Australia Work Visa Requirements

A work visa can be in the form of a document or stamp in your passport which symbolises that the holder of such has full authorization to engage in full time employment in that particular country. A work permit/residence visa may be required where the individual is not naturally eligible to take up full time employment in that country. Each jurisdiction will have a designated department to administer and issue work permits and it is important that the work visa is issued from the relevant authority.

Within the boundaries of each country, there are certain condition to satisfy in order to qualify for a work permit, however depending on your nationality and type of employment offer you may be subject to satisfy different criteria. It should be noted that depending on your nationality you may not be required to obtain a work permit in the first place. Generally all jurisdictions with reciprocal treaty agreements (for example the European Union) do not stipulate that an EU citizen must obtain a work visa to enable them to live and work in EU countries. All jurisdictions have specific conditions which have to be satisfied in order for the applicant to qualify under the relevant work permit program.

Who requires an Australian Work Visa?

All foreign nationals who are non Australian residents or citizens and who intend to take up employment in Australia are legally required to obtain the relevant work permit. Different factors will decide which work permit is most suitable to you, in general your type of employment contract, your level of required skills and the length of time you with to work in Australia will determine the type of visa to apply for.

Types of Australian Work Visas

Australian Work Visa (skilled Migration Program)

Australia adopts a point’s based system by which applicants seeking to work in Australia are awarded points dependant on their level of relevant work experience, educational background, professional qualification and language proficiency. This system adopted by Australia is used to encourage young highly skilled foreign nationals to live and work in Australia where their presence will bring benefits to the local Australian economy. One of the conditions to satisfy prior to applying for a work visa is that the applicant must be less than 45 years of age and be proficient in the English language. Where the applicant possess specialist knowledge or expertise in an area of demand in Australia they may be subject to a less stringent application procedure, particularly where the applicant is willing and able to invest a sum of money in the local Australian economy.

Australia ‘Employer Nominated Migration’ Visa

This program is also known as the Employer Nomination Scheme and is a permanent sponsored visa for foreign nationals. Typically applicants eligible under this program have already received a form offer of employment form an Australian registered company, however if you are the holder of a temporary working visa you are also eligible under this scheme. The applicant’s employer in Australia acts as the application sponsor for their migration to Australia. It is the responsibility of the sponsor company to apply for the applicants work permit on their behalf to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Business Centre in Australia, the sponsor company are also subject to pay a nominal fee.

Certain documents are required to qualify under the Employer Nominations scheme. There documents include; a valid passport, applicants medical report, police clearance report from the applicants country of domicile, recent passport photos and the employment contract received from the sponsor company.

The candidate may be subject to further assessments such as medical assessment and skills test.

457 Work Visa

The 457 work visa is a temporary ‘business’ visa which is adopted by Australia sponsor companies to sponsor overseas workers. The 457 work visa has a validity period ranging from 1 day to a maximum period of four years. The main holder of a 457 work visa is also entitled to bring their spouse and dependants with them to reside and take up employment or studies in Australia. The 457 work visa allows for the holder to enter and exit Australia as many times as necessary during the validity period of their visa.

There are certain conditions which must be satisfied for a foreign national to qualify for the 457 work visa sponsorship, these requirements are as follows.

- The applicant must receive sponsorship from a credible, legal and eligible Australian sponsor

- The applicant must possess the required skills and work experience relative to the position he/she will undertake in Australia

- The applicant must possess the required professional qualifications and be proficient in the English language

Australia Working Holiday Visa

Australia has entered into reciprocal treaty agreements with several countries in a bid to encourage citizens of those countries to visit Australia and take up temporary employment to support their stay. Such reciprocal treaty agreements aim to strengthen the relationships between Australia and other countries. The countries involved are; Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, Netherlands, Japan, Italy, Ireland, UK, Taiwan, Sweden, Norway, Malta, Korea, Germany and Hong Kong.

Under the Working holiday visa the applicants are eligible to visit Australia for a period of up to 12 consecutive months, it also allows for the holder of this visa to take up short term employment as an effort to fund the living expenses of the applicants stay. This visa is not suitable for applicants intending to visit Australia for the purpose of employment.

The main condition which must be satisfied under this program is that the applicants must be between the ages of 18 to 30 years of age.

Australia Work and Holiday Visa

This ‘work and holiday visa’ is very much similar to the working holiday visa mentioned above. Countries party to the Australia work and holiday visa are; USA, Turkey, Indonesia, Chile, Thailand and Bangladesh. Under this program the applicants are eligible to reside in Australia for a maximum period of 12 months and engage in employment for the purpose of funding their travels in Australia. To qualify under this working visa program the applicants must be a citizen from one of the above mentioned countries and be between the ages of 18 to 30 years of age.

- The applicant must possess the required skills and work experience relative to the position he/she will undertake in Australia

- The applicant must possess the required professional qualifications and be proficient in the English language

Business Work Visa

Under this category, the holder of a business work visa may be eligible for a permanent residence visa in Australia where he/she is a successful business person and can bring a wealth of experience and benefits to the local Australian economy. On approval of a business visa, the applicant will be issued the visa with a validity period of up to 4 years. Once the applicant has provided evidence that he/she has satisfied a certain level of business activity or monetary investment into a new Australia business start up, then they are eligible to apply for a permanent residence visa.

The categories applicable under the Business Work Visa are;

1) Business owners

2) Senior executives

3) Investors

4) Business talent

Typical Documents required for obtaining an Australia work visa

- Valid passport

- Recent passport photos

- Contract of employment

- Completed visa application form, signed accordingly

- Medical certificate

- Police clearance report

- Evidence of applicants educational background and professional qualifications

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