Find your occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (see Resources). Contact the relevant assessing authority on the Australian Government's Department of Immigration and Citizenship website, as the assessing body must approve you before you can apply for a work visa. Assessment requirements may include a college diploma or proof of work experience.
Attach to your visa application a certified copy of the positive skills assessment the assessing body issued you, as well as certified copies of the documents you gave them.
Provide evidence, such as duty statements or employer references, that you have held a paid position in an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List for at least 20 hours a week for 12 of the past 24 months. Otherwise, provide evidence that you were a student more recently than 16 months ago and earned a degree that required at least two full years of study.
Make a copy of your birth certificate and attach it to your application to prove you are under age 45. If you are older than 45, you will need to obtain a different visa.
Take the International English Language Testing System or the Occupation English Test and attach your results to your application. If you are from the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand or Canada, attach a copy of your passport instead.
Complete the visa application form and sign the Australian Values Statement. Include the application fee.
