Australian Work, Study & Retirement Visas

Australian Visas are what we’ll be looking at in this part of our guide to emigrating to Australia…

The Australian government offers a variety of different visas to potential immigrants; the type you need depends on what you’ll be doing there and how long you plan to stay there. The main types are as follows:

The skilled independent visa is a residency visa for those with qualifications and skills in demand. It’s not necessary to have an employer to sponsor you to get one but you’ll need to pass a points test (which evaluates your qualifications, experience, aptitude, etc.). An alternative is a business visa, which doesn’t require you to pass a points test so long as you’re sponsored by an employer.

A working holiday visa allows people aged 18 to 31 to stay in Australia for up to 12 months (with extensions being a possibility). These are aimed at travelers / backpackers though and working rights are limited to incidental employment of up to 6 months per employer to supplement your stay.

Retirement visas are designed for self-funded retirees who are 55 years or older, have no dependants (other than a spouse who can be any age), and who want to stay in Australia during their retirement years. It’s a temporary visa that allows you to stay in Australia for four years, though you can apply for subsequent ones on expiry, with each permitting you to stay for another four years.

To obtain a visa to study in Australia you’re required to be enrolled in an Australian academic institution and receive a Confirmation of Enrollment (which is issued after tutition fees have been paid in full). If you also plan to work with this visa you should apply for one with the additional right of ‘permission to work’.

Australian partner visas allow the partner, fiance, or spouse of permanent Australian residents (including immigrants) to also live and work in the country. Family visas can be obtained to also get these rights for dependent children, orphaned relatives and dependent relatives.