Australian work visa - Are you planning on relocating to Australia and need information about the requirement for Australia work permit?
Here you can find general information about Australian work visa options. The information provided here is for those who are seeking a temporary work visa.
However, for the most up-to-date Australia visa requirements you should contact your local embassy or consulate. Or For advice on obtaining an Australian visa visit LIVE IN australia.com
Employer Sponsored Workers
To qualify for this visa you have to be sponsored by an employer to fill a nominated position and you should have the skills, qualifications, and experience that are required for this position.
An employer can be either Australian business or overseas business.
What can you do with this visa?
- Work in Australia for a period of between 3 months and 4 years
- Bring any eligible family members with you to Australia where they can work and study
- After entering Australia, you and your eligible family members have no limit on the number of times you travel in and out of Australia.
Professionals and other Skilled Workers
This program is for people who are not sponsored by an employer and who have skills in
particular occupations required in Australia – SOL list.
To be eligible for this Australia work visa you must be over 18 and under 45 years of age, with good English language ability, and recent skilled work experience or a recently completed eligible Australian qualification.
What are your visa options for a provisional Australian work visa?
Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclass 475)
This visa requires you to be either: nominated by a participating State or Territory government agency or sponsored by an eligible relative living in a designated area of Australia.
This Australian work visa uses a points test to select visa applicants with characteristics needed in the Australian labor market.
To apply for this Australian work visa you must be less than 45 years of age, have good English language skills and, have the skills and qualifications that meet the Australian standard for an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
With this visa you can remain in Australia for up to three years and you must live and work in a Specified Regional Area in Australia. Your accompanying secondary applicants can work and study, but only in a Specified Regional Area of Australia,
This visa provides a pathway to permanent residence.
Skilled – Recognized Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 476)
This visa is for you if you completed an Engineering degree at a recognized overseas institution in the last two years.
This visa allows you to gain up to 18 months of skilled work experience in occupations in demand in Australia and as a holder of this visa you may apply for permanent residence
Business Development - Provisional

This Australian work visa is for people who would like to establish a business in Australia, manage a new or existing business or invest in Australia. All these except the Investor Retirement visa offer a pathway to permanent residence.
Note - For this type of visa there is an age limitation. You have to be under 45 year old if you are a business owner, and under 55 year old if you are a state/territory sponsored business owner.
What can you do with this visa?
- Establish a new or existing business in Australia
- Travel in and out of Australia any number of times as long as the visa is valid
- Have your family accompany you to Australia. They will have access to work and study rights
- Establish a pathway to permanent residence
Visa validity – Four years
Australian Work Visa for Special Activities
Domestic Worker (Diplomatic/Consular) Visa
You can be employed full time as a domestic worker in the household of a Diplomatic visa (subclass 995) holder who is an accredited diplomat or consular officer in Australia.
To be eligible for this type of Australia work visa your employer needs to receive the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT), and you must have turned 18 years.
With this visa you can You can stay in Australia for a maximum of 2 years or for the length of the posting of your employer, whichever is the earlier date.
Domestic Worker (Executive) Visa (Subclass 427)
You can be employed as a full-time domestic worker in the household of certain senior executives who are in charge of an Australian office of an overseas organization, who holds a business (long stay) visa (subclass 457).
To be eligible for this type of Australian work visa you must be at least 18 years of age.
What can you do with this visa?
You are allowed to work only in the position nominated in your visa application, and you can bring your spouse and dependent children with you to Australia.
Visa validity period – up to two years or for the term of the executive's stay in Australia whichever is the earlier date.
Australia Visa - Exchange Visa (Subclass 411)
This visa is for skilled people who want to come to Australia for a temporary stay to broaden their work experience and skills. This visa has reciprocal arrangements to allow Australian residents similar opportunities overseas,and is for use under certain bilateral exchange agreements.
You are allowed to bring your spouse and dependent children.
Visa validity: A maximum of 2 years or for the period of the exchange, whichever is the earlier.
Australian Work Visa for Doctors
There is currently a shortage of doctors in Australia, particularly in regional areas.
Doctors can enter Australia to work on either a temporary or permanent visa
If you are a doctor and prefer to enter to Australia as a temporary resident then you can apply for a visa on the temporary medical practitioner visa or on the temporary business (long stay) visa.
The temporary business (long stay) visa is the preferred temporary visa for doctors entering Australia.
To be eligible for these 2 types of visa you must be sponsored by an approved Australian employer. The employer can be one of the following:
- direct employers from the health industry
- state and territory health authorities
- deputizing services and locum agencies
- community bodies such as local councils, government health organizations and medical centers in regional areas.
You can work in Australia for a period of between 3 months and 4 years. You can bring any family members with you to Australia where they can work and study.
More information about overseas Doctors working in Australia is available on the Doctor Connect website.
Australian Work Visa for Nurses

There is currently a shortage of nurses in Australia, particularly in regional areas.
Nurses can apply for permanent and temporary work visa. Most visa applications for nurses receive priority processing.
If you are a nurse and prefer to enter to Australia as a temporary resident then you can apply for a visa on the temporary business (long stay) visa.
Under this type of visa you can work for an approved business sponsor, up to four years. Your spouse and dependent children can accompany you and they are allowed to work and study in Australia.
Another option available for nurses to work in Australia is applying for a working holiday visa.
Nurses who do not have the qualifications to work as a nurse in Australia can do a bridging program to improve their skills. There are some temporary visa options available for you to do this.
Occupational Trainee visa – Nurses can undertake a supervised, workplace-based training program in Australia. This option is good for training programs of three months or longer.
Business (short stay) visa (subclass 456) Nurses can undertake an approved bridging or pre-registration program for less than three months. Nurses who successfully complete the course may be able to apply in Australia for a Business Long Stay visa.
More information for overseas nurses working in Australia is available at Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council website.
Australian Work Visa for Educational Purpose
You can apply for an educational visa if you have been offered temporary employment at
an Australian tertiary education or research institution as an academic, a librarian, a technician, a laboratory demonstrator, a graduate or post doctoral researcher or as a teacher at a school or technical college.
If you were appointed to a senior academic position or scientific research position you can stay in Australia for whichever of the following is earlier: the period of the appointment as indicated in the letter of appointment or up to four years.
All others can stay in Australia for the approved period of sponsorship with the maximum period of stay of up to two years.
Note: To receive an educational position in Australia you can also apply for subclass 457-business (long stay) visa which offers the following advantages: applications can be lodged online, no labor market testing is required and you can stay in Australia up to four years.
Disclaimer: The contents of this page are provided as an information guide only. The use of this website is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- The department of immigration and Citizenship Australia URL: http://www.immi.gov.au/
The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user's own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.
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