How Can I Get Work Visa For Australia

Imagine this. It’s the beginning of a new year, and you’re sitting on your couch, planning how you’re going to spend your first paycheck. Or maybe you already received that paycheck and are ready to collect the next one! In whichever case, you have the feeling that it all should work out great. After all, it did work last time. But what if you fancy traveling around the world, and more specifically – to Australia? To get there you will need a visa, and we want to help you get just that!If you are a foreigner and thinking about to work in Australia on a work visa, this article will give you information about the steps, some common pitfalls and how to overcome it.

If you’re an international student, it is more likely that you’ll be looking for a Australian work visa than any other type. If you haven’t previously held the status of a temporary entrant or granted a permanent visa, the skills assessment will be the first thing you must do before applying for an Australian work visa.

How Can I Get Work Visa For Australia

Work Permits and Employment-Based Visas

Australia offers work permits and employment-based visas for different types of expert workers moving to Australia for job-related purposes. Some of the work visas for skilled professionals include the following list.

Types of Work Permits for Australia

  • Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) visa – allows skilled workers nominated by their employer to live and work in the country permanently.
  • Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) visa – allows skilled workers nominated by their employer in regional Australia to live and work in the country permanently.
  • Skilled independent visa – for invited workers and New Zealand citizens with skills Australia needs to live and work permanently anywhere in Australia
  • Skilled Nominated visa – lets nominated skilled workers live and work in Australia as permanent residents.
  • Temporary Skill Shortage visa – temporary visa that enables an employer to sponsor a suitable skilled worker when an Australian is not available
  • Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa – temporary visa for skilled workers who want to live and work in regional Australia.
  • Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) visa – temporary visa that lets you do short-term, highly-specialized work in the country.
  • Temporary Work (International Relations) visa – temporary visa to work in particular circumstances that improve Australia’s international relations
  • Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 858 for applying within Australia or 124 for applying outside of Australia) – permanent visa for people who have an internationally recognized record of outstanding achievement in a profession, sport, the arts, or academia and research.

In addition to these visas, Australia also has a Business Talent (Permanent) visa, which is specifically for establishing or developing a new or existing business in Australia. Read more about this type of visa in the Self-Employment Visas section below.

Work visas exist for the following professions:

  • skilled workers
  • people participating in specific activities
  • highly specialized workers
  • trainees, short-term
  • experienced businesspeople
  • investors

If you are unsure which visa is the most suitable for you, or if you don’t know how to proceed with your application for an Australian visa, contact our immigration professionals today. They will guide you on all the steps you need to take to successfully secure your visa.

Australian Work Visa Requirements

The requirements for depend on your circumstances and the type of visa you apply for.

The different requirements per category are as follows:

Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) Visa (Direct Entry Stream)

For the ENS Visa, you must:

Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) Visa (Direct Entry Stream)

For the RSMS Visa you must:

Skilled Independent Visa 

For invited workers, who must:

For New Zealand citizens who must:

  • hold a New Zealand Special Category visa (subclass 444).
  • have lived in Australia for at least five years.
  • have started living in Australia on or before February 19, 2016.
  • meet health and character requirements.
  • read or have been explained the Life in Australia booklet, and sign the Australian Values Statement.

Temporary Skill Shortage Visa

For this type of visa, you must:

Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa

For the invited pathway, you must:

  • be nominated by an Australian state, territory government agency, or sponsored by an eligible relative and invited to apply by submitting an expression of interest (EOI).
  • be under 45 years of age.
  • have a suitable skills assessment
  • satisfy a points test with 65 points or more (learn more about Australia’s immigration point system below).
  • have at least Competent English.
  • be on the relevant list of eligible skilled occupations.
  • meet health and character requirements.
  • read or have been explained the Life in Australia booklet, and sign the Australian Values Statement.

If you apply via the extended stay pathway, you will have to previously hold the Skilled Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 475), Skilled Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 487), Skilled Independent Regional visa (subclass 495), or the Skilled Designated Area Sponsored Provisional visa (subclass 496) at the time of application. There is no age limit when you apply via this pathway.

Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) Visa

For this type of visa, you must:

  • have highly specialized skills, knowledge, or experience to support Australian business and do on-going work (six months or less).
  • have adequate funds to support yourself.
  • meet health and character requirements.

Temporary Work (International Relations) Visa

For this visa, you must:

  • provide a letter of support:
    • stating that you are engaged in a bilateral agreement between Australia / Australian state or territory government, and another country (for those applying via the Government Agreement stream);
    • from the foreign government agency, ministry, mission, international organization, or Australian school or relevant state or territory education authority (for foreign language teachers) for those applying via the Foreign Government Agency stream;
    • or from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs Trade (DFAT) for those applying via the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream.
  • have adequate funds to support yourself.
  • hold a temporary substantive visa if applying within Australia.
  • meet health and character requirements.
  • have adequate health insurance.

If you apply via the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream, an interview and employment contract may be required.

Distinguished Talent Visa

For this type of Australian visa, you must:

  • be nominated.
  • contribute in a way that benefits the Australian community economically, socially, or culturally, or raise Australia’s academic, artistic, or sports standing internationally.
  • have the ability to establish yourself in the country either through work in your field or by becoming independently established.
  • be internationally recognized with a record of achievement in a profession, sport, the arts, or academia and research.
  • have at least functional English.
  • meet health and character requirements.
  • read or have been explained the Life in Australia booklet, and sign the Australian Values Statement.

Australia Work Visa Costs

The work visas mentioned above all have a cost of 4,045 AUD (2,955 USD) with the exception of the following:

  • Temporary Skill Shortage visa – 1,265 AUD (925 USD) for short-term stream or 2,645 AUD (1,925 USD) for medium-term stream
  • Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa (extended stay pathway) – 360 AUD (265 USD)
  • Temporary Work visas – 310 AUD (225 USD) except in limited circumstances
  • Distinguished Talent visa – 4,110 AUD (3,000 USD)

Work Permit Visa Application Form for Australia

You can apply for most visas online on the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website via ImmiAccount. If your visa requires an official invitation to apply, you can submit an EOI on SkillSelect.

Family Visa

All the visas we discussed, will allow you to bring eligible family members with you by sponsoring or applying for a subsequent entrant visa for them, except for the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or Consular) stream of the Temporary Work (International Relations) visa.

Australia’s Medical Exam for Your Visa

If your visa requires you to meet Australia’s health standards, you may be subject to a health examination. This could include a medical exam, TB Screening test, chest x-ray, HIV test, hepatitis B and C test, and syphilis test, depending on the visa you are applying for.

To arrange your health examination if in Australia, you can do so with Bupa Medical Visa Services.

If you are outside of the country, you can book your medical exam with one of the Department’s approved panel physicians or clinics. For information on this, you can contact an immigration office near you.

Australia’s Immigration Point System

If you are invited to apply for a visa that requires a points test, this is an overview of the points system:

Age

  • At least 18 but less than 25 years old—25 points
  • At least 25 but less than 33 years old—30 points
  • At least 33 but less than 40 years old—25 points
  • At least 40 but less than 45 years old—15 points

English Language Skills

  • Competent English—0 points
  • Proficient English—10 points
  • Superior English—20 points

Overseas Skilled Employment

  • Less than three years—0 points
  • At least three but less than five years—5 points
  • At least five but less than eight years—10 points
  • At least eight years—15 points

Australian Skilled Employment

  • Less than a year—0 points
  • At least one but less than three years—5 points
  • At least three but less than five years—10 points
  • At least five but less than eight years—15 points
  • At least eight years—20 points

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