What Visa Do I Need to Work in Australia?
If you’re interested in working in Australia, you’ll need a visa. On a Student (subclass 500) visa, you are allowed to work up to 48 hours a fortnight during study periods and full-time during study breaks.
However, if you are a recent graduate, a young professional, or looking to take a working holiday, you’ll need to explore some other options. Here is a guide to the most common Australian working visas.
Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
The Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa has two streams: the Graduate Work stream and the Post-Study Work stream. The Graduate Work stream allows you to work for up to 18 months in a field related to your studies. The Post-Study stream allows you to extend your stay for up to four years based on your qualification.
To be eligible for the Graduate Work stream, your qualification must be relevant to an occupation on the Skilled occupation list. For the Post-Study Work stream, it doesn’t matter what field you have qualified in, but certain degrees may allow you to extend your visa by up to two years.
An important part of the visa application process is being able to prove your proficiency in English. This can be done through a variety of tests, including PTE Academic. Hint: don’t forget to read our tips for getting a great score.
Working Holiday visas
If you’re hoping to holiday in Australia and work to fund your trip, you have a couple of options.
The Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa allows you to live and work in Australia for up to one year. To qualify, you must hold a passport from an eligible country, and have a tertiary qualification from an approved education provider.
The Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa also allows you to live and work in Australia for up to one year if you hold a passport from certain countries. There are no educational requirements, and you do not need a letter of support.
On both of these visas, you may be able to apply for a second and subsequent third visa, extending your stay by 12 months each time if you meet certain requirements while you are living and working in Australia. You can learn more
Skilled visas
There are a few visas available to help skilled workers migrate to Australia.
The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) allows invited workers from overseas to live and work in Australia as permanent residents. This is a points-tested visa; you receive points based on various factors, including age, English language proficiency, education and work experience.
The Skilled Nominated Visa (subclass 190) requires a nomination from the Australian government. To apply for the 190 visa, you need to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and indicate that you want to be nominated by a specific state or territory. If you meet their criteria and receive a nomination, you may then be invited to apply.
These are just a few of the visas available if you are interested in living and working in Australia. For a full list of visas, as well as detailed eligibility requirements, visit the Australian Department of Home Affairs website.
Author: Amy Roberts
