Australia

Australia is a popular destination for skilled professionals from around the world who want to establish a career or get settled in a new country. In recent years, Australia has created opportunities in the fields of study, work, tourism, business investments, etc. Due to this, the country’s economy has increased and has led to creating more space for profession-oriented migrants. So, knowing about a working visa is an important concern for immigrants. Hence, we will further discuss the work visa required and also various ways you can work in Australia.

 

 

Primarily, there are two types of work visas: Temporary and Permanent.

Temporary:-

1. Temporary work visa (subclass 482):-

This visa is granted to skilled professionals who are hired or being called upon for a particular job to finish for a limited period.

However, this visa is now replaced with a new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa for businesses to support genuine skill shortages. An Australian employer should sponsor you before you apply for this visa.

You can work up to:-

• 4 years if your occupation is listed under MLTSSL.
• 2 years if your occupation is listed under the list of eligible skilled occupations but not in the MLTSSL list.

Cost: - From AUD 1,265

 

 

 

2. Work and Holiday, and Working Holiday visa (subclass 462 and 417):-

The working holiday visas (Visa 462 and visa 417) are for the age group (18 to 30 years old) who want to holiday and work in Australia. Both subclasses contain first, second and third work and holiday visas. Visa 462 consists of requirements such as your country, government documentation, educational requirements and proof of functional English, while Visa 417 does not have such requirements.

Both the visa types let you:-

• Stay in Australia for 12 months.
• Work for 6 months with each employer.
• Study for 4 months. Leave and re-enter Australia within the limit of visa.
• You can apply for a second work and holiday visa only if you are eligible.

Cost: - AUD 485

 

3. Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485):-

This temporary visa allows international students to live, study and work after finishing studies. You must be 50 years of age and also can bring your family with you. There are two streams in this visa:

 

• Graduate work stream: - You must possess a qualification relevant to an occupation that should be on the Skilled Occupation List. This visa allows you to stay for 18 months.
• Post-study workstream: - You must have a recent qualification in a CRICOS registered course. This visa allows you to stay between 2 and 4 years.

Cost: - AUD 1,650.

 

4. Skilled-Recognized Graduate visa(subclass 476):-

This visa allows recently passed out engineers to live, work and study in Australia for a duration of 18 months.

Eligibility:-

• You must be below 31 years.
• You must have an engineering degree from a specified educational institute completed within the past 2 years.
• You must not be a previous primary visa holder of subclass 476 and a 485 visa.

Cost: - AUD 405.

 

 

5. Business innovation and investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188):-

This visa allows you to own and manage, conduct business and investment activity in Australia. You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) in skill select, invited to apply for the visa and nominated by a state or territory government agency.

Following are the categories involved in this visa:-

• Business Innovation stream: - You must operate a new or existing business in Australia. The stay period for this visa is up to 4 years and 3 months.

Cost: - From AUD 5,375

 

• Investor stream: - To attain this visa you need to invest at least AUD1.5 million in an Australian state or territory. The stay period for this visa is 4 years and 3 months.

Cost: - From AUD 5,375

• Significant investor stream: - To attain this visa you need to invest at least AUD5 million by satisfying significant investments in Australia. The stay period for this visa is up to 4 years and 3 months.

Cost: - From AUD 7,880.

• Business innovation extension stream: - This visa extends your Business innovation stream visa for more two years. You must be a holder of Business innovation and investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188). The stay period of this visa is 6 years after the date of the grant of the original Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188) Innovation stream that you held at the time of application.

Cost: - From AUD 645.

 

• Significant investor extension stream: - This visa extends your significant investor stream visa for up to 4 years. You must be a holder of Business innovation and investment (provisional) visa (subclass 188). The stay period of this visa is 8 years from the date of allowance of your Subclass 188 visa in the Significant Investor stream.

Cost: - From AUD 645

 

• Premium Investor stream: - For this visa, you must be nominated by Austrade and invest AUD15 million in Australian investments and/or philanthropic contributions that meet specific requirements. The stay period for this visa is 4 years and 3 months.

Cost: - From AUD 9,455.

 

• Entrepreneur stream: - With this visa, you can carry out your entrepreneurial activities in Australia. The stay period for this visa is 4 years and 3 months.

Cost: - From AUD 4,045.

 

6. Skilled Regional(provisional) visa(subclass 489):-

This visa allows skilled workers to work and live in regional Australia. You can also bring your family and also further apply for a skilled regional visa (permanent) subclass 887.

Following are the categories involved in this visa:-

• Invited pathway: - You need to study, work and live in specified regions of Australia. This criterion applies to all three pathways. The stay period is 4 years in this pathway.

Cost: - AUD 4,045.

• Extended stay pathway:-You must hold a subclass 475, 487, 495 or 496 to attain this visa. The stay period is 4 years from the date your current skilled visa was granted.

Cost: - AUD 360.

• Subsequent entry pathway:-This visa is for a member of the family unit of someone who holds a subclass 475, 487, 495 or 496 visas. The stay is equivalent to the family member’s visa.

Cost:- AUD 4,045

 

New regional visas:-

These are some new skilled regional provisional visa initiated from 16th November 2019.

 

1. Skilled work Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 491):- This temporary visa is for people who are nominated by a state or territory government or sponsored by a family member to live and work in Australia.

2. Skilled employed sponsor Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494):- This temporary visa is for people who are sponsored by an employer in Australia.

 

Other necessary temporary visas:-

 

Pacific and seasonal work visa (subclass 403):-

These visas are for workers to participate in the following programs.

• Temporary work visa: Pacific Labor Scheme.
• Temporary work visa: Seasonal Worker Program.

 

 

• Temporary activity and specialist visa: - These visas are for specific or highly specialized work on a short term basis.
• Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) - Requires sponsorship.
• Temporary Work visa (Subclass 400) – Best for Short stays.

Permanent Visas:-

1. Employer-sponsored work visa(subclass 186 and 187):-

Both the visa streams (Subclass 186 and 187) are open for the applicants sponsored by Australian employers. You can apply for these visas whether you are out of Australia or in Australia on some other visa. The 186 Visa stream is for non-regional areas and 187 visa stream is for regional areas of Australia. In both the subclass, the employer needs to choose one of the streams, which qualifies your application:

• Temporary residence transition stream: -

-Must be a 457 or 482 subclass visa worker

-Under 50 years

-Full time work for your employer for at least 3 years

 

Direct entry stream: -

-Must accept to be employed with your nominating employer in regional Australia for at least 2 years.

-Must have an occupation from the Skilled Occupations list.

 

Agreement stream: - This is a special formal labor agreement between the nominating employers and the government.

Cost: - AUD 4,045

 

2. Skilled independent visa (subclass 189):-

You don’t have to get sponsored or nominated by an employer, state or territory government for this visa. When you send an expression of interest (EOI), the government might still invite you even if no business nominates you for a 168 or 187 visa. Your occupation must be on the Skilled Occupation list and it is necessary to get an invite for applying for this visa. After receiving your EOI, you will be ranked among other applicants and to get an invitation a score of at least 60 points should be attained.

• Age: - under 45 years
• Cost: - AUD 4,045

 

3. Skilled nominated visa (subclass 190):-

This visa gives you benefits of work and study anywhere in Australia and sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence. Also, if you are eligible enough you can become an Australian citizen.

Eligibility:-

• You must have an occupation from the relevant skilled list.
• You must satisfy the points test.
• You must be invited to the visa.
• You must possess the required skill set for the occupation.

Cost: - AUD 4,045.

 

4. Skilled Regional visa (subclass 887):-

This visa is for the people who have lived and worked in specific areas of regional Australia on a previous visa. With Skilled regional visa (subclass 887) you can work and study anywhere

in Australia and you can also sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence. You can also apply for Australian citizenship, if eligible.

Eligibility:-

•  You must hold an eligible visa.
•  You must have lived for 2 years and worked full time for at least 1 year in the regional area.
•  You must comply with the conditions of the eligible visa you hold.

Cost: - AUD415.

 

Other necessary permanent visas:-

 

 Business Investment Visas:-

These visas are for investors, businessmen and entrepreneurs to establish new or existing in Australia. For both, the below subclasses require sponsors for application.

• Business Innovation and Investment visa (subclass 888)
• Business talent visa (subclass 132)

 

 Distinguished talent visas:-

These visas are for internationally recognized people for outstanding achievement in an eligible field. These visas include Subclass 124 and subclass 858, and both require sponsorship.

 

 

Note: - It is advised to study the details of the following terms before applying for the above visas:-

A. Skilled Occupational List

B. SkillSelect

C. Skill Assessment