >
9. Will there be any conditions attached to the SIR (Provisional) visa?

    > Yes. If successful, you and your family are required to live, work
and study in a regional area, or low population growth metropolitan
centre, in Australia. As part of the application form, you must sign a
declaration acknowledging that you understand and accept the terms of
the SIR (Provisional) visa if granted. You will be required to have
lived for at least two years, and been employed for at least a total of
12 months, in regional Australia before you can apply for a permanent
visa.
    >
    > 10. What is meant by a “regional area or a low population
growth metropolitan centre� in Australia?
    > “Regional Australiaâ€? is
defined as any Statistical Division with a population of less than
200,000. A “low population growth metropolitan centre� is one with a
population growth rate between the last two censuses of less than 50 per
cent of the national average.
    > The areas currently listed are:
    > - New
South Wales – except Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast and
Wollongong;
    > - Queensland – except Brisbane and the Gold Coast;
- Victoria – except Melbourne metropolitan areas;
    > - Western
Australia – except Perth metropolitan area;
    > - South Australia – entire
state;
    > - Tasmania – entire state; and
    > - Northern
Territory – entire state.
    >
    > 11. Can I live/work in regional
Australia while my family lives in a main city?
    > No. One of the aims
of the program is to keep family units together in Regional Australia.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, members of your family unit
are required to reside with you.
    >
    > 12. If I work in regional
Australia, does the employment have to be with one employer?
    > No.
Employment may be with more than one employer provided that the total
period of employment is at least 12 months.
    >
    > 13. Can I count towards
my permanent visa application any employment or residence I had in
regional areas before my SIR (Provisional) visa was granted?
    > No. You
can only count employment and residence accumulated in regional
Australia AFTER you were granted your SIR visa.
    >
    > 14. If I have been
employed for 12 months, and lived in regional Australia for 2 years,
what Permanent Visa can I apply for?
    > The “regionalâ€? permanent
residence visa classes available to SIR (Provisional) visa holders are:

    > - Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS);
    > - Skilled State and
Territory Nominated Independent (STNI) visa; and
    > -
State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner (SBO) visa.
    >
    > 15. Will I
need to re-do my health and character checks?
    > All permanent visa
applicants must meet health and character requirements. Your earlier
checks can be taken into consideration but additional checking will be
required.
    >
    > 16. What happens if I have lived in regional Australia
but can’t meet the visa requirements to be granted a permanent visa
after 3 years?
    > A further one year SIR (Provisional) visa may be
granted if you complied with the conditions of your visa. It should be
noted that the regulations only allow for ONE more SIR (Provisional)
visa to be granted.
    >
    > 17. What I happens if I don’t comply with the
conditions of my visa?
    > If you do not comply with the conditions of
your visa, it is unlikely that you will be granted a further SIR
(Provisional) visa at the expiry of your current visa. If you are
unable to satisfy the criteria to be granted any other class of visa,
then you will be expected to depart, on or before, the expiry date of
your current SIR (Provisional) visa.
    >
    >
    > 18. Where do I lodge my
application for my SIR (Provisional) visa?
    > All applications must be
lodged either by courier or by post to the following address:
    > By
Courier to -
    > The Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre
    > Department of
Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
    > 1st Floor, 55
Curie Street,
    > ADELAIDE SA 5001
    > AUSTRALIA, OR
    > Posted to -
    > The
Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre
    > Department of Immigration and
Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
    > GPO Box 1638
    > ADELAIDE SA 5001

    > AUSTRALIA
    >
    > 19. Can I lodge my application electronically?
Electronic lodgement of applications is currently being developed
    >

    >
    > Cheers
    > Steven O'Neil
    > Iscah Migration
www.iscah.com