Visa options when you want to work in Australia

You have made that big decision to move to Australia by finding a job there. The next logical step is to find the work visa options to successfully pursue an overseas career in Australia. Here are details of the work visa options available and tips on choosing the best option.

Australia offers both temporary and permanent work visa options.

Temporary work visa options:

TSS visa (Temporary Skill Shortage):

Australian companies can sponsor foreign employees with this visa. Employees can work between two to four years on this visa based on the employer’s requirement. Companies will have to prove that there is no local talent available and hence they must sponsor a foreign employee. To be eligible for this visa you must have a minimum of two years of work experience and be below 45 years.

Working holiday visa:

This visa allows you to take up short-term employment in the country while on a vacation. This visa is available to people in the age group of 18-30 and is valid for 12 months.

Permanent work visa options:

1. Employer Nomination Scheme visa (Subclass 186): This visa requires nomination by an employer. The condition for this visa is that your occupation must be on the list of eligible skilled occupations and the occupation must be relevant to your skills. This visa lets you live and work in Australia on a permanent basis.

Employers can sponsor you if you are on a 457, TSS or working holiday visa. This visa can lead to permanent residency.

2. Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189): To be selected for this visa, you must submit an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect. This can be done within or outside of Australia.

To get an invitation to apply for this visa you should:

• Have Experience in a nominated occupation on Australia's Skilled Occupations List
• Get a skill assessment report by a designated authority for that occupation

3. Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190): Qualifying for this visa requires nomination by an Australian state territory. The visa requirements are like those of Subclass 189 except that you should have experience in a nominated occupation on the Skilled Occupations List.

Which visa option to choose:

Which is the visa option that you should opt for before moving to Australia?  Well, Australian employees prefer to hire employees who have a temporary visa like the TSS visa rather than sponsor them for a permanent visa.

The reason for this is companies do not want to go through the process of sponsoring a new employee’s visa. They even prefer to sponsor them for a TSS visa considering they have no earlier association with the employee.

 If you move to Australia on TSS visa, you always have the option to apply for a Skilled Permanent visa after two or four years. In fact, your employer can sponsor the permanent visa once he is convinced of your competence.

Another reason why employers prefer temporary sponsorship of foreign employees is the rules and conditions to get this visa are less strict than getting a permanent sponsored visa. Once they are convinced of the foreign worker’s skills, they will be willing to invest the money and time to help them get a permanent visa.

Another option is to get a working holiday visa if you are eligible for it and move to Australia. You can then get a temporary visa and subsequently a permanent visa.

Before you try to find jobs that offer a sponsorship, ensure that you qualify for an Australian visa. The best way to do this is to get a visa assessment done by an immigration consultant. Ensure they are registered with MARA. The consultant will help you discover the best occupations you are suited for based on the SOL and the potential points you can score based on your qualification.

If you decide to move to work in Australia, it is important to know the best visa options suited to your requirements.