The new skilled visa process involves registering your details on a database, and every 2 weeks, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (the DIBP) invite people on that database to apply for a skilled visa.
This database is also known as the Expression Of Interest or EOI, and it is designed to allow the department to select eligible applicants to apply for a visa, and thereby reduce the number of refusals that are made (most skilled visas are refused, and this ties up the DIBP’s processing times).
There are three important issues that follow:
- your details on the EOI database need to be 100% accurate – any inaccuracy can (and probably will ) lead to a refusal of any subsequent visa that is lodged which is not consistent with your EOI details. It is more important than ever to engage an experienced migration lawyer to ensure the process is smooth and successful.
- you need to keep the EOI details updated, and to ensure you are claiming all possible points (the more points you have, the quicker you will be selected to apply for PR).
- there are strategies that can be adopted to fasten up the process – for example the invitation rounds are held on the second and fourth Monday of each month, rather than the first and third for rest of the programme year, so it can be wise to register before these dates to ensure your details are taken into consideration.
The next invitation will be held on 13th January 2014.