Family Member Sponsorship

Family Member Sponsorship
Overview
The Australian government recognises skilled applicants with family links to Australia as being eligible for a different visa subclass.  The benefit of being sponsored by an eligible Australian relative under the GSM stream is that have to meet a lower points requirement than independent skilled applicants.
Relevant visa Subclasses for family member sponsorship
•    Skilled - Sponsored (Subclass 886)
•    Skilled - Sponsored (Subclass 176)
•    Skilled - Regional Sponsored (Subclass 487)
•    Skilled - Regional Sponsored (Subclass 475)
Who is an eligible sponsor?
To sponsor a skilled worker, you must be:
1.    At least 18 years of age; and
2.    Usually resident in Australia as one of the following:
•    An Australian citizen
•    An Australian permanent resident
•    An eligible New Zealand citizen.
3.    You must be related to the skilled worker OR their partner as one of the following:
•    A non-dependent child – including a stepchild
•    A parent – including a step–parent
•    A brother or sister – including a step-sibling
•    A niece or nephew – including a step–niece or nephew
•    An aunt or uncle – including a step–aunt or uncle
4.    You can be living anywhere in Australia
5.    You must be prepared to sign a sponsorship undertaking, which is an agreement to provide the following to the skilled worker after they arrive:
•    Adequate accommodation and/or financial assistance as required to meet the skilled worker’s living needs during their first two (2) years in Australia
•    Other support, such as child care, to enable the skilled worker to attend English language classes
•    Information and advice (including information about employment in Australia) to help the skilled worker settle in Australia.
Regional Sponsorship – Additional Requirements
Visa Subclasses 487 and 475 are granted on the condition that you will live and work in a regional area. For these two visa Subclasses, you must be sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area of Australia.
In addition to the requirements for all family member sponsorships mentioned above:
1.    You can ALSO be related to the skilled worker as first cousins, or as grandparents
2.    You must be living in a designated regional area at the time of the application and at the time of the visa grant. Australia's designated areas include
•    ACT
•    South Australia
•    Northern Territory
•    Tasmania
•    Victoria
•    Queensland – except Brisbane
•    New South Wales – except Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong
•    Western Australia – except Perth.