Which courses are eligible for PR in Australia for 2020?

Australia is among the top countries on the list of every student wanting to study abroad. The country has many reputed universities offering diverse courses. The quality of education and numerous opportunities encourage students to choose Australia.

If students want to live and work in Australia and obtain permanent residence (PR) visa, they can take advantage of the various pathways which can lead to a PR visa.

Australia is a favorite destination of international students for many reasons. The universities provide a fun, challenging and innovative environment. Students who complete their studies here can hope to get a Permanent resident status post their studies.

After two years of studying in Australia, a student can apply for a post-study work visa under Subclass 485. This is also called the Graduate Temporary visa. Here are more details about the visa.

Graduate Temporary visa (Subclass 485):

This visa is for migrant students who have studied for two years in Australia. They can live and work here between 18 months and 4 years.

There are two streams for the Subclass 485 visa:

• Graduate work: This is for students who have completed 2 years of study in Australia. Their course of study must be related to the nominated occupation. The validity of the visa is 18 months.
• Post-study work: This visa is for international students who have completed a bachelor's degree or higher degree at an Australian institution. They can stay on this visa for up to 4 years. However, these applicants will not need to nominate an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).

The length of stay depends on the applicant’s qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or master's degree - 2 years
• Research-based master's degree - 3 years
• Ph.D. - 4 years

Family members can be included in this visa. The privileges offered in this visa are:

• Work and live in Australia on a temporary basis
• Study in Australia
• Travel in and out of the country during the visa’s validity

With this visa, graduates can decide to stay and work in Australia and apply for job opportunities. On the Subclass 485 visa, students can apply for a permanent resident visa provided they meet the points requirements and eligibility criteria.

Another alternative is to look for an employer who can provide them with a TSS visa or the permanent ENS 186/ RSMS 187 visa.

If the student is applying through the General Skilled Migration program, he must get a skills assessment done from the skills assessing authority and his occupation must be listed in the Skilled Occupation List released by the Australian government.

Australia’s Department of Immigration and Board Protection releases a list of occupations that are required for the country’s economic growth and development. The department of education and training releases the following lists every year. They are the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Short-term Skilled Occupation List (STSOL).

Occupations that are mentioned in this list have better PR prospects. Students looking for a PR visa in Australia must select the right course which will continue to be in demand and acquire the skills and qualifications related to the SOL.

Here are the top 5 courses with good PR prospects for 2020.

1. Engineering:

There will always be a demand for engineers in Australia. They will be needed in several fields. This includes mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering, agricultural engineering, software engineering, environmental engineering, biomedical engineering etc. There are always strong employment prospects for engineers in Australia.

It is easy for engineering graduates to get a PR visa because the occupations list will always contain engineering professions. International students with an engineering degree and relevant fieldwork experience have good chances of getting a PR visa.

2. Information Technology & Communication:

Jobs related to information technology are in high demand in Australia and there are openings for IT professionals in various fields. These are some of the IT and software courses international students can pursue to create the pathway for a PR visa in Australia.

1. Software & Web Development
2. Computer Networking
3. ICT Business & System Analysis

3. Nursing:

There are a lot of opportunities in the healthcare sector of Australia, especially in nurses. An aging population and rapid technical development in the healthcare sector are some of the reasons. There is a huge demand for nurses. Nursing occupations get listed almost every time in the SOL or the CSOL

The nursing courses available in Australia are of international reputation and students can choose from a wide range of options.

• Engineering- The SOL contains core engineering professions which make a significant contribution to the Australian economy.
• Information technology and communication- IT and tech jobs are always in huge demand and for diverse roles.
• Nursing – The Australian healthcare industry is well-developed, and many occupations are in high demand in this sector.
• Hospitality- The rapid growth of the travel and tourism industry has contributed to demand multiple profiles in this field.
• Automotive- The well-developed automotive industry always has a demand for skilled professionals.

4. Hospitality:

The rapid development in the travel and tourism sector has contributed to the demand for professionals in the hospitality sector. Students with a passion for cooking, baking or hotel management have good opportunities to find a job here.

Occupations related to this field which feature in the various Skilled Occupation list include chef, hotel or restaurant manager, club manager, hospitality manager, pastry cooks etc.

5. Automotive:

Australia has a well-developed automotive industry. It is well known for automobile design and mass production of cars. Universities here offer advanced courses in automobile design that impart the latest technical knowledge and provide training in state-of-the-art facilities which includes industrial training as well.

The rapid growth of the automotive industry has created a constant demand for professionals in this field. Occupations related to this industry which features in the SOL include motor mechanics and automotive electricians.

International students who have studied any of these courses in Australia have better chances of getting a PR visa especially if it appears in the list of in-demand occupations in Australia.