Australia is one of the world’s favourite destinations not only to visit but also in which to live and work, with a strong economy, huge range of attractions and many liveable cities.
The Australian government has tried to accommodate the needs of the diverse range of visitors who come to the country with more than 25 visa options. It is essential to select the right one for your needs to make the most of your stay in Australia.
1) I want to work and holiday for a few months
For those looking to combine work and holiday for one year or less, the Working Holiday Visa is ideal. (subclass 417). This visa allows you to stay for up to 12 months and work for up to six months with an employer.
This visa is relatively easy to apply for with a base application charge of $420AUD. However, there are some restrictions which will rule out a number applicants. Applicants must:
- be over the age of 18 but under the age of 31
- come from an eligible country such as Canada (USA is not eligible)
- not be travelling with any dependents
2) I want to work full-time in a skilled job
The most popular working visa is the Temporary Work Skilled Visa (subclass 457). This visa allows you to work full time in Australia for two years with an option to extend the visa by another two years. However you must be sponsored by an eligible organisation in an approved role prior to making an application. This means you must have secured a job prior to arriving in Australia.
The temporary work visa is more expensive than the working holiday visa costing $1,035AUD and can take a few months to be processed. There are other key components to consider such as:
- this visa is open to residents of all countries
- partners and dependents can be part of the visa
- Australian health insurance is a prerequisite
- applicants must meet health, character and English requirements
3) I want to work and study
Australia’s most popular visa is the Student Visa (subclass 573) which allows students to work full time during course pauses (breaks) and up to 40 hours every fortnight during course times. This visa costs $535AUD. One reason for this visa’s popularity is the possibility to extend it after studies are completed. If an applicant successfully completes their studies, they can apply for a subclass 485 visa which allows them to work full time for up to four years.
Temporary Graduate visa applicants must meet similar requirements to those of the Skilled Visa including:
- meeting health and character requirements
- having 485 health insurance in Australia
- successfully completing studies in Australia
What happens if I Love Australia so much that I want to stay?
A popular feature of most temporary working visas, such as the 457 visa and 485 visa, is that after just two years applicants can nominate to become a permanent resident. There are still requirements applicants must meet in order to gain this status but most applications are successful. The cost for this application is a base charge of $3520AUD.
Applicants coming to Australia on a working holiday visa will need to first be sponsored and stay on this visa for at least two years before applying for permanent residency.
Justin Grossbard, is a true global traveller having visited and worked in all corners of the world. His company, 457 Visa Compared, focuses on providing visitors to Australia with the most up-to-date information on skilled migration visa and insurance requirements, including the subclass 457 scheme.
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