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Employer-sponsored visa for skilled workers in occupations on the Short-Term or Medium-Term Skills shortage lists. The Australian employer must be an approved sponsor; the employee must have relevant qualifications and work experience.
Points-based permanent residency visa — no employer or state sponsor required. Applicants need a points score of at least 65 (based on age, English, experience, qualifications) and an occupation on the eligible list. Highly competitive; invitation-only via SkillSelect.
Restricted to passport holders of approximately 45 partner countries (417 subclass) or specific countries under the Work and Holiday program (462 subclass). Applicants must be aged 18-30 (35 for some countries) and meet health requirements.
For spouses or de-facto partners of Australian citizens or permanent residents. Grants temporary residency initially (subclass 820), converting to permanent (subclass 801) after 2 years. Full work rights are included.
Australia has a well-organized points-based permanent residency system (Skilled Migration) alongside popular temporary visas like the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS/482) visa and the Working Holiday visa (for those under 35 from eligible countries). Pathways to permanent residency are clearly defined, though the process can take 1-3+ years and requires meeting health and character requirements.
The Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa allows employers to sponsor skilled workers for up to 4 years, with pathways to permanent residency for many occupations. The Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) offers direct permanent residency sponsorship. Some visas allow open work rights without employer sponsorship, such as the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189).
Australia's Partner visa (subclasses 820/801 for onshore, 309/100 for offshore) allows spouses and de facto partners of Australian citizens or permanent residents to live and work in Australia. Processing can take 1-2 years. Child and parent visas are also available, though parent visas can have very long wait times.
Australia taxes residents on worldwide income at progressive rates from 19% to 45% (plus Medicare levy of 2%). Temporary residents (most visa holders) are generally not taxed on foreign income. The tax-free threshold is AUD 18,200 per year. Australia has tax treaties with over 45 countries and a relatively generous superannuation (retirement savings) system.
Australia's public Medicare system is available to permanent residents and citizens, and to residents from some countries with bilateral agreements. Temporary visa holders typically need private health insurance. The private system is excellent, and extras cover (dental, optical) is purchased separately. Major private insurers include Medibank and Bupa.
Opening a bank account in Australia is straightforward and can be done before arrival for most nationalities. Major banks include Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac, and NAB. A Tax File Number (TFN) is needed for employment but not for basic banking. Digital banks like Up and ING are popular with expats.
The Business Innovation and Investment visa (subclass 188/888) has multiple streams including the Investor Stream (AUD 1.5 million into a complying investment) and the Significant Investor Stream (AUD 5 million into complying investments) for permanent residency. The Significant Investor stream has a 4-year residency pathway and requires at least AUD 500,000 in venture capital.
| Program | Min. Investment | Residency | Citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Significant Investor Visa (Stream B) | $3300k+ | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Investor Visa (Stream C) | $990k+ | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |