Northern Territory State Migration Plan Announced

By Mark Webster
24 November 2010

The Northern Territory announced this week that its State Migration Plan had been approved and had come into effect.

Applicants who have an occupation on the NT State Migration Plan can apply for either a Skilled - Sponsored or a Skilled - Regional Sponsored visa. This gives a significant advantage as the range of possible occupations is much wider than the new SOL and applicants receive the highest level of processing priority in applying for General Skilled Migration.

Occupations on the NT List

The NT list consists of a very wide range of occupations including:
  • Professional Engineers
  • Engineering Associates
  • Construction Trades
  • Accountants and auditors
  • IT Professionals
  • HR Professionals
  • Cooks
  • Hotel Managers
  • Registered Nurses
  • Allied Health Professionals
  • Welfare Workers and Social Workers
  • Automotive Trades
  • Metalworking Trades
  • Hairdressers

Work Experience Requirements

Most occupations require at least 3 years of experience in the occupation, with some professions requiring at least 5 years. However, people living in the NT already and who have good prospects of employment may be exempted from the work experience requirement for some occupations.

On the other hand, some occupations require the work experience to be in a system similar to Australia's - examples include HR professions as well as accounting.

English Language Requirements

Most occupations just require the threshold level of English (Competent English - 6 minimum in each of the 4 components of IELTS or holder of a passport from a native English speaking country).

However, certain specialisations require a score of 7 or more in the IELTS test including:

  • Accountants and auditors
  • IT Professionals
  • HR Professionals
  • Welfare Workers and Social Workers

Special Requirements for Interstate Graduates

Unless completing 2 years of study in the Northern Territory, international students will need to show that they have worked in the Northern Territory for at least 6 months in their occupation before they will be eligible for sponsorship.

In addition, unless the person has established ties with NT, the graduate would only be eligible for sponsorship for the 3-year provisional Skilled - Regional Sponsored visa.

Conclusion

The Northern Territory State Migration Plan will be a welcome development for many applicants. However, we expect that places in the program will fill very quickly, so please contact us if you wish to discuss your likely eligibility for skilled migration.

References

Northern Territory State Migration Plan

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