[Mark]

G’day Wayne – Firstly, congratulations for being our very first poster in our brand new forums! It’s nice to be able to take the wrapping off finally! 🙂

It sounds like you’ve been facing challenges Let’s look at a few options based on your circumstances:

1. Skilled Migration (No Employer Sponsorship Required)

If you cannot secure employer sponsorship, you might consider skilled migration under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) program. This does not require employer sponsorship. Key visa subclasses include:

• Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated Visa): Requires nomination by a state or territory government (e.g., WA).
• Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) Points tested visa that enables you to love and work anywhere.
• Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) Visa): A points-tested visa for regional areas like WA, with nomination by the state.

WA maintains a State Skilled Migration Occupation List (SSMOL), which lists occupations eligible for state nomination. If “Managing Director” or related roles in your field are not on this list, there may still be options depending on your qualifications and skills. Explore the WA nomination criteria here: https://migration.wa.gov.au/services/skilled-migration-western-australia.

2. Global Talent Visa Program (now the

The Global Talent Visa (Subclass 858) targets individuals with exceptional skills in certain sectors. While it’s primarily for tech, finance, and STEM fields, if you have senior-level expertise and international recognition in a niche industry, it may be worth exploring.

Learn more about this visa here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas-for-innovation/national-innovation-visa

3. Temporary Work Visas (Other than Employer Sponsorship)

If employer sponsorship is challenging, you could explore temporary visa pathways that do not rely solely on job offers, such as:

• Subclass 407 (Training Visa): If you’re willing to gain new skills in your field through structured workplace training.
• Subclass 400 (Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) Visa): For highly skilled professionals working on short-term projects.

4. Reassess Sponsorship Options

If sponsorship remains your preferred route, consider:

• Expanding your search to other states or territories with a stronger demand for your skillset.
• Exploring smaller regional businesses (e.g., through the Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMA) framework), which allows businesses in certain regions to sponsor under less restrictive terms. Learn more here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/regional-migration/dama.

Hopefully, there is some food for thought in the above.

Cheers

Mark

[Mark]

Hi mate – I wish there were. Based in WA but I’m not a migration agent – I’ve just been gambling for such a long time in this space that I know enough to be dangerous (though qualified migration agents are the way to go).

Are you looking to move alone, or do you have a partner who will be moving with you? Do they have any skills or experience in a profession that might open the door as the primary applicant?

When I moved here – Though I was the main breadwinner in my family, my wife was the primary as she had a degree and at the time I applied I did not. This gave us the extra points boost to get through the door.