Non-Australian citizens must obtain a migrant visa before they will be permitted to move to Tasmania (or indeed, to anywhere in Australia).

Broadly speaking, there are four categories of migrant visas:

• Refugees, i.e. those escaping persecution
• Family, i.e. those with close relatives in Australia
• Investor or business owner, i.e. those who are independently wealthy or who plan to relocate their business to Australia
• Skilled, i.e. those seeking skilled employment in Australia

Unless you have prior connections to Australia, you'll most likely come under the skilled migrant category. Australia imposes a quota on such visas. Applicants need to take a "points test", which is designed to favour younger, degreed (or otherwise qualified), fluent English speaking applicants. In short, it selects those who are considered to be of most benefit to the Australian society.

For someone entering Australia as a skilled migrant, the visa process is likely to take a couple of years, depending in part on your score in the points test.

It is advisable to have a job offer in order to enter on a migrant visa. This is because social security benefits, such as unemployment benefits, are not available to new migrants.

The fact that you wish to relocate to Tasmania (as opposed to elsewhere in Australia) generally makes little difference to the visa process. Occasionally, when there are severe shortages in certain professions (such as medical specialists), the Tasmanian government will sponsor a skilled migrant if they agree to work in Tasmania for some period of time. This would be the exception rather than the rule.

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs has a good web site concerning permanent migration to Australia. Also see the other Australian resources section.

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Last reviewed 2006-08-06 12:44:23