Resources · Guides and glossary
Migration Resources Hub — Visa Guides, Explainers and a Plain-English Glossary
Every visa guide, explainer and glossary term on Visa Advisor, in one place. It is a reference library, not a visa processing hub. Each card opens a full guide written from the Department's own rules.
What is in the Migration Resources Hub?
This hub is Visa Advisor's visa guide library. It links every live explainer on skilled, employer-sponsored, family and student visas, plus the news and blog. The glossary defines 25 migration terms in plain English, each linked to the full guide where one exists. Start with the popular resources, or search the glossary by topic.
Key facts
- Glossary: 25 terms across six topics, each linked to its full guide where one exists.
- Popular resources: guides for skilled, everyday, family and employer requirements.
- Points test minimum: 65 points for the 189, 190 and 491, including any nomination points.
- Invitation period: 60 days to lodge a skilled visa after an invitation, with no extension.
- Written from the law: each guide is checked against the Migration Regulations and official pages.
Explore our resources
Pick where you are. Whether you need a migrant visa explained or a single term defined, these six routes cover the site.
Which guide do I need first?
| Where you are now | Start with | Then read |
|---|---|---|
| Thinking about skilled PR | Points calculator | Points test guide |
| EOI lodged, waiting to be invited | SkillSelect invitation rounds | Nomination criteria guide |
| An employer wants to sponsor you | Employer-sponsored visas | Income thresholds guide |
| Bringing a partner or child | Family sponsorship guide | Dependent child explainer |
| Preparing documents for any visa | Police clearance guide | Health and character requirements |
Popular resources
The guides applicants open most, grouped by the stage they help with.
Skilled migration
Requirements for every migration visa
Partner and family
Employer and student
Migration glossary
Twenty-five terms you will meet in any visa guide or Department letter. Filter by topic, or read them all. ImmiAccount, VEVO and the visa grant notice are defined here only.
Skilled & SOL
ANZSCO Codes
The Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations — the code that identifies your occupation and its duties for skills assessment and visa eligibility.
ANZSCO code guide →Process & Status
Bridging Visa
A temporary visa that keeps you lawful while a substantive application or review is processed (BVA–BVE).
Bridging visas in Australia →Process & Status
Character & Health Checks
Mandatory requirements for most visas — police clearances (character) and medical examinations (health).
Health and character requirements →PR & Citizenship
Citizenship
Australian citizenship — generally obtained after a qualifying period as a permanent resident, granting a passport and voting rights.
Pathway to Australian citizenship →Employer
Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)
The minimum salary an employer must pay to sponsor a worker under the Subclass 482 Core Skills stream.
Income thresholds guide →Skilled & SOL
Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL)
One of four occupation sub-lists within the Skilled Occupation List (SOL). It is used for the Subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) Core Skills stream and Subclass 186 ENS Direct Entry. CSOL does not replace MLTSSL, STSOL or ROL — all four co-exist.
Core Skills Occupation List guide →Employer
Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA)
A regional agreement giving employers access to more occupations and concessions for sponsoring overseas workers.
DAMA agreements guide →Employer
Employer Nomination
An approved employer's formal nomination of a position and worker — a required step for employer-sponsored visas (482, 186, 494).
Employer-sponsored visas →Skilled & SOL
Expression of Interest (EOI)
A non-binding submission in SkillSelect indicating you wish to be considered for a skilled visa invitation.
Expression of Interest guide →Family
Family Member Inclusion
Adding eligible family members (partner, dependent children) to your application as secondary applicants.
Family sponsorship guide →Student
Genuine Student (GS) Requirement
The requirement (since 2024) that student visa applicants are genuine students. It replaced the former Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement.
Genuine Student requirement explained →Process & Status
ImmiAccount
The Department of Home Affairs online portal where you lodge and manage visa applications.
Employer
Labour Agreement
A negotiated agreement allowing an employer to sponsor overseas workers where standard programs don't fit, sometimes with concessions.
Labour agreement sponsorship →Process & Status
Migration Agent
A registered professional authorised to provide immigration assistance, regulated by MARA.
About Visa Advisor →PR & Citizenship
Permanent Residency (PR)
The status allowing you to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely, and a step toward citizenship.
PR pathways →Skilled & SOL
Points Test
The scoring system for skilled visas (189/190/491). Points come from age, English, qualifications, skilled work experience and other factors; you must meet the minimum and be invited to apply.
Points test guide →Skilled & SOL
Skills Assessment
A formal check by an assessing authority that your qualifications and experience match your nominated occupation. Required for most skilled visas.
Skills assessment guide →Skilled & SOL
Skills in Demand List
There is no separate list by this name. The Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa replaced the TSS visa in December 2024, and its Core Skills stream uses the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL).
Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa →Skilled & SOL
SkillSelect
The online system where you lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) for skilled and business visas and receive invitations to apply.
SkillSelect invitation rounds →Student
Temporary Graduate Visa (485)
A post-study work visa for international graduates, with streams for higher-education and vocational graduates.
Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa →Employer
Temporary Work Visa
Short- to medium-term work visas (e.g. 482, 400, 408) allowing employment in Australia for a defined period.
Subclass 482 visa →Process & Status
VEVO
Visa Entitlement Verification Online — the service used to check visa status, conditions and work rights.
Process & Status
Visa Grant Notice
The official document confirming your visa grant, its conditions and any travel or work entitlements.
Process & Status
Visitor Visa
Short-stay visas (e.g. Subclass 600) for tourism, business visits or visiting family.
Visitor visas (600, 601, 651) →Process & Status
Work Rights
The conditions on a visa that determine whether, and how many hours, you may work in Australia.
Visa conditions explained →News and blog
Recent changes and longer explainers. See every article on the News and Blog.
Frequently asked questions
What is EOI in SkillSelect?
An Expression of Interest (EOI) is a free online form in SkillSelect. It tells the Department and state governments you want to be considered for a skilled visa. It is not a visa application. You are ranked on your points. You can apply for the 189, 190 or 491 only once invited. Our EOI guide explains each field and the common mistakes that cost points.
Do I need a skills assessment before I lodge an EOI?
You can lodge an EOI before your skills assessment is finished, but you cannot claim what you cannot yet prove. At invitation you must hold a suitable skills assessment for your nominated occupation. Claims are tested as they stood on the day you were invited. An EOI that claims points you cannot evidence can lead to a refusal. Plan the assessment first, then lodge the EOI.
Does SkillSelect guarantee a visa?
No. An invitation only lets you lodge a visa application. The Department still assesses every criterion, including skills, English, points, health and character. Invitations are also limited by program places, so meeting the minimum does not mean you will be invited. The points test minimum is 65, and competitive scores often run higher. Treat an invitation as the start of the visa stage, not the end.
What is a state-sponsored visa?
A state-sponsored visa is a skilled visa where a state or territory nominates you. The Subclass 190 is permanent and adds 5 points. The Subclass 491 is a five-year regional visa and adds 15 points. The state sets its own nomination rules, such as residence, work or commitment conditions. The Department sets the visa criteria. Our nomination criteria guide explains which rule comes from which.
How do SkillSelect invitation rounds work?
The Department runs invitation rounds for the Subclass 189 and the family-sponsored 491. It invites EOIs from the highest points down, occupation by occupation, within program limits. We keep a dated record on our invitation rounds guide. States and territories issue their own invitations for the 190 and state-nominated 491. After an invitation you have 60 days to lodge your visa application, and that period cannot be extended.
Not sure which visa guide applies to you? Check your eligibility free, or book a consultation with a migration agent in Sydney.
Visa Advisor is a MARA-registered visa agent in Sydney, NSW, advising applicants in Australia and offshore.