ART
(Administrative Review Tribunal)The body that reviews refused visa decisions on merit. ART replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in October 2024. You typically have 21 days to lodge an appeal after a visa refusal.
Glossary · 50+ terms explained
Every visa term, acronym, and process step: explained in plain English. From MARA to MLTSSL, from EOI to AHPRA.
General
General terms
Home Affairs
(Department of Home Affairs)The Australian federal department responsible for immigration, citizenship, border control and migration policy. All visa applications are decided by Home Affairs case officers.
MARA
(Migration Agents Registration Authority)The Australian government body that registers and regulates migration agents. Only MARA-authorised agents can legally provide immigration assistance for a fee in Australia. Now incorporated into the Department of Home Affairs as OMARA.
MARN
(Migration Agent Registration Number)The 7-digit number assigned to each registered migration agent by OMARA. You can verify any agent's credentials at mara.gov.au using their MARN.
OMARA
(Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority)The current name for the body that regulates registered migration agents in Australia. OMARA enforces the Code of Conduct, processes complaints, and maintains the public Register of Migration Agents.
Subclass 600
Visitor visa for tourism, business visits, or visiting family. Several streams including Tourist, Business Visitor, Sponsored Family, and Frequent Traveller (10-year multiple-entry).
Subclass 858
National Innovation visa (NIV), formerly the Global Talent visa. Invitation-only permanent residency for individuals with an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a priority field. The program was repurposed from Global Talent on 6 December 2024. The subclass number is unchanged, but an Expression of Interest and a nomination are now required.
Process
Process terms
Bridging Visa A
(BVA)A visa granted automatically when you lodge a new substantive visa application onshore while holding a valid visa. Allows you to remain in Australia lawfully until your application is decided.
Bridging Visa B
(BVB)A travel-enabled bridging visa allowing the holder to leave and re-enter Australia while their substantive visa application is being processed. Must be applied for separately and approved before travel.
Competent English
IELTS 6.0 in each of the four bands (or equivalent in PTE, TOEFL, OET, CAE). The minimum English requirement for most skilled migration visas.
Functional English
The lowest English language requirement for some Australian visas. Achieved through IELTS overall band 4.5, or evidence of a passport from an English-speaking country, or 5+ years secondary/tertiary education in English.
Health Surcharge
Charge for accessing the Department's Health Assessment process. Different from the cost of the medical examination itself. Paid as part of the visa application charge for most visa subclasses.
Proficient English
IELTS 7.0 in each band (or equivalent). Earns 10 bonus points on the points test for skilled migration.
Second VAC
(Second Visa Application Charge)Additional government fee paid for certain visa subclasses (e.g., 143, some 870 contributions). For the Contributory Parent visa, the Second VAC is approximately AUD $48,495 per applicant.
Section 48 Bar
A legislative bar that prevents an applicant from lodging certain visa applications onshore if they've previously had a visa refused or cancelled while in Australia. Critical to identify early as it limits options.
Superior English
IELTS 8.0 in each band (or equivalent). The highest English level recognised for points-test bonuses, worth 20 points.
Skilled Migration
Skilled Migration terms
ACS
(Australian Computer Society)The skills assessing authority for IT and ICT occupations in Australia. Assesses overseas qualifications and experience against ANZSCO standards for migration purposes. Processing typically 4–6 weeks.
AHPRA
(Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency)The national body regulating registered health practitioners in Australia (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, allied health). Foreign-trained health professionals must achieve AHPRA registration for skill assessment and practice.
ANMAC
(Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council)Skills assessing authority for nurses and midwives migrating to Australia. Works closely with AHPRA. International nurses typically need IELTS 7 in each band plus credential assessment.
ANZSCO
(Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations)The official occupation classification system used for Australian skilled migration. Every nominated occupation has a 6-digit ANZSCO code (e.g., 261313 for Software Engineer).
EOI
(Expression of Interest)Your formal expression of interest for skilled migration submitted through SkillSelect. An EOI is not a visa application. It's a claim of your circumstances. You must be invited before you can apply.
Related: SkillSelect, ITA
ITA
(Invitation to Apply)The formal invitation issued by Home Affairs after a SkillSelect round, allowing you 60 days to lodge a visa application. ITAs are issued to candidates with the highest points scores in each round.
Related: SkillSelect, EOI
MLTSSL
(Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List)The list of occupations eligible for the subclass 189 (Independent), subclass 186 (Direct Entry), and most regional skilled pathways. Roles on the MLTSSL are considered to have long-term demand in Australia.
Points Test
The 130-point assessment used to rank skilled migration applicants. Points are awarded across age, English, education, work experience, study in Australia, regional study, partner skills, professional year, and Australian sponsorship. Minimum 65 points to lodge an EOI; competitive scores are usually 85–105.
Skills Assessment
A formal evaluation of your qualifications and experience by an assessing authority (e.g., Engineers Australia, ACS, VETASSESS) for your nominated occupation. A positive skills assessment is mandatory before lodging most skilled visas.
SkillSelect
Australia's online expression of interest system. Skilled migration candidates submit an EOI through SkillSelect and the Department issues invitations to apply (ITAs) to the highest-scoring candidates in periodic rounds.
State Nomination
Approval from an Australian state or territory government to support your skilled visa application. Required for subclasses 190 and 491. Adds 5 (190) or 15 (491) points to your score. Each state has its own occupation list and nomination criteria.
STSOL
(Short-Term Skilled Occupation List)List of occupations available for shorter-term sponsored visas like the 482 (Short-term stream). Some 190 and 491 state nominations also draw from the STSOL.
Subclass 189
Skilled Independent visa. Permanent residency for skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer, state, or family member. Points-tested. No work-location restrictions.
Subclass 190
Skilled Nominated visa. Permanent residency requiring state or territory nomination. Provides a 5-point bonus and access to broader occupation lists. Holders commit to live and work in the nominating state for 2 years.
Subclass 191
Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa. The PR pathway for 491 visa holders who complete 3 years of regional residency and meet taxable income thresholds. Available from 16 November 2022.
Subclass 491
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa. 5-year provisional visa for regional Australia, leading to permanent residency (191) after 3 years of regional living and meeting taxable income requirements. 15-point bonus.
TRA
(Trades Recognition Australia)Skills assessing authority for traditional trade occupations such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, chefs, hairdressers, and welders. Most pathways require a practical assessment.
VETASSESS
(Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services)Skills assessing authority for professional and trade occupations not covered by other specialist assessors. Handles 350+ occupations including managers, marketers, designers, and some trades.
Employer
Employer terms
Labour Market Testing
(LMT)Evidence that an Australian employer has genuinely attempted to recruit Australian citizens or PRs before sponsoring an overseas worker. Must be conducted within 4 months of lodging the nomination.
Nomination
The employer's formal application to the Department to nominate a specific overseas worker to fill a specific position. Required before the visa application can be assessed. Different from the visa application itself.
SAF Levy
(Skilling Australians Fund)A levy paid by employers when nominating workers under the 482 or 186 visa. Funds Australian apprenticeships. AUD $1,200/year for small business and AUD $1,800/year for large business per 482 worker; AUD $3,000 or $5,000 lump sum for 186.
Sponsorship
Approval for an Australian employer to nominate overseas workers for sponsored visas. Standard Business Sponsorship lasts 5 years. Requires demonstrating a lawfully operating business with genuine need.
Subclass 186
Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa. Permanent residency for skilled workers nominated by an Australian employer. Three streams: Direct Entry, Temporary Residence Transition, and Labour Agreement.
Subclass 482
Skills in Demand (SID) visa, formerly the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa. Employer-sponsored temporary work visa with three streams: Core Skills, Specialist Skills, and Labour Agreement. The TSS was replaced on 7 December 2024, when the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) also replaced the former STSOL and MLTSSL framework for employer-sponsored visas.
TSMIT / CSIT
(Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold / Core Skills Income Threshold)Minimum salary required for employer-sponsored visas. CSIT replaced TSMIT in July 2024. Currently AUD $73,150 per year for the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa. Employers must pay actual market salary, not just the threshold.
Family & Partner
Family & Partner terms
Subclass 143
Contributory Parent visa (permanent). For parents of Australian citizens, PRs, or eligible NZ citizens. Substantial second visa application charge (approx. AUD $48,495) plus assurance of support. Processing 6–10 years.
Subclass 300
Prospective Marriage (Fiancé(e)) visa. For people engaged to marry an Australian citizen, PR, or eligible NZ citizen. Must marry within 9 months of visa grant, then apply for partner visa.
Subclass 309/100
Partner visa applied offshore. The 309 is the temporary stage; the 100 is the permanent stage. Must be outside Australia at time of application.
Subclass 820/801
Partner visa applied onshore. The 820 is a temporary visa granted first; the 801 is the permanent stage assessed approximately 2 years later. Same fee covers both stages.
Student
Student terms
CoE
(Confirmation of Enrolment)An official electronic document issued by an Australian education provider confirming a student has accepted a place in a registered course. Required to apply for a student visa.
Genuine Student
(GS)The November 2023 replacement for the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) test. Applicants must demonstrate genuine intent to study full-time, comply with visa conditions including 80% attendance, and maintain ties to home country.
GTE
(Genuine Temporary Entrant)Former student visa criterion (replaced by Genuine Student in November 2023). Required applicants to demonstrate their intention to stay temporarily for the purpose of study.
OSHC
(Overseas Student Health Cover)Health insurance required as a visa condition (8501) for all student visa holders, covering the entire duration of the visa. Costs typically AUD $500–700/year for single students.
Subclass 485
Temporary Graduate visa. Allows recent graduates to live, study, and work in Australia for 2–6 years depending on qualification and study location. Two streams: Graduate Work and Post-Study Work.
Subclass 500
Student visa. Allows international students to undertake full-time study in Australia. Must hold a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), demonstrate financial capacity, meet English requirements, and satisfy the Genuine Student test.
Business
Business terms
Subclass 188
Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa. Multiple streams (188A Business Innovation, 188B Investor, 188C Significant Investor, 188E Entrepreneur). Pathway to permanent 888 visa.
Subclass 888
Business Innovation and Investment (Permanent) visa. Permanent residency outcome for eligible 188 visa holders who meet investment, business activity, and residency requirements.
Documents
Documents terms
Apostille
An international certification under the Hague Convention validating documents for use abroad. Required for many UAE-issued documents (e.g., marriage certificates, degrees) before submission to Australian authorities.
CDR
(Competency Demonstration Report)A detailed engineering portfolio required by Engineers Australia for migration skills assessment. Includes Career Episodes, Summary Statement, and CPD record. Must demonstrate engineering competency against the relevant Stage 1 standards.
Form 80 / Form 1221
Detailed personal particulars forms. Form 80 is required for most permanent residency applicants over 18; Form 1221 may be requested for additional personal information including residential and employment history.
Health Examination
Mandatory medical assessment for most visa applications, conducted by Department-approved panel physicians. Includes general examination, chest X-ray (16+), and HIV test for permanent visas (15+).
Police Clearance
Character certificate required from every country you've lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years. Examples: NBI (Philippines), PCC (India), MOI (UAE), AFP (Australia).
Migration terminology
The pairs people confuse, and why the difference costs money
Migration vocabulary is precise, and the terms that sound interchangeable usually are not. Confusing a visa with residency, or nomination with sponsorship, leads people to plan for the wrong thing entirely. This glossary exists so the words on the rest of the site mean the same thing to you as they do to a case officer.
Many dozens
Terms defined
From visa subclasses to evidence and process terms
Visa and residency
Most confused pair
A visa grants permission to travel to and stay in Australia
Nomination vs sponsorship
Most costly confusion
They involve different selectors and different obligations
Conditions are enforced
Why precision matters
Conditions attach to the visa, not to your intentions
Side by side
Three pairs that decide outcomes
Each pair is used interchangeably in conversation and each pair means something different in practice.
| Criterion | Visa and permanent residency | Nomination and sponsorship | Bridging and substantive visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| What each one is | A visa is permission to travel to and remain; residency is the status that follows | Nomination is a state selecting you; sponsorship is an employer doing so | A substantive visa is the real visa; a bridging visa keeps you lawful while it is decided |
| Who grants it | The department grants the visa; the status follows from the visa's terms | A state or territory, or an approved employer respectively | The department, in each case |
| What people get wrong | Using the terms as synonyms | Assuming both carry the same obligation | Assuming a bridging visa has the same work rights |
| Consequence of the confusion | Planning for the wrong outcome | Preparing the wrong evidence | Working in breach of a condition without realising |
Conditions are attached to the visa granted. Read the conditions on the grant notice rather than assuming what a visa type usually allows.
Sequence
Reading a term in context
A term only means something once you know which process it belongs to.
Identify the process it belongs to
FirstYouVisa, assessment, nomination or registration - the same word can mean different things in each.
Find who uses it
NextYouDepartment, assessing authority, state program or employer.
Check what it obliges
NextYouSome terms describe a benefit; others describe a condition you must meet.
Look for the paired term
NextYouMost confusions come from a pair that sounds interchangeable.
Apply it to your own facts
FinallyYouA definition is only useful once you know which one applies to you.
Where a term appears in a grant notice or a requirement, that document's meaning governs.
Budget
What a misread term costs
Terminology errors are rarely caught early, which is what makes them expensive.
| Cost item | Typical consequence | When it appears | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breaching a visa condition | Risk to the visa itself | After grant | Conditions are enforced, and not knowing one is not a defence. |
| Claiming the wrong points | Refusal risk | At EOI and visa | Points claimed on a misunderstanding of the definition. |
| Preparing the wrong evidence | Weeks of delay | At assessment | Evidence prepared for a requirement that does not apply. |
| Misreading a processing term | Unrealistic planning | Throughout | Planning against a meaning the department does not use. |
| Assuming a status you do not hold | Serious consequences | Immediately | Acting as though a status exists when it does not. |
Where a specific term affects an outcome, confirm its current meaning with the official source.
Fit test
When the glossary is the right place to start
Terminology is the cheapest thing to fix and one of the most expensive to get wrong.
Start here when
- You are new to the Australian system and the vocabulary is unfamiliar.
- You have been told two things that seem to contradict each other.
- You are reading a grant notice or a requirement you do not understand.
- You want to be precise before relying on a published criterion.
- You are comparing pathways and the terms differ between them.
Go further when
- You understand the term and need to know how it applies to you.
- You need advice on your specific circumstances.
- You need current figures rather than definitions.
- You need to know what evidence satisfies a definition.
- You are checking whether a criterion still applies.
Failure modes
Where terminology causes trouble
These are the misreadings that lead to real consequences.
Treating a visa as residency
High impactA visa grants permission to travel to and remain; residency is the status that follows from it.
Fix: Read what the visa actually grants, and its conditions, on the grant notice.
Confusing nomination with sponsorship
High impactOne is a state selecting you, the other an employer. The evidence and obligations differ entirely.
Fix: Identify who is selecting you before preparing anything.
Assuming bridging visa work rights
High impactBridging visas carry their own conditions, which are not inherited from the previous visa.
Fix: Check the conditions on the bridging visa grant itself.
Assuming a skilled occupation is a job title
ModerateOccupations are defined by duties, and titles vary widely between employers.
Fix: Match your duties to the occupation definition, not your title to its name.
Reading regional loosely
ModerateRegional Australia is defined by postcode, and the definition has changed.
Fix: Check the current definition and your postcode against it.
Using a term as it is used elsewhere
ModerateSome terms have an Australian migration meaning that differs from general usage.
Fix: Confirm the meaning in the Australian migration context specifically.
Evidence
Terms that carry evidential weight
Some words on this site describe a benefit. Others describe something you have to prove.
| Document | What it has to establish | What strips it of weight |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled employment | Work at the required level, for the required hours | Employment at a lower skill level than the occupation requires |
| Competent, proficient or superior English | A defined English proficiency level | Assuming a band without checking the current threshold |
| Designated regional area | A postcode that qualifies as regional | Assuming a town is regional without checking the postcode |
| Substantive visa | The visa you actually hold | Treating a bridging visa as if it were substantive |
| Nomination | That a state has selected you | Assuming an EOI alone creates nomination |
| Sponsorship | That an approved employer is sponsoring you | An expression of interest rather than an approved nomination |
Straight answers
Terminology questions
Short answers to the distinctions people ask about most.
Is a visa the same as permanent residency?
No. A visa is the permission to travel to and remain in Australia. Permanent residency is the status held by a person whose visa allows them to remain indefinitely, subject to its travel facility and conditions.
What is the difference between nomination and sponsorship?
Nomination is a state or territory selecting you for a skilled visa. Sponsorship is an approved employer sponsoring you for a work visa. They involve different selectors and different obligations.
What does decision-ready mean?
The case officer has everything needed to decide without requesting more. Lodging decision-ready is the single most effective way to avoid delays.
What is a substantive visa?
The visa you actually hold, as opposed to a bridging visa. A bridging visa keeps you lawful while a substantive application is decided, and carries its own conditions.
What counts as regional Australia?
Regional Australia is defined by postcode rather than by distance or population. The definition has changed over time, so check the current list for the area you are considering.
What is a skills assessment?
An assessment by a designated authority that your qualifications and experience meet the standard for a nominated occupation. It is separate from the visa application itself.
After grant
Using the vocabulary well
Precision helps you ask better questions and spot problems earlier.
Read your grant notice
The conditions on it govern, not what the visa type usually allows.
Use the department's terms
Searching and asking in the official vocabulary gets better answers.
Check conditions before acting
Before changing employer, region or study, check the condition that applies.
Note paired terms
Where two terms sound alike, write down which one applies to you.
Ask when a definition matters
If a definition changes your outcome, confirm it before relying on it.
Keep definitions current
Meanings and thresholds move; confirm at the point you act.
Current settings
Where terminology shifts
The words are stable; the definitions behind them are not always.
- English proficiency thresholds
- The scores corresponding to competent, proficient and superior English have been revised.
- Regional definitions
- Which postcodes count as regional has changed over time.
- Occupation definitions
- Occupation frameworks are revised, changing the duties attached to a title.
- Visa naming
- Subclass names and structures have been reformed, renaming familiar pathways.
- Condition wording
- Visa conditions are reworded as they are legislated, which changes how they are enforced.
Confirm the current definition wherever a term affects an outcome.
How we write these pages
What you should expect from us
Migration information is only useful if it is current, sourced and honest about uncertainty.
Sourced to the official position
Where a rule matters, we point at the official source rather than restating it from memory.
Dated, not evergreen
Guides are written against a point in time, because the settings they describe move.
Uncertainty stated plainly
Where an outcome depends on discretion, we say so instead of implying a guarantee.
Corrected when things change
When requirements move, the page is revised rather than left to drift.
Figures move with policy and indexation. A registered agent will confirm each one against the current Department schedule before you commit to a pathway or a payment.
Coverage
Searches this page is written to answer
- Australian immigration glossary
- Australian visa terms explained
- What is a bridging visa
- What is SkillSelect
- What is an EOI
- What is MARA
- What is a skills assessment
- Permanent residency meaning Australia
- Visa condition 8503
- What is regional Australia
- ANZSCO occupation code meaning
- Visa subclass meaning
Still confused?
Talk to a MARA-authorised agent, free.
A 30-minute consultation will clarify which terms actually apply to your situation and which visa pathway makes sense for you.
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