WA SMP Australian Migration Visa Lawyers - Visas

Western Australia State Migration Plan

Western Australia (WA) has released its State Migration Plan (SMP). The WA plan is known as the Western Australia Skilled Migration Occupation List (WASMOL). Developed as the central element of Western Australia’s State Migration Plan, the WASMOL will assist Western Australia to meet the State’s labour market needs through the sponsorship of qualifying visa applicants.

The WASMOL contains many occupations; however there are strict guidelines and criteria. The strict guidelines and criteria include:

English language and work experience requirements for different visas and occupations

Criteria for managers and professionals

Criteria for technicians and trade workers

Special conditions for Working Holiday (Subclass 417) visa holders

Special conditions for applicants for WA sponsorship for Skilled-Sponsored (Subclass 886) visas

Criteria for off-list nominations include English language and work experience job offer requirements

Click here to view the Western Australia State Migration Plan.

How Does it Work
Prior to submitting a visa application for a subclass 176, 475, 487, 886 with the Department of Immigration & Citizenship an applicant is required to have State or Territory sponsorship. Each State and Territory has a list of occupations that they have identified as in shortage. If sponsorship is needed to submit a visa application then an application for sponsorship can be made to a State or Territory that has the applicants skill identified as in shortage.

The SMP is designed to encourage migrants with the right skills set to live and work in the State or Territory that needs them most. In return for sponsorship for the visa application, the relevant State or Territory want the applicant to make a commitment to live and work in that State or Territory for the first two years that they are a permanent resident.

An applicant is a permanent resident as soon as their visa is granted with the rights and entitlements that provides. However, the new permanent resident still has a commitment to live and work in the State or Territory that offered them sponsorship for the first two years they are in Australia.

The SMP is to make the General Skilled Migration system more efficient in that it is matching the migrant and their skills set with the area that will provide them with the most opportunity but also assist the Australian economy to fill a critical skill shortage.

Processing Times
There is one additional important point to add about having sponsorship from a State or Territory under a State Migration plan. An applicant with sponsorship under a SMP will have their visa application processed by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship within 12 months from the date of lodgement. Priority processing Group 2 is reserved for these applications and is the fastest processing category under General Skilled Migration.

Are you eligible?
AMVL can advise if you are eligible to make an application Western Australia state sponsorship. There are a restricted number of sponsorships available for each occupation so we do encourage you to contact our professional Migration team as soon as possible.

Click here to contact Australian Migration & Visa Lawyers to assess your eligibility.