Skilled visas
Australia's General Skilled Migration (GSM) programme targets skilled workers who are under 45 years of age, have a high level of English and an occupation listed on the Skilled Occupations List. They must usually also have either a degree, diploma or a trade qualification, but in some cases experience may suffice. The applicant's occupation, experience, age, English language abilities and eligibility for certain other factors all contribute towards a points system which is used by the various GSM categories to determine whether you qualify as a skilled worker:
 
The following are types of skilled visas:

Skilled independent
For those who meet the basic requirements and do not have a sponsor, or who choose not to be sponsored or nominated by a state or territory government

Skill matching
For applicants who meet the basic requirements but do not meet the passmark. This category offers state/territory or employer nomination and requires the sponsor to live in a designated area. It is not points tested.
 
Skilled Designated Area Sponsored
For applicants who have a sponsor and an assurer. The sponsor must live in a designated area, and must be either your parent (including step-parent), non-dependent child, brother or sister (including half, step or adopted), aunt, uncle, first cousin or grandparent. The assurer need not be your sponsor;

Skilled Australian Sponsored
This is for applicants who have a sponsor who does not live in a designated area of Australia. If your sponsor lives in Sydney or a 'selected area', you must nominate an occupation listed on the Sydney and Selected Areas Skilled Shortage List (SSASSL). You or your spouse must be related to your sponsor by any of the means above, except for grandparent or first cousin. Employer or State/Territory government sponsored: For either Australian businesses who, through sponsorship, need to recruit skilled workers from abroad, or for applicants who can acquire sponsorship through participating State or Territory governments – this is known as the State/Territory Nominated Independent category.

Skilled–Independent Regional (Provisional)
The SIR visa is a temporary visa valid for a period of three years. Through a two-stage visa process, SIR visa holders must sign an undertaking that they, and the members of their family unit, will live, work or study in regional Australia or a low population metropolitan centre for at least two of those three years before they can apply for permanent residence. Applicants for an SIR (Provisional) visa must have state or territory government sponsorship, and work for at least 12 months.

Business visas
Unlike, skilled visas, applicants for some Business visas can be aged under 55 as opposed to 45.There are three main visa subclasses under the Business Skills Programme:

Business Owner
The Business Owner visa is a two stage visa targeting people who have had a successful business career and who now want to set up a business in Australia. To be awarded the first stage of this visa an applicant will need total net assets of at least AUS$250,000, possibly more. Applicants who secure sponsorship will apply under the State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner visa subclass.

Business Investment
This is a two-stage visa for those who have significant monetary assets gained from successful investment or business ownership and are willing to make an investment in an Australian Government Bond for four years. An applicant will need total net assets of at least AUS$1.12 million and to have had direct management experience or ownership of a business with a net value of at least AUS$750,000 Applicants who secure sponsorship will apply under the State/Territory Sponsored Investor visa subclass.

Business Talent
This visa is a permanent visa designed for high-calibre business owners who must obtain the sponsorship of the state/territory they wish to reside in. Amongst numerous financial requirements they must have held assets in a business of at least AUS$400,000 and have total net assets of AUS$1.5 million.

Family visas
Partner migration
Partner migration is migration to Australia as the spouse, prospective spouse (fiancé(e)) or interdependent partner of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, who will act as your sponsor. Those who can apply under the Spouse category are people who are married or in a de facto relationship with their sponsor. Those who can apply under the prospective marriage category must be outside Australia, engaged to their sponsor, and plan to marry in Australia. Interdependent relationships include, but are not restricted to, same-sex couples. Those who can apply under the interdependent partner category must be at least 18 years old and in an interdependent relationship with their sponsor.

Child migration
Child migration is migrating to Australia as the dependent child, orphan relative or adopted child of an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.

Parent migration
Parents may be able to migrate to Australia if they have a child in Australia who is an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident and if they meet the 'balance of family' test.

'Other Family' migration
Other provisions exist for aged dependent relatives, remaining relatives and carers of Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia and eligible New Zealand citizens to apply for visas to move to Australia permanently.

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