3 Different Visa Pathways For Migration To Australia Australia is a country that has long depended on talents from outside its borders to boost its workforce and bolster its economy to what it is now today. But with the advent of the pandemic last year and their swift response of establishing self-isolation measures, such influx of skilled immigrants consequently dropped sharply. However, in preparation for its eventual reopening, it continued to accept visa applications from those interested in working or living in the country permanently. If you are one of such people and are keen on migrating to Australia from Singapore, here are three of the different visa pathways that you can apply for today to make it happen. Family-stream permanent residence visas The main prerequisite of this visa stream is that the applicant must have a direct relationship with an Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia, or ENZ (Eligible New Zealand) citizen. The following visas will solely focus on migration pathways that do not require sponsorships from an established familial relationship (i.e. parents) with any of the above personnel. Partner Visas Partners of Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia, and ENZ citizens can apply for a partner visa and immigrate into the country so long as they fall under one of the partner classifications observed by the Australian immigration law: Fiancé(e)s2.Married partners3. De facto partners, which includes same-sex marriages Applicants must first hold the Temporary Partner visa (Subclass 820) prior to progressing to the Permanent Partner visa (Subclass 801). To apply, applicants must first prepare their prerequisite documents found on the Subclass 820/801 Document Checklist and lodge their application either online, via post, or in person and pay the corresponding fee. The Department of Home Affairs will then process the request and, once approved, applicants can then proceed to live and work in Australia. Prospective Marriage Partner Visa Applicants engaged to Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia, and ENZ citizens can be sponsored by their partner living in Australia with a Prospective Marriage Visa (Subclass 130). Upon entry into the country, applicants who hold this visa must complete their marriage within nine months. It is important to note that this visa classifies as a nonimmigrant, temporary visa and holders do not immediately receive permanent Australian resident status. To become a permanent resident, they must first marry their Australian citizen, permanent resident, or ENZ citizen partner and then apply for the Partner Visa above. Work-stream permanent residence visas Individuals who possess the skills or talent that the Australian government is looking for can apply for permanent visas to live and work within the country. These visas include: Skilled Independent Work Visa (Subclass 189) Foreign-nationals who hold occupations listed on Australia’s Skilled Occupations List are eligible to apply for this visa that lets them work and live in the country as a permanent resident. Applicants interested in this visa must first complete the following steps: Step 1: Verify if their profession can fill a role in the occupations list Step 2: Qualify for the required eligibility requirements These requirements include being: Under 50 years of age Basic English communication skills Passing health requirements Passing character requirements No outstanding debts to the Australian government Willing to sign the Australian Values Statement Step 3: Complete a Skills Assessment Completion of the Skills Assessment and a passing score is necessary to progress in the application. Step 4: Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via SkillSelect The SkillSelect program will ask applicants a series of questions regarding their skills, background, and relevant work history. The submitted EOI will become available for viewing by Australian authorities and employers looking to hire people they need. After obtaining a nomination or sponsor and the applicant’s EOI meets the visa requirements, they will be invited to apply for the Subclass 189 visa. Step 5: Await an employer sponsor or government nomination The Subclass 189 visa requires applicants to be sponsored by employers or nominated by state or territory governments within Australia. If there no employers are looking to sponsor an applicant, the latter party may be able to find one themselves via the SkillSelect program – a system that matches them to potential employers looking for their specific skill set. Step 6: Have the sponsor complete the paperwork After accepting an invitation, applicants must let their sponsor nominate them for their visa. Step 7: Apply for the Skilled Independent Work Visa and await the decision Once applicants secure an employer and a nomination, they can then proceed to apply for the visa online via the DHA. Once filed, applicants just need to wait for a decision. Step 8: Acquire the visa and begin working in Australia Upon receiving their visa, applicants can now proceed to migrate and work in the country. Skilled Nominated Work Visa (Subclass 190) The subclass 190 visa enjoys the same benefits as the subclass 189 visa, albeit with slight differences regarding sponsorships. In this type of visa, applicants can only be accepted and nominated by state or territory governments in Australia and not by private employers. The steps to apply are also similar save for step 5, wherein applicants must wait for government authorities to nominate and send them a letter of invitation to apply for the visa. Employer Nomination Scheme Visa (Subclass 186) and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa (Subclass 187) Foreign-national workers have the opportunity to work and live as  permanent residents in Australia with the Subclass 186 and Subclass 187 visas. The only difference between these visas is their geographical scope, wherein latter applicants can only be nominated by approved employers for a job within regional Australia. These visas require applicants to pass certain skills test put forth by said employers and secure their nominations. The steps to apply for Employer Nomination Scheme and Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visas are: Step 1: Meet all the prerequisite requirements to work in Australia Applicants must meet both subclass 186/187 requirements and the specific requirements under the stream they are applying for, namely: The Temporary Residence Transition stream The Agreement stream The Direct Entry stream