S. Vijay Kumar is ready to file his application for Australian Permanent Residency visa.
A film editor by profession, Kumar has got his educational qualification assessed by VETASSESS, Australia's leading vocational education and training (VET) skills assessment provider. But he is going to wait till November.
"Everything is set, but I am waiting for November. I will get extra 10 points for being single, and that will increase my score," says Kumar.
WHAT IS THE NEW SYSTEM?
Ten points for those who do not have spouse or partners: New visa points system
The federal government has introduced a new regional visa and point system for applicants nominated by a state or territory government.
A student at Macquarie University, Vijay Kumar is one of the many applicants who are looking forward to the 10-point-rule that will come into effect from November 2019.
In April this year, the immigration department announced some changes to the point system. These changes will come in effect from 16 November 2019.
According to the new rule, applicants who do not have a spouse or de facto partner will get 10 points.
"Points are awarded for attributes that are linked with the applicant's ability to make the greatest economic contribution, as the key purpose of the skilled migration program is to maximize the economic benefits of migration to Australia," the legislation reads.
The changes are to ensure more skilled people migrate to Australia, says immigration expert Rohit Mohan.
"New system, coming in effect from November, offers ten extra points for applicants who do not have a spouse or partner.
"The idea is to bring more skilled migrants and discourage unskilled partners who come with married skilled migrants.
"Married invitees with kids fill more places with non-skilled migrants and leave lesser places for skilled migrants," says Mr Mohan.
Canberra Matrix
The amendments to the point system follow the recommendations made by the Productivity Commission.
According to the commission, around 50 per cent of Australia's permanent skill intake is secondary applicants, many of whom have limited skills.
In its 2016 report, the Productivity Commission recommended that the points system be amended so that secondary applicants with skills and other desirable employment-related characteristics contribute significantly to the points score of the primary applicant.
Many singles are waiting for the new points system to kick in to gain these ten extra points.
Dilip Kumar, an Australian visa-hopeful says these extra points will help him in a big way.
'My IELTS score is not very high, so I am counting on the extra points,' says Dilip who is an auto mechanic in Karnataka and preparing his application for an Australian visa.
Skilled Migration
Mr Mohan says many of his clients are waiting for November.
"People have put their marriage on hold to claim these extra points. Earlier people would get married before applying to claim five extra points on behalf of their partners. Now we can see the opposite trend."
Applicants who have a skilled spouse or partner will also get ten extra points in the new system.
They will also get five points if their spouse or de facto partner have competent English.
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