Working in Australia is a popular choice for foreign nationals seeking to enhance their quality of life. The country provides lots of opportunities to many aspiring individuals striving to secure their work visa for Australia.
Before you embark on your journey to live and work in Australia, it’s essential to start by applying for the appropriate visa. Curious about the different types available and the requirements for securing them? We’ve got you covered. Keep reading to learn more!
*Disclaimer: all prices are for reference and may vary over time.
Types of work visas in Australia
It’s vital to grasp that a range of work visas is at your disposal for employment in Australia. Your selection of the right visa hinges on factors like your educational qualifications, the type of position you’re pursuing, and the duration of your planned stay in Australia.
Certainly, this is due to the Australian government’s visa categorization system for employment. On one hand, you’ll find short-term and temporary visas, granting permission to work for a specified duration.
On the other hand, you have permanent permits, which automatically make you a resident. Here are some of these options.
There are other visas to work in Australia. However, these are usually the most requested by foreign nationals. If you want to check the complete list, visit the official Immigration website and review all the available options.
Now, to obtain any work visa in Australia, you have to meet some essential conditions. Below, we will explain them and show you the work visas available, so you can choose the one that suits you best.
1. Work and holiday visa (subclass 462)
Cost: 635 AUD*.
Processing time: around 14 to 83 days.
The Work and holiday visa is one of the most versatile visas to work in Australia. In principle, it is a vacation permit, but it authorizes you to work during your 1-year stay. To obtain it, you must meet these requirements:
Be a citizen of one of the eligible countries.
Be 18 to 30 years old at the time of application.
Not have applied for this work visa in Australia before.
Travel without children who are financially dependent on you.
Meet certain educational requirements.
Demonstrate your level of English.
Have sufficient funds to cover your stay (minimum, 5000 AUD).
If applicable, submit a letter of support from your home government.
If requested, meet certain medical requirements.
To travel with one of the visas to work in Australia, consider a few things. First, you are authorized to study in Australia for 4 months and work at the same time. Second, you cannot work with the same employer for more than 6 months.
Besides, the Work and holiday visa can be renewed 2 more times. The main requirement is to have been in government-specified employment for a minimum of 3 months. If you are seeking to renew your Australian work visa a third time, you must have worked for a minimum of 6 months on your second trip.
Lastly, for each country, each year a certain number of visas to work in Australia is approved. This means that if you run out of them, you have to submit your application when a new process opens. Don’t worry, when you make your application, the authorities will let you know whether you have a chance or not.
2. Working holiday visa (subclass 417)
Cost: 635 AUD*.
Processing time: around 2 to 14 days.
As in the previous case, the Working holiday visa is for vacations, study and work in Australia valid for 1 year. The difference is that it is not available for Latin American countries or Spain. In addition, the conditions to obtain it are much more flexible.
Be a citizen of one of the eligible countries.
Be 18 to 30 years old at the time of application. If you are a Canadian or Irish citizen, you can apply before your 35th birthday.
Not have applied for this work visa in Australia before.
Travel without children who are financially dependent on you.
Have sufficient funds to cover your stay (minimum, 5000 AUD).
If requested, meet certain medical requirements.
Another difference with one of the visas to work in Australia is that, per year, there is no limited number. If you are an eligible candidate, you can submit your application whenever you want. On top of that, you also have the opportunity to renew 2 more times.
To do so, you must meet the same conditions as with the Work and Holiday Visa. That is, you must have obtained, with your work visa in Australia, a specified job. Of course, there are a couple of additional requirements in both cases that you can check on the official website of Immigration.
3. Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408)
Cost: from 405 AUD*.
Processing time: it varies depending on the type of permit you apply for.
The Temporary Activity visa is one of the visas to work in Australia from 3 months to 4 years. However, the duration of your stay depends on the activities you want to perform in the country. This permit is very versatile. To help you understand it better, we will explain below:
If you want to work in government-certified events, you can stay in Australia for up to 4 years.
To participate in special programs (cultural exchanges, assistance in language schools…), you can stay in Australia for up to 1 year.
If you want to work in a religious institution, this work visa in Australia grants you a stay of up to 2 years.
To be part of a research project, you can stay in Australia for up to 2 years.
If you want to participate in cultural or sporting events, this visa grants you a 3-month stay.
Moreover, the prerequisites for securing one of the work visas in Australia can vary depending on your occupation, and in some cases, you might require an employer’s nomination to initiate the processing of your Australian work visa. For comprehensive information and specific details, we recommend visiting the official Immigration website.
4. Short-stay Temporary Work visa (subclass 400)
Cost: 405 AUD.
Processing time: around 12 to 28 days.
The Short-stay Temporary Work visa is a work visa in Australia valid for 3 months. It is available if you are a qualified professional. However, the authorities may approve a 6-month stay in some cases. To obtain it, you must meet the following conditions.
Be a qualified professional. You must prove that you have the skills to work in the country and that it is difficult to find someone in Australia who is capable of doing what you do.
Sign a contract for no more than 6 months.
Have a resume or a license certifying your professional skills.
Demonstrate work experience.
Have funds to cover your stay and, if necessary, that of your companions.
Fulfill certain medical requirements.
Unlike other visas to work in Australia, this one cannot be renewed. In addition, the process to obtain it is not so simple. On the official website of Immigration, you will find more information. They also explain, step by step, how to make your application.
5. Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482)
Cost: from 1,455 AUD depending on the permit you apply for.
Processing time: from about 20 days to 5 months depending on the permit you apply for.
The Temporary Skill Shortage visa is another visa to work in Australia available if you are a qualified professional. Within this category, there are 2 types of permits: the short-term stream and the medium-term stream.
What is the difference between the two?
The short-term stream is a work visa valid for 2 to 4 years. Alternatively, the medium-term stream allows you to work in Australia for 4 years and also to study as long as you are able to pay for your courses.
In both cases, you must meet the following conditions:
Have been nominated by an Australian employer. If your profession is not on the list of specialized careers created by the government, the application will not be valid.
Work only with the employer who nominated you and in the position specified in your application.
Have at least 2 years of work experience.
Apply for a skills assessment if required to work in Australia.
Take out an international health insurance for the duration of your stay.
Have the minimum level of English required by the authorities.
The advantage of these visas to work in Australia is that, when they expire, you can apply for permanent residency! Sure, you must meet several criteria and be an eligible candidate. If you are interested, take a look at the official Immigration website and learn more about the process!
6. Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
The Temporary Graduate visa is a work visa in Australia valid for students who have recently graduated from an Australian college or university. In this category, there are also 2 types of permits: the Graduate Work stream and the Post-Study Work stream.
Theoretically, they are the same, but there is one important difference.
Graduate Work stream
Cost: from 1,895 AUD.
Processing time: around 72 days to 13 months.
The Graduate Work stream is one of the visas to work in Australia for up to 18 months that you can apply for if you are doing a vocational course or a degree in Australia. During your stay, you can also enter and leave the country, study and travel. To obtain it, you must meet the following conditions.
Be under 50 years of age at the time of application.
Graduate from a profession in demand in Australia.
Meet the Government-imposed academic requirements.
Certify that you have the skills to work in Australia in your profession.
To take out valid international medical insurance for the duration of your stay.
Meet the minimum required level of English.
Meet certain medical requirements.
Post-Study Work stream
Cost: from 1,895 AUD.
Processing time: around 79 days to 15 months.
The Post-Study Work stream is a work visa in Australia available if you graduated in the country. This visa also allows you to study and travel, but for 2 to 4 years if you pursue a bachelor’s degree or specialization. Sure, before applying for it, you must fulfill these conditions:
Be under 50 years of age at the time of application.
Hold a student visa at the time of your application or have held one for 6 months prior to applying for your permit.
Meet the educational requirements imposed by the government.
Possess a valid university degree.
Have graduated from a government-certified institution.
Own a valid international medical insurance for the duration of your stay.
Meet the minimum required level of English.
If you want to obtain any of these visas to work in Australia, visit the official Immigration website. The application process is demanding and you must gather several documents, so find out as much as you can. Anyway, if you are not an eligible candidate, you can consider other options.
7. Direct Entry stream (subclass 186)
Cost: from 4,640 AUD.
Processing time: around 42 days to 13 months.
The Direct Entry stream is a work visa in Australia that, upon your arrival in the country, makes you a legal resident. It also allows you to study and, if you are an eligible candidate, to apply for citizenship! However, it is not easy to obtain… and you must fulfill several conditions.
Be nominated by an Australian employer.
Hold a degree in one of the specialized careers established by the government.
Have at least 3 years of work experience.
If applicable, have a license to practice your profession.
Prove that you have skills for your profession.
In most cases, be under 45 years of age at the time of application.
Be fluent in English.
Meet certain medical requirements.
If you meet the requirements, get to work! The Direct Entry Stream is one of the visas to work in Australia that you can apply for inside or outside the country. However, before making plans, visit the official Immigration website and check the application procedure in detail.
8. Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
Cost: from 4,640 AUD.
Processing time: from around 82 days to 3 months.
The Skilled Independent visa is another work visa in Australia to grant residency to professionals whose skills are needed in the country. It is also one of the most difficult visas to obtain to work in Australia, you must have received an invitation from the Government. And you must meet several requirements.
Send a letter of intent (EOI) through SkillSelect.
Certify your skills in your profession to the Australian Government.
Be less than 45 years old when applying for a visa.
At the time of sending your letter of interest, fill out a form and obtain a minimum of 65 points. Otherwise, you are not an eligible candidate.
Have a degree in one of the specialized careers demanded by the government.
Be fluent in English.
As you can see, obtaining this work visa in Australia is not easy… That is why many people hire the services of a specialized migration agent accredited by the Australian government. Of course, you can make the application by yourself, but make sure you are an eligible candidate and get to know the process well.
9. Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
Cost: 4,640 AUD.
Processing time: around 87 days to 36 months.
The Skilled Nominated visa is another visa to work in Australia and become a resident. As in the previous case, you must receive an invitation from the government to make an application.
However, you must also have been nominated by a state government agency to become a candidate.
No doubt these work visas in Australia are very attractive; after all, they are a step towards becoming a citizen. The problem is they are complicated to obtain, as you know, so you need to know the process well or consider other visas to work in Australia.
10. Student visa (subclass 500)
Cost: 715 AUD.
Processing time: it varies.
Last but not least, the Student visa allows you to study in Australia for up to 5 years. It is also a work visa in Australia that authorizes you to work 24 hours per week and full time during vacations. To obtain it, you must meet the following conditions.
Enroll in a government-certified school.
Certify your level of English, depending on the course you want to take.
Take out an international health insurance for students for the duration of your stay.
Prove that you have enough money to cover your stay: 21,041 AUD for 1 year of study.
Prove that you are a genuine visitor and that you intend to return to your country when your visa expires.
Have in mind that the student visa is one of the easiest visas to obtain to work in Australia. We know that you can only work a few hours per week. However, traveling with this permit can bring you many benefits in the future.
First of all, becoming a professional is a step towards obtaining another work visa in Australia and even a residence permit! On top of that, you will be able to get a job in any country in the world, Australian degrees are internationally valid. In one scenario or the other, you come out on top.
In addition, you have many options to choose from. While in the country, you can study English, take vocational courses or enroll in a university. In the end, it all depends on your professional goals and, of course, your budget to study in Australia.
Get your student visa Australia with GrowPro
If you opt to pursue a study and work path, we provide tailored guidance to help you apply for your study and work visa in Australia. Rest assured, we have substantial experience in this field.
At GrowPro, we offer educational opportunities at government-certified schools. The first thing you have to do is to select the course you want to undertake in Australia. We have courses in different fields of study such as Early Childhood Education, Environment, Sports, IT, Arts, Design, and Fashion, among others.
Then fill out a form, get a free quote, and that’s it! Our Student Advisors will contact you and, if you give them the green light, they will organize your trip. The only thing left to do is to trust your instincts and embark on your adventure to Australia!
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About the author
Tatiana Forero Rubiano
Tatiana viajó como mochilera por Canadá, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia, Chile y Brasil. Allí, mientras hacía una pasantía en Marketing Digital, descubrió su pasión para escribir sobre viajes. Desde 2018 se ha especializado en Content Marketing y, actualmente, es editora del blog de GrowPro.
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